US may have targeted Germany Chancellor Angela Merkel's mobile phone

THE German government says Chancellor Angela Merkel has called US President Barack Obama after suggestions her mobile phone was monitored.

THE German government says Chancellor Angela Merkel has called US President Barack Obama after receiving information that US intelligence may have targeted her mobile phone.

The White House denied that the US is listening in on Ms Merkel's phone calls.

The German government said it responded after receiving "information that the chancellor's cellphone may be monitored" by US intelligence. It wouldn't elaborate but German news magazine Der Spiegel, which has published material from NSA leaker Edward Snowden, said its research triggered the response.

Ms Merkel spokesman Steffen Seibert said in a statement the chancellor made clear to Mr Obama in a phone call that "she views such practices, if the indications are confirmed ... as completely unacceptable" and "a serious breach of trust."

Ms Merkel said among close partners such as Germany and the US, "there must not be such surveillance of a head of government's communication," Mr Seibert added. "That would be a serious breach of trust. Such practices must be stopped immediately."

In Washington, White House spokesman Jay Carney said "the United States is not monitoring and will not monitor the communications of the chancellor."

Ms Merkel raised concerns over electronic eavesdropping issue when Mr Obama visited Germany in June, has demanded answers from the US government and backed calls for greater European data protection.

However, Wednesday's statement was much more sharply worded and appeared to reflect frustration over the answers provided so far by the US government.

Ms Merkel called for US authorities to clarify the extent of surveillance in Germany and to provide answers to "questions that the German government asked months ago," Mr Seibert said.