UK refusal to cooperate with Belgian hacking inquiry condemned

Fears stance on GCHQ's alleged hacking of Belgacom could damage diplomatic relations

The UK government has been accused of endangering diplomatic relations with Belgium after its "exceptional" refusal to cooperate with an inquiry into GCHQ's alleged hacking of Belgacom, the country's biggest telecoms company.

For at least two years ending in 2013, the British intelligence service was probably spying within the state-owned company's networks on the instruction of UK ministers, according to leaks from a judicial inquiry presented to Belgium's national security council this week.