In Brief: The US National Security Agency had plans to spy on Australia and other Five Eyes nations despite that the countries had a "common understanding" not to do so.
A leaked document titled Collection, Processing and Dissemination of Allied Communications by former contractor Edward Snowden obtained by The Guardian.
A sentence classified as not to be shared with foreign partners stated governments "reserved the right" to conduct intelligence operations against each other's citizens "when it is in the best interests of each nation".
"Therefore under certain circumstances, it may be advisable and allowable to target second party persons and second party communications systems unilaterally, when it is in the best interests of the US and necessary for US national security."
