What really worries me about this story is the following question: Are german agencies involved in this? I mean, assume the break ins are real, can the FBI operate in a foreign country without consent? At least they should know it and did nothing to stop it... Or am I msitaken here somewhere?
I always was under the assumption, that the FBI is a police-force, not a spy-agency (like the CIA or NSA). I kind of realize that the difference is getting smaller in recent years.
There is good reason to keep them (Police and Intelligence) separated, in germany we call this 'Trennungsgebot', this is a direct historical consequence of the Gestapo.
So, technically, is the FBI a police or an intelligence agency?
The FBI is an investigative law enforcement agency. So, I would say that they are intended to be both.
The CIA, a "pure" intelligence agency, has been competing with the FBI for decades, leading to the FBI becoming more and more of an intelligence agency over time (in addition to their law enforcement "police" activities).
