ro atia ). ▁ ▁In ▁October ▁ 2 0 1 3 , ▁reports ▁by ▁former ▁NS A ▁contract or ▁Edward ▁Snow den ▁led ▁to ▁the ▁revel ation ▁of ▁the ▁S CS ▁having ▁system atically ▁wire t apped ▁Chan cell or ▁of ▁Germany ▁Ang ela ▁Mer kel ' s ▁private ▁cell ▁phone ▁over ▁a ▁period ▁of ▁over ▁ 1 0 ▁years , ▁among ▁other ▁activities ▁to ▁wire t ap ▁and ▁system atically ▁record ▁large ▁amounts ▁of ▁European ▁and ▁South ▁American ▁leaders ' ▁and ▁citizens ' ▁communic ations . ▁ ▁Other ▁S CS ▁locations ▁include ▁B aku ▁( A zer ba ij an ), ▁K iev ▁( U k raine ), ▁Madrid ▁( Sp ain ), ▁Moscow ▁( Russ ia ), ▁Pr ist ina ▁( K os ovo ), ▁Rome ▁( Ital y ), ▁Sar aje vo ▁( B os nia ), ▁T bil isi ▁( Ge org ia ), ▁and ▁Tir ana ▁( Al ban ia ). ▁▁ ▁Dis closure ▁by ▁Edward ▁Snow den ▁▁ ▁The ▁existence ▁of ▁St ater oom ▁was ▁revealed ▁in ▁October ▁ 2 0 1 3 ▁by ▁the ▁former ▁NS A ▁contract or ▁Edward ▁Snow den , ▁who ▁initi ated ▁the ▁global ▁surve ill ance ▁dis closure . ▁▁ ▁Re actions ▁▁▁ ▁New ▁Zealand ▁▁ ▁Dam ien ▁Rog ers , ▁former ▁senior ▁advis er ▁to ▁the ▁New ▁Zealand ▁intelligence ▁ag ency ▁Government ▁Communic ations ▁Security ▁Bureau ▁( GC SB ) ▁said ▁he ▁was ▁surprised ▁to ▁hear ▁that ▁the ▁" St ater oom " ▁code word ▁and ▁location ▁of ▁associated ▁sites