Prosecutors used FISA warrant to get info on Huawei

Federal prosecutors investigating Chinese tech giant Huawei engaged in covert surveillance of the controversial company that they plan to use as evidence in upcoming criminal proceedings.

Reuters reported Thursday that U.S. Attorney Alex Solomon told a judge Thursday in New York that the evidence against Huawei would require classified handling as it was obtained under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA).

According to Solomon, the evidence was “obtained or derived from electronic surveillance and physical search,” but he reportedly gave no other details.

Under investigation is Huawei’s relationship with Skycom Tech Co Ltd, a company suspected by U.S. authorities to be a front for Huawei’s efforts to obtain embargoed U.S. goods for sale in Iran, thereby violating U.S. sanctions put in place following the collapse of the Iran nuclear agreement.

The company also pleaded not guilty last month to the attempted theft of U.S. trade secrets.

The Trump administration has banned Huawei technology from use by the U.S. government over accusations that its phones and other devices can be accessed by Chinese intelligence services, which Huawei has denied.