European plane manufacturer Airbus to take legal action over alleged German, US govt spying

European aviation company Airbus says it is taking legal action following reports it was targeted by German and U.S. intelligence agencies.

The company, which makes civilian and military aircraft and is a fierce rival of U.S. manufacturer Boeing, said in a statement Friday it will file a criminal complaint with prosecutors in Germany against "persons unknown." That's a common procedure in Germany which requires authorities to investigate.

Germany had pledged to cooperate with lawmakers investigating claims that the country's foreign intelligence agency helped the U.S. National Security Agency eavesdrop on European officials and companies.

Germany reacted angrily two years ago to reports that the NSA spied on senior German officials. But a parliamentary panel created to probe these claims has since uncovered uncomfortable allegations about Germany's own spy agency.