It looks like Intel's strange purchase of the security outfit McAfee has raised the eyebrows of the European Union.

The EU has kept a close eye on Chipzilla since it fined the outfit $1.45 billion for anti-trust behavour. According to the Wall Street Journal which has been talking to deep throats within the Commission, a questionnaire is being circulated by European Union investigators over the buy out.

The EU’s antitrust regulator has privately expressed some apprehensions about the $7.68 billion acquisition during its preliminary assessment of the deal. If that is the case, the regulator will want a wide-ranging study of the implications of the McAfee acquisition. The EU has until January 12, 2011, to either issue a judgement on the deal or to initiate the more-extended review.

Apparently the antitrust watchdogs have been snuffling around the hindquarters of rival security-software companies asking their views. The concern is that Intel might give McAfee products exclusive or special access to some chip features; thereby enabling the products to run more effectively.