Israel’s attorney general orders investigation into police spyware allegations | world news

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JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Israel’s attorney general has ordered an investigation into police surveillance tactics amid reports that law enforcement misused a disputed hacking tool.

A report by the financial daily Calcalist detailing police misuse of Pegasus spyware from Israeli group NSO – a company now blacklisted by the US government – has already prompted parliament to demand an explanation from police officials.

In a letter to the police commissioner made public, Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit said an initial review of the case found no evidence of systemic misuse of surveillance technologies.

He said it was, however, difficult to track down specific cases depicted in the media due to the lack of identifying information.

Calcalist, without citing sources, reported that police used Pegasus against targets, including leaders of anti-government protests, sometimes without the required court warrants.

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“It is difficult to overstate the seriousness of the alleged violation of fundamental rights,” Mandelblit said.

The report added a new domestic angle to the global pressure on Israel following allegations that Pegasus was abused by some foreign client governments to spy on human rights activists, journalists and politicians.

Mandelblit said he formed a team led by his deputy to investigate the matter “systematically and thoroughly”.

Police Commissioner Kobi Shabtai said on Thursday that police were carrying out an internal investigation which so far had revealed no abuse.

“If it turns out that there were specific cases that deviated from procedures, we will act to improve and correct, in full transparency and cooperation with all groups,” he said.

NSO said it could not confirm or deny any existing or potential customers. He says he does not operate the system once sold to his government customers and is not involved in any way with the operation of the system.

(Reporting by Ari Rabinovitch; Editing by Mark Potter)

Copyright 2022 Thomson Reuters.

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