World

Moroccan government reportedly spied on French President Macron using Israeli software

by on

More in World:

The Moroccan government has allegedly used Israeli malware to spy on French President Emmanuel Macron’s phone calls.

Over a dozen other French politicians were reportedly targeted in a scheme denied by Morocco. Hours after Paris prosecutors launched an investigation into allegations that Morocco’s intelligence agencies used Israeli malware to hack the phones of several French journalists, Le Monde reported that Macron was also targeted by Rabat’s agents in 2019, along with former Prime Minister Edouard Philippe and 14 other ministers.

The use of the ‘Pegasus’ malware, developed by Israeli firm NSO, to snoop on the phone communications of politicians, journalists, activists and business figures was revealed by Amnesty International and Forbidden Stories, a French investigative organization. These NGOs obtained a leaked list of 50,000 phone numbers, some of which were allegedly breached by the Pegasus malware, and shared the data with 17 media outlets.

Le Monde was one of these outlets, which began publishing stories of the security breaches on Sunday. “If the facts are true, they are obviously very serious,” Macron’s office told Le Monde on Tuesday, promising that “all light will be shed on these revelations.” The Moroccan government have denied any use of the Israeli spyware, calling the accusations by Le Monde and others “unfounded and false.”

Morocco “never acquired computer software to infiltrate communication devices,” read a statement from the government, which denied that it had “infiltrated the phones of several national and international public figures and heads of international organisations through computer software.” Macron isn’t the only high-level political figure allegedly surveilled. Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador was reportedly spied on by the administration of his predecessor, President Enrique Peña Nieto.

ARTICLE: PAUL MURDOCH

MANAGING EDITOR: CARSON CHOATE
PHOTO CREDITS: REUTERS

The following two tabs change content below.

Paul Murdoch

Paul, 37, is from Scotland in the UK, but currently lives and works in Bangkok. Paul has worked in different industries such as telemarketing, retail, hospitality, farming, insurance, and teaching, where he works now. He teaches at an all-girls High School in Bangkok. “It’s a lot of work, but I love my job.” Paul has an active interest in politics. His reason for writing for FBA is to offer people the facts and allow them to make up their own minds. Whilst he believes opinion columns have their place, it is also important that people can have accurate news with no bias.

Paul, 37, is from Scotland in the UK, but currently lives and works in Bangkok. Paul has worked in different industries such as telemarketing, retail, hospitality, farming, insurance, and teaching, where he works now. He teaches at an all-girls High School in Bangkok. “It’s a lot of work, but I love my job.” Paul has an active interest in politics. His reason for writing for FBA is to offer people the facts and allow them to make up their own minds. Whilst he believes opinion columns have their place, it is also important that people can have accurate news with no bias.

Leave a Reply