Rabat, Morocco — A former member of Morocco’s domestic intelligence service has revealed a significant deployment of the Pegasus spyware, manufactured by Israel’s NSO Group, targeting journalists and human rights defenders.
The revelation comes from a source who worked for the Direction Générale de la Surveillance du Territoire (DGST) for nearly a decade and provides a glimpse into a surveillance campaign that began as early as 2017.
The spyware, capable of accessing everything on a target’s mobile phone, including emails, text messages, photographs, and the ability to activate a phone’s recorder and camera, has been implicated in the surveillance of a range of individuals, including French politicians, Spanish cabinet ministers, and police officers.
The whistleblower’s allegations have been substantiated by a collaborative investigation between multiple media groups, including The Guardian, and technical support from Amnesty International’s Security Lab. This investigation, known as the Pegasus Project: Inside the Moroccan Spying Machine, has also uncovered leaked emails, targeting records, victims’testimonies, and internal training material. NSO Group has maintained that Pegasus is sold only to governments for the purpose of tracking criminals and terrorists.
However, the Moroccan case suggests a broader use of the spyware. Officials commented on the matter. “.
The Moroccan government has denied any involvement in the Pegasus spyware scandal, despite the substantial evidence to the contrary. International bodies, including the African Union and the United Nations, have called for an independent investigation into the matter, emphasizing the need for transparency and accountability.
The use of Pegasus spyware by the Moroccan regime raises serious concerns about the state of human rights and democracy within the country.
The scandal has also prompted calls for reforms and greater oversight of intelligence agencies, as well as a thorough investigation into the extent of surveillance activities carried out by the Moroccan government.
As the investigation unfolds, the Moroccan government’s role in the Pegasus spyware scandal and its potential impact on human rights and democracy are expected to remain a focus of international scrutiny.
*Additional reporting by ImNews | Sources consulted: 5*
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This original article was produced by the ImNews editorial team
Source: The guardian
Source: Sam Jones, José Bautista and Hicham Mansouri
