In the shadows of the digital age, a revelation has emerged from the heart of Morocco, shedding light on a disturbing practice that has been quietly unfolding. A former member of Morocco's domestic intelligence service has come forward, offering a chilling glimpse into the country's extensive use of Pegasus, the notorious hacking software. This software, developed by the Israel-based NSO Group, has been employed to target a wide range of individuals, from journalists and human rights defenders to French politicians and Spanish cabinet ministers and police officers.
What makes this story particularly intriguing is the extent to which Pegasus has been utilized. The software, capable of accessing everything on a target's mobile phone, including emails, text messages, and photographs, can even activate the phone's recorder and camera, turning it into a listening device. This level of intrusion raises serious concerns about privacy and the potential for abuse of power.
The NSO Group claims that Pegasus is sold only to governments to help them track criminals and terrorists. However, the evidence suggests otherwise. The whistleblower, who worked for Morocco's Direction Générale de la Surveillance du Territoire (DGST) for almost a decade, revealed that the country's internal security services began using Pegasus in 2017 and continued to deploy it against domestic and foreign targets for four years. This revelation is particularly concerning given the country's long-standing denial of using Pegasus to target critics.
The Pegasus Project, a multiyear investigation by Moroccan journalist Hicham Mansouri, has led to a collaborative effort between several media groups, including Le Monde, Haaretz, El Confidencial, Die Zeit, and the Guardian. The investigation has uncovered a wealth of information, from leaked emails to targeting records relating to Pegasus and other spyware, as well as victims' testimony and internal training material. Two other former Moroccan intelligence agents also provided information and corroborated facts.
One of the most striking revelations is the extent to which Pegasus has been used to target Spanish politicians and police officers. The Spanish government revealed that the mobile phones of the prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, and the defense minister, Margarita Robles, were both infected with Pegasus spyware in May and June 2021. This targeting came at a time when Madrid and Rabat were locked in a tense diplomatic row over Spain's decision to allow the leader of the Polisario Front to be treated for Covid-19 in a hospital in northern Spain.
The investigation has also uncovered evidence that Morocco used Pegasus to target Spanish security forces. The personal phone number of one senior Guardia Civil officer appears five times on the list of targets selected for Pegasus surveillance by the end-user believed to be Morocco. This revelation has been described as a betrayal by a senior Guardia Civil official, who expressed shock and concern over the spying on his force.
The Pegasus Project has also revealed that the DGST used its technical knowledge to seek access to the communications of Guardia Civil officers who had travelled to Morocco to share their counter-terrorism expertise. This raises serious questions about the extent to which Pegasus has been used to undermine the rule of law and erode trust between allies.
In conclusion, the revelation of Morocco's extensive use of Pegasus is a disturbing development that highlights the need for greater transparency and accountability in the use of surveillance technology. The Pegasus Project has shed light on a disturbing practice that has been quietly unfolding, and it is crucial that further investigation and action be taken to address the implications of this revelation. The use of Pegasus to target journalists, human rights defenders, and political figures is a serious violation of privacy and a threat to democracy. It is imperative that the international community take steps to ensure that such practices are not tolerated and that those responsible are held accountable.
