Special Team Forms, Israeli Attorney General Orders Police Investigation Of Hacking Allegations
JAKARTA - Israel's attorney general ordered an investigation into police surveillance tactics, amid reports law enforcement improperly used disputed hacking tools.
A report by financial daily Calcalist describing police abuse of the Pegasus spyware created by Israel's NSO Group, a company now blacklisted by the US government, has prompted parliament to seek an explanation from police officials.
In a published letter to the police commissioner, Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit said a preliminary examination of the matter found no evidence of systemic abuse of surveillance technology.
He said it was a challenge, however, to trace certain cases described in the media due to a lack of identifying information.
Calcalist, without citing sources, reported police used Pegasus against targets including anti-government protest leaders, sometimes without the required court order.
"It is difficult to overestimate the seriousness of the alleged violation of basic rights," said Attorney General Mandelblit, citing Reuters Jan. 21.
The report adds a new domestic angle to global pressure on Israel, following allegations Pegasus has been abused by several foreign client governments to spy on human rights activists, journalists and politicians.
Attorney General Mandelblit said he had formed a special team led by his deputy to investigate the matter "systematically and thoroughly."
Meanwhile, Police Commissioner Kobi Shabtai said on Thursday the police were carrying out an internal investigation which so far has not found any abuse.
"If it turns out that there are certain cases that deviate from the procedure, we will act to handle and resolve them, with full transparency and cooperation with all parties," said Shabtai.
Separately, NSO said it could neither confirm nor deny any existing or potential customers, it said it did not operate the system after it was sold to its government customers, nor was it involved in any way in operating the system.