Moroccan Intelligence's Alleged Espionage Efforts Against Journalists
In a startling revelation, Moroccan authorities have reportedly engaged in attempts to spy on Dutch journalist Koen Greven through the use of sophisticated hacking software. A Spanish publication, El Confidencial, uncovered that Greven's phone number was included on a target list, which is part of a broader campaign conducted by Moroccan intelligence. Greven, who has served as the NRC correspondent for several years in Spain, Portugal, and Morocco, presently holds the position of sports editor at the ANP news agency.
The investigation by El Confidencial revealed that between 2018 and 2019, Moroccan intelligence allegedly attempted to hack a list that included 768 cyberattack attempts directed at 250 Spanish phone numbers. This was merely a fraction of a much larger operation that reportedly continued until the end of 2021, with over 12,000 devices targeted across more than 20 nations. The spyware utilized for these operations was identified as Pegasus, a product of the Israeli company NSO Group, which is notorious for its ability to infiltrate devices and access sensitive information, including messages, photos, and even microphone audio and camera footage.
The operation is said to have been executed by Morocco's domestic security service, the DGST, and targeted a wide array of individuals, including journalists, activists from the Rif region in northern Morocco, Sahrawis from Western Sahara, members of the Polisario Front independence movement, and foreign security officials. Amnesty International has emphasized that while these were attempts to infect devices, it does not guarantee success, as each phone must undergo a forensic examination to verify a breach.
Greven's Perspective and Morocco's Denial
Greven expressed that he can comprehend the rationale behind his inclusion on the list, given his frequent travels to Morocco and his coverage of protests in the Rif mountains. He recounted an incident where he was requested by Moroccan security services to exit the country, highlighting the level of scrutiny faced by journalists operating in the region. In a column published in 2018 for NRC, he detailed how Moroccan security services accompanied him during his reporting excursions.
While Greven remains uncertain about whether his phone was genuinely hacked, he has since ceased using the Spanish number that was flagged on the list and has no intention of taking further action regarding the matter. The Moroccan government has previously refuted allegations of using Pegasus for espionage, and following earlier reports, it initiated lawsuits against various European media outlets, although these legal actions proved to be unsuccessful, as reported by El Confidencial.
As reported by nltimes.nl.
