Morocco's intelligence apparatus has been under the spotlight following a revelation by a former insider, who exposed the extensive use of Pegasus, a powerful hacking software, by the country's domestic intelligence service. This software, developed by the Israeli firm NSO Group, has raised serious concerns about Morocco's surveillance practices and their impact on civil liberties. The insider, known as Safir, provided critical insights into the methods and targets of Pegasus, shedding light on a complex web of espionage and international relations.
Safir's testimony, corroborated by leaked material and technical analysis, reveals a sophisticated and extensive surveillance operation. The DGST, Morocco's internal security service, began using Pegasus in 2017, targeting not only domestic critics but also foreign individuals, including journalists, human rights defenders, French politicians, and Spanish cabinet ministers and police officers. Pegasus, with its ability to remotely access and control a target's mobile device, presents a significant threat to privacy and security.
The investigation, coordinated by Forbidden Stories and 14 media organizations, including Le Monde and the Guardian, uncovered a series of disturbing revelations. NSO Group representatives demonstrated Pegasus to high-ranking Moroccan intelligence officers in 2017, showcasing its remote infection capabilities. This demonstration, held in a villa in Rabat, highlighted the software's potential for widespread surveillance. The whistleblower, Safir, suggested that the UAE provided Pegasus as a gift to Morocco, indicating a potential international dimension to the surveillance program.
The Pegasus Project: Inside the Moroccan Spying Machine, further reveals the targeting of specific individuals, such as Aminatou Haidar, a prominent human rights activist from Western Sahara, and Spanish journalists. The Spanish government's revelation that the phones of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and Defense Minister Margarita Robles were infected with Pegasus in 2021, during a tense diplomatic row, adds a layer of political complexity. The investigation also uncovered attempts to target Spanish cabinet members, with judicial inquiries facing challenges due to a lack of cooperation from Israeli authorities.
The use of Pegasus by Moroccan intelligence has raised ethical and legal questions. The targeting of Spanish officials and the potential involvement of the DGST in surveillance of Spanish security forces, including the Guardia Civil, have sparked international concern. The Spanish government's decision to award a high honor to the DGST director, despite accusations of human rights violations, further complicates the situation. The investigation has not found evidence of Pegasus-aided surveillance in Morocco after 2021, but the implications of the software's use remain a subject of intense debate and scrutiny.
