Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Al Mayadeen's EU delegate: Belgium categorically refused to touch Russian assets in its banks for fear of a Russian judicial backlash
Al Mayadeen's EU delegate: The European Union has failed to reach an agreement on the use of Russian assets frozen in Belgium
Trump: Will be seeing land action in Venezuela soon
Trump: first question to Xi will be fentanyl
Trump on reports of B1 bombers near Venezuela: Reports are not accurate
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: The death toll from the airstrike that targeted the town of Arabsalim in South Lebanon has risen to two, in addition to four injuries
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in South Lebanon: An Israeli airstrike targeted the town of Arabsalim
Putin on new sanctions against Russia: Russia's energy sector remains confident, though some losses are expected
Putin calls talk of supplying Tomahawk missiles to Kyiv an attempt at escalation
Putin says he discussed with Trump the impact of the situation with Russian oil supplies on global prices, including in the United States

Spanish intelligence chief in hot water over Pegasus hacking

  • By Al Mayadeen Net
  • Source: Agencies
  • 5 May 2022 18:25
3 Min Read

Esteban has appeared before a parliamentary committee for questioning.

  • x
  • Head of Spanish intelligence in hot water over Pegasus hacking
    Head of Spanish intelligence, Paz Esteban

On Thursday, Spain's top spymaster is being chastised over revelations of mobile phone hacking instances that have rendered the country's security system fragile. 

Paz Esteban would be the first woman to head the Spanish CNI intelligence agency; she stood in front of a parliamentary committee for questioning. 

Last month, the Canadian cybersecurity watchdog revealed that the cellphones of over 60 people connected to Catalan separatists were hacked and spied on by the Israeli Pegasus spyware after a failed attempt at independence in 2017.

Catalan separatists, without a second thought, blamed Spanish intelligence for the hacking, threatening to draw out support for the Socialist Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez, unless justice is served. 

On Monday, however, the government announced that the phones of Spanish President Pedro Sanchez and Defense Minister Margarita Robles, who supervises the intelligence sector, were hacked last year by Pegasus, which is a software manufacturer by "Israel's" NSO Group.

Whether Spain is to blame or not has become under questioning - what is more scandalous is the futility of the Spanish cybersecurity system. 

Questions have been arising on whether Esteban will remain head of Spanish intelligence; Spokesperson Isabel Rodriguez on Tuesday said she will not be addressing "future scenarios".

Related News

Assange demands 20-year jail term for US-linked Spanish spy chief

Spain to maintain arms embargo on ‘Israel’ despite ceasefire

Catalan separatists have been demanding the Defense Minister's resignation over the matter. 

Morocco likely involved in Pegasus hacking 200+ Spanish mobile numbers

According to data timestamps, mobile number selections alleged to have been made by Morocco occurred in 2019 amount to 200. The data comprises more than 50,000 numbers of individuals picked as possible surveillance targets by NSO clients around the world.

Amnesty International revealed that a Spanish mobile number belonging to Aminatou Haidar, a famous human rights activist from Western Sahara, was included in the leaked database and discovered to have been targeted by Pegasus dating back to 2018.

Traces of the Pegasus spyware, which is manufactured by the Israeli company NSO Group, were also discovered on Haidar's second phone as recently as November 2021.

The Pegasus Project database also included a Spanish phone number for journalist Ignacio Cembrero, whose work focuses on the Maghreb.

The inclusion of over 200 Spanish mobile phone numbers chosen by a client thought to be from Morocco does not imply that each number was targeted or hacked. However, it does indicate that the customer was active in looking for potential targets for monitoring within Spain.

The fact that a number appeared on the leaked list was not indicative of whether that number was targeted for monitoring using Pegasus, according to NSO. NSO also claimed that the database was of "no relevance" to the corporation.

Morocco previously denied spying on foreign leaders with Pegasus and claimed that journalists examining NSO were "unable to prove [the country's] link" with NSO.

However, an examination of the released documents revealed that Morocco appears to have named dozens of French leaders as possible targets for espionage, including President Emmanuel Macron.

  • Spain
  • Pedro Sanchez
  • Catalonia
  • Pegasus

Most Read

From previous scenes of the Qassam Brigades targeting an Israeli D9 bulldozer with a Yassin 105 shell, east of Deir al-Balah. (Military Media of the Qassam Brigades)

US knew fatal Rafah blast cause was not Hamas op., says journalist

  • Politics
  • 20 Oct 2025
Abu Hamza, the spokesperson for the Al-Quds Brigades, during a speech televised on October 22, 2025 (Al-Quds Brigades Military Media)

Al-Quds Brigades' Abu Hamza mourns leaders, vows continued resistance

  • Politics
  • 22 Oct 2025
A woman with her purchased groceries walks out from an underground market, in Beijing, Wednesday, August 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

Global brands in China face pressure from rising local rivals

  • Economy
  • 17 Oct 2025
US missionary kidnapped in Niger capital, suspected taken toward Mali

US missionary kidnapped in Niger capital, suspected taken toward Mali

  • Africa
  • 23 Oct 2025

Coverage

All
War on Gaza

Read Next

All
Palestinians walk through the destruction caused by the Israeli air and ground offensive in Gaza City, Thursday, October 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)
Politics

Unexploded ordnances in Gaza may take 30 yrs to clear, aid group says

Police stand guard before a press conference on the extradition of “Tren de Aragua” gang members from the United States, at the a high-security prison where they are being held in Santiago, Chile, Wednesday, October 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Esteban Félix)
Politics

US immigration policies shaped by false 'Venezuela gang' threats

Demonstrators march at a protest opposing "Operation Midway Blitz" and the presence of ICE, Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025, in Chicago (AP)
Politics

HRW slams federal agents use of excessive force in Illinois protests

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun meets with the Lebanese Prime Minister Nawwaf Salam ahead of a Cabinet meeting in the Presidential Palace, Baabda, Lebanon, October 23, 2025 (X/ @LBPresidency)
Politics

Lebanon OKs sea demarcation with Cyprus, restarts Block 8 exploration

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS