JERUSALEM: Israel on Thursday (Jan 20) launched an investigation into allegations that police used the controversial Pegasus spyware on the country’s citizens.
In a letter sent to police commander Koby Shabtai, Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit asked to receive all wiretapping and computer spying orders from 2020 and 2021 in order to “verify allegations made in the media”.
The Israeli business daily Calcalist reported Thursday that Israeli police used Pegasus software to spy on an Israeli they considered a potential threat in order to gather evidence that could be used as leverage in future investigations.
According to the newspaper, which did not cite any sources, the police action represents a “danger to democracy”.
Police commissioner Yaakov Shabtai, reacting to the story, said that “the police have not found any evidence to support this information”.
“The Israeli police are fighting crime with all the legal means at their disposal,” Shabtai added in a statement.
Israeli security forces have wide leeway to conduct surveillance within Israel with judicial approval.
On Wednesday, Israel’s justice ministry pledged a full investigation into allegations that Pegasus spyware was used on Israeli citizens, including people who led protests against former prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
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