Senior Enforcement Officer: "Judges Approve Listening to Phones - Without Understanding" | Israel today

The police use case of spyware, allegedly against innocent civilians, continues to branch out.

A senior law enforcement official tells Israel Today that the courts' approvals for the use of this software were mainly due to a lack of technological understanding on the part of the judges.

"The police do not show the courts the full picture," the senior official claims.

The senior official, who has been exposed in recent years by virtue of his position to many actions of law enforcement agencies, attacks the conduct of the police against the background of the exposure of the surveillance affair in "Calcalist" last week.

According to him, the police are taking advantage of the fact that the wiretapping law is outdated, thus succeeding in using the far-reaching technological capabilities developed in recent years in the cyber field, carrying out offensive operations - and presenting them as having been done with court approval.

"The Spokesman in Contradiction"

"The police simply do not show the judge the full or accurate picture when they come to ask for a wiretapping permit," the senior official claims. "Those that the police spend every day, where the judge thought he approved listening to the phone, but in practice download and empty all the information that is in the mobile phone. The judges just do not understand what they are approving, and rarely is there any supervision by the prosecution."

Former Commissioner Alsheikh, Photo: No Credit

According to the senior official, the pattern of activity he is pointing to was born during the tenure of former commissioner Roni Alsich, who previously served as deputy head of the GSS.

"Alshikh is the one who led this line. He did not differentiate between an organization that fights terrorism and a police force that operates within a democratic state. He tried to lead legislative amendments through the State Attorney's Advice and Legislation Department, "I am not looking for a suicide bomber, it is not right to use any existing tool."

Alsheikh: "Frustrated Officer"

Retired Sen. Advocate Dubi Scherzer, who served as head of department at Blade 433, believes the gap pointed out by the senior is likely to make it very difficult for the ombudsman to come and examine the allegations against police raised in the NSO case: "Police may say there were court orders, but The question is whether they detailed to the judges the special means employed for this purpose.

It is important to understand that this is not a normal listening, but an offensive use through which you empty the contents of the device itself. "

Scherzer adds and wonders: "What will the ombudsman do?

After all, an examination, if there was an order, is not enough.

The ombudsman is in a conflict of interest as the director of the police, and in this situation his deputy cannot investigate the issue. "

Retired Deputy Superintendent Dovi Scherzer, Photo: No Credit

The Israel Police stated: "The Israel Police acts only in accordance with the law and in accordance with the powers lawfully given to it. As reported, all its actions in the context of wiretapping are carried out only through orders lawfully issued by a court signed by a judge.

"The Israel Police will continue to act resolutely to fulfill its mission to protect the citizens of the State of Israel, and will work to prevent and prevent offenses and bring the suspects to justice in all legal means available to it and in accordance with the law."

Former Commissioner Alsheikh said: "The former commissioner is proud of the reforms he has led in the police, including in the intelligence field such as 'intelligence continuity', 'intelligence-oriented policing' and more - all closely linked to the law - and in the normative field, including legislation Occupational, which, among other things, prevented Dubi Scherzer from returning to the police and advancing in the command ranks of the Israel Police.

"For those who are really interested in the reforms, it is suggested not to rely on the external opinion of a frustrated officer, who had no hand or foot in them, but to carefully read Alshikh's book: 'Commissioner at the Front - Values ​​in Test', emphasizing the chapters dealing with the specified reforms.

For the well-to-do, it is suggested to read the statistical yearbook of the Israel Police as it is published to the public and be impressed by the achievements of the police in these years, both against criminal organizations and against property offenses, road accidents, counterterrorism and more. "

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