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NSO Investigation Team: There is no indication that the police used Pegasus software without a warrant Israel today

2022-02-21T17:22:23.465Z


Calcalist's investigation allegations that the police illegally hacked into citizens' mobiles were refuted by the team headed by Adv. Amit Merri, deputy ombudsman.


The team that investigated the allegations of illegal use of NSO's software ruled today (Monday) that there is no evidence that the police illegally used Pegasus software against public figures who appeared in the "Calcalist" investigation.

The test results were submitted to the spokesperson.

A statement from the inspection team said: "Upon completion of the comprehensive technological inspection of the inspection team and technological experts, which also relied on information received from NSO experts, it emerged that there was no indication that the Israel Police had infected Pegasus software without a court order. Of who among the list of people published in the media. "

According to the information provided to the team, there are orders for wiretapping between computers regarding three of the people who appeared on the published list, with two of them according to the team's findings indeed an infection attempt was made, and only about one of the two for which the infection order was successful. 

The test, according to a statement from the test team, was also carried out in relation to another system that came into use recently, which in its case was also no indication that an infection or attempts were made to infect the mobile phones of any of the published people.

NSO Building in Israel, Photo: AFP

It was further stated that "an in-depth technological inspection was carried out in the Pegasus system and in the additional system also in relation to the mobile telephones in the possession of the three former general managers of the government ministries whose names were published, inter alia using data provided by the staff." 

"Following these publications, on February 7, 2222, it was announced that the Israel Police is carrying out independent active actions to technologically monitor civilians, sometimes even regardless of the ongoing investigation or clarification of suspicions of committing criminal offenses, and in any case without a court order.

"The inspection team, with the assistance of technological experts from security bodies, has a thorough and in-depth technological inspection, between the days 9 and 20 February 2022," the team said, detailing the summary of the inspection procedure: "The inspection was conducted "Of communication between computers in the Pegasus system from the date of its commencement of operation by the Israel Police until today, in front of data produced by the company from the system's internal database."

Former Commissioner Roni Alsich, Photo: Oren Ben Hakon, AP

The test findings also state that "the system is installed in Israeli police facilities only. According to information provided by NSO, the police do not have access to the system's internal database, and its only access to the system is through the user interface. User ".

The team explained that the test was done according to the mobile phone numbers used by the list of people, which was compiled and transferred by the police for the purpose of the test.

The team noted that for most of the people on the list their numbers were verified by the review team indirectly.

"The inspection was carried out only by technological means, and in relation to the claim published on February 7, 2002, according to which the Israel Police conducts technological surveillance of civilians regardless of the investigation or without a court order," the inspection team clarified. 

"Unless the competent authorities decide on a different test outline, the team will continue its work with regard to examining the practice and police handling of wiretapping by means of computer communication, including extending the investigation into allegations of use of systems without a warrant beyond the list of published and collected data. By the technological experts so far, the extent and manner of adapting the tools in the police to the powers given to it by law and the manner in which these tools are used, including additional systems with various characteristics that allow listening to communications between computers in or used by the Israel Police. "Authorization, supervision and control in real time and in retrospect on all stages of police work in the field, and other aspects," the inspection team said in a statement. 

Deputy Spokesman Amit Merri - Head of the Testing Team, Photo: Yossi Zamir / GPO

"As we have stated in the past, it will be clarified that as the team's investigations reveal findings that indicate misconduct that is suspected of a criminal offense, the handling of the concrete findings will be transferred to the competent authorities," concluded the investigation team led by Adv. Amit Merri. 

The Likud responded: "The interrogators interrogated the interrogators and said that 'everything is fine.'

Only a state commission of inquiry can find out the truth. "

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Source: israelhayom

All news articles on 2022-02-21

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