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WORLD NEWS Wednesday 20 april 2022
Spain: Hacked Catalans to launch a legal bid on spyware use

By ARITZ PARRA The companies claim that
Associated Press their software is only sold
MADRID (AP) — Separat- to government agencies
ist politicians and activists to target criminals and ter-
from Catalonia on Tuesday rorists. On the alleged spy-
announced a legal offen- ing on Catalan separat-
sive in half a dozen coun- ists, Citizen Lab said that
tries against the Spanish its research had found evi-
state and the Israeli owners dence of “a strong nexus
of a controversial spyware with one or more entities
allegedly used to snoop on within the Spanish govern-
them. ment.”
The head of the Cata- Asked whether the coun-
lan and Spanish-speaking try’s intelligence services,
northeastern region also known as CNI, had con-
announced that rela- tracted the use of Pegasus,
tions with central authori- Rodríguez said: “There are
ties in Spain would remain issues which, because they
strained until Madrid con- pertain to national security,
ducts a full investigation are protected by law and
and punishes those found are classified material.”
responsible for the alleged Some of the politicians and
surveillance. activists allegedly targeted
A spokeswoman for the Former deputy president of the Catalan regional government Oriol Junqueras, centre, walks with appeared at the same time
Spanish government said the current Catalonian president Pere Aragones, 2nd left, in front of an “estelada” or Catalan pro- for a press conference at
there was no illegal spying independence flag after being released from the Lledoners prison in Sant Joan de Vilatorrada the European Parliament in
happening in the country. near Barcelona, Spain, June 23, 2021. Brussels, where they vowed
Citizen Lab, a team of Associated Press to file lawsuits seeking
cybersecurity experts af- trates phones to harvest targeted with NSO Group’s Citizen Lab. transparency in Spain, but
filiated with the University their data and potentially Pegasus or other programs Both NSO Group, the own- also in France, Germany,
of Toronto, had revealed spy on their owners. created by Candiru, an- er of Pegasus, and Can- Switzerland, Belgium and
a day before what is be- At least 65 high-profile fig- other Israeli tech firm. diru have been criticized Luxembourg, where some
lieved to be the largest to ures of the Catalan pro-in- Candiru’s spyware poten- by global rights groups for of the alleged hacking
date forensically docu- dependence camp includ- tially allows third parties to breaching users’ privacy took place. Luxembourg is
mented cluster of hacking ing elected officials, civil impersonate the phone’s and face lawsuits from also where the European
attempts with Pegasus, a society leaders, lawyers owner to send out messag- some of the world’s major subsidiary of NSO Group is
program that silently infil- and their relatives were es or emails, according to technology firms. headquartered. q

U.S. officials heading to Solomons over China pact worries

By NICK PERRY Manele, officially signed a order.” Islands to strengthen its ca- (People’s Republic of Chi-
Associated Press security agreement “the Wang told reporters at pacity building to maintain na) military forces to the
WELLINGTON, New Zealand other day.” No specific a daily briefing that the national security,” Wang Solomon Islands,” Price
(AP) — The U.S. is sending date was given. agreement covers “main- said. He said the agree- said.
two top officials to the Solo- A draft of the pact, which taining social order,” along ment does not seek to su- The U.S. trip comes after a
mon Islands following a visit was leaked online, said Chi- with protecting lives and persede the South Pacific visit to the Solomon Islands
last week by an Australian nese warships could stop in property, providing hu- nation’s security ties with last week by Australian Sen.
senator over concerns that the Solomon Islands and manitarian assistance and other nations. Zed Seselja, the minister for
China could establish a mil- China could send police responding to natural di- The Solomon Islands has international development
itary presence in the South and armed forces there “to sasters. “We are commit- sought to downplay the and the Pacific.
Pacific island nation. assist in maintaining social ted to helping the Solomon significance of the agree- The Australian government
The White House said Mon- ment and says it won’t lead said it was “deeply disap-
day that later this week, to China establishing a mili- pointed” by the Chinese
Kurt Campbell, the Nation- tary base there, but many announcement that the
al Security Council Indo- neighboring countries and deal was signed.
Pacific coordinator, and Western nations remain “We are concerned about
Daniel Kritenbrink, the as- worried. the lack of transparency
sistant secretary of state for U.S. State Department with which this agreement
East Asian and Pacific af- spokesman Ned Price said has been developed, not-
fairs, will lead a delegation the agreement could de- ing its potential to under-
of U.S. government officials stabilize the Solomon Is- mine stability in our region,”
to the Solomon Islands, and lands and would set a con- Seselja and Australian For-
will also visit Fiji and Papua cerning precedent for the eign Minister Marise Payne
New Guinea. wider Pacific region. said in a joint statement.
In Beijing, Chinese For- “Despite the Solomon Is- “We continue to seek fur-
eign Ministry spokesperson lands government’s com- ther clarity on the terms
Wang Wenbin on Tuesday U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs ments, the broad nature of the agreement, and its
said Foreign Minister Wang Kurt Campbell speaks during a press conference at the U.S. of the security agreement consequences for the Pa-
Yi and his Solomon Islands Embassy in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Thursday, Dec. 13, 2012. leaves open the door for cific region,” the statement
counterpart, Jeremiah Associated Press the deployment of P.R.C. added.q