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WORLD NEWS Friday 6 May 2022
Catalan: Spain spy chief admits legally hacking some phones

By JOSEPH WILSON in several countries, on
Associated Press Thursday demanded more
BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — transparency from Spain.
A leading Catalan separat- “This committee, charac-
ist politician said Thursday terized for its secrecy and
that Spain’s top intelligence obscurantism, cannot be
official acknowledged that considered the appropri-
her agency had hacked ate venue to investigate
into the cellphones of the alleged violence of hu-
“some” of the dozens of man rights,” said Esteban
politicians reported to be Beltrán, Amnesty’s director
targeted by spyware but in Spain.
she said it had proper judi- In addition to the Catalan
cial authorization. hacking case, Spain’s intel-
Gabriel Rufián, member of ligence agency is facing
a Catalan pro-indepen- an uncomfortable spotlight
dence party, spoke after due to another case of
he participated in a closed- Pegasus hacking. Earlier this
door meeting with the di- week, Spain announced
rector of Spain’s National that the cellphones of both
Intelligence Center, CNI, Sánchez, the prime minis-
along with a select group ter, and Defense Minister
of Spanish lawmakers. Spain’s Premier Pedro Sanchez speaks during a joint news conference with Denmark’s Prime Margarita Robles were in-
A recent report by the Ca- Minister Mette Frederiksen at the Moncloa Palace in Madrid, Spain, Monday, Feb. 21, 2022. fected last year with Pega-
nadian-based digital rights Associated Press sus spyware.
group Citizen Lab on the Although Spain has refused
use of the controversial “They (the CNI) admit to Spain around Barcelona, Party emerged from Thurs- to point a finger at Moroc-
Pegasus spyware in Spain the spying, but say that it had directly accused the day’s meeting saying they co, the dates the phones of
said dozens of pro-inde- was carried out against far CNI of being behind the were satisfied by Esteban’s Sánchez and Robles were
pendence supporters in fewer people than those hacks that came to light explanations, Rufián was hacked last year match up
Spain’s northeastern Cata- cited by Citizen Lab,” Ru- two weeks ago when the not alone in demanding with a diplomatic crisis be-
lonia region were spied fián said. As for the rest of Citizen Lab report was re- further action. tween the two countries.
upon using the software. the over 60 politicians, law- leased. Spain’s govern- “We insist that the informa- Amid the back-to-back
When asked by The Asso- yers and activists cited as ment has repeatedly said tion that we received to- scandals, plans for a public
ciated Press, Spain’s De- hacking targets by Citizen the CNI cannot tap phones day be declassified for the ceremony to observe CNI’s
fense Ministry, which is in Lab, Rufián said the CNI without prior judicial autho- public to know, since it af- 20th anniversary were post-
charge of the CNI, refused director “point(ed) to two rization. At the same time, fects fundamental rights,” poned. Robles has encour-
to comment on the meet- possibilities: One, that it was the government said the said Albert Botran, who is aged the Catalans to take
ing with CNI director Paz Es- a foreign country; or two, secrecy law shielding all among the politicians that their hacking case to court,
teban because its contents state agencies that are CNI activities prevents the Citizen Lab said was spied just like the Spanish gov-
are considered classified. spying beyond their legal agency from confirming upon. The Spanish govern- ernment has, to determine
Leading Spanish media, limits.” The highly anticipat- whether it possesses Pega- ment has promised that who is responsible.
however, also reported ed meeting took place at sus, the spyware sold by Is- both CNI and the nation’s “Only the judiciary can de-
that the director had shown Spain’s Parliament building raeli company NSO Group. ombudsman will investi- termine who is responsible,”
committee members court in Madrid. While representatives from gate the Citizen Lab report. Robles said Thursday. “We
authorizations for hacking The Catalan separatists, Prime Minister Pedro Sán- Amnesty International, can only take our cases to
the cellphones of some who want to carve out a chez’s Socialist party and which has denounced the court, and in the meantime
Catalan separatists. new state in northeastern the opposition Popular use of the Pegasus spyware refrain from accusations.”q

Chanel jewelry boutique in Paris held up by armed men

PARIS (AP) — A group of house, has been standing saying that passers-by did
armed men held up a Cha- in for a Chanel shop on the not notice the weapon or
nel jewelry boutique in Paris posh Place Vendome that understand what was go-
in broad daylight Thursday is undergoing renovation. ing on. He said the robbery
and escaped on two mo- A video circulating on so- took about 10 minutes.
torcycles. cial media of what ap- Heists of Paris boutiques
The estimated value of the peared to be the heist selling jewelry and watches
goods stolen from the store, showed four men dressed are not uncommon.
which specializes in high- in black and with their fac- Seven thieves carried out a
end watches and fine jew- es covered escaping on dramatic heist in Septem-
elry, was not immediately two motorcycles. Three of ber at a Bulgari shop on
known. The police prefec- them had been in the store Place Vendome, stealing
ture tweeted that mem- while one stood guard with millions of euros worth of
bers of a special brigade what looked like an auto- jewels. Police chased sus-
went to the scene after the matic rifle strapped across pects on two motorcycles
heist, which occurred close him. and in a car through Paris.
to 3 p.m. The boutique on Le Parisien newspaper Two suspects were quickly Police officers cordon off the area after a hold-up in a Chanel
rue de la Paix, not far from quoted a supervisor at a arrested, one shot in the boutique Thursday, May 5, 2022 in Paris.
the French capital’s opera nearby store, Cyril Ngo, as leg by police.q Associated Press