Former Moroccan Intelligence Chief Suspected in Massive Data Leak
A former high-ranking official in Morocco's foreign intelligence service, Mehdi Hijjawi, is suspected of leaking the personal data of over 70,000 Moroccan intelligence operatives. Hijjawi, once considered a rising star within the Directorate-General for External Security (DGED), was dismissed in 2014 amid internal power struggles. He later served as a direct advisor to Fouad Ali El-Himma, a senior advisor to King Mohammed VI.
Relations between Hijjawi and the Moroccan establishment reportedly deteriorated significantly, leading to a smear campaign and legal actions against individuals close to him. The conflict escalated after he published a document detailing secrets from the royal court, which was perceived as a declaration of war against his rivals. In 2024, after his wife and infant daughter also became targets, Hijjawi fled Morocco, allegedly taking sensitive state documents with him.
Morocco issued an international arrest warrant for Hijjawi on charges of fraud, deception, and document forgery. He was apprehended in Spain, but a court refused to extradite him, confiscating his passport. However, he managed to escape Spain with the help of former Spanish intelligence collaborators, using a false identity and traveling by boat and private plane. He is believed to be in Turkey or another location unknown to Spanish and Moroccan authorities.
Sources close to Hijjawi confirmed to ABC News that he is behind the information transfer to the hacker group "Jabberous," which recently published the details of 70,381 Moroccan internal security and police personnel. This leak is considered one of Morocco's most severe security breaches. Initial checks by European intelligence agencies suggest the leaked names are authentic, though some information may be outdated.
Further concerns arise from Hijjawi's potential possession of sensitive information related to the "Pegasus" spyware affair, in which he was allegedly the "technical architect" of surveillance operations against Spanish officials, including Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez. While Morocco has denied involvement, the hacker group's cryptic message about Pegasus data has fueled speculation. Hijjawi is believed to hold not only intelligence secrets but also information on corruption involving senior Moroccan officials, posing a significant threat to the monarchy. His objective is reportedly not to harm Spain but to destabilize the Moroccan regime and hasten a change in leadership.
