Morocco Used Israeli Pegasus Spyware Against Spanish Officials and Activists

An extensive international journalistic investigation published on Thursday revealed that Morocco employed the Israeli-made Pegasus spyware, developed by NSO Group, to target journalists, human rights activists, and senior politicians both within Morocco and globally, including high-ranking officials in the Spanish government. According to the report, Moroccan security services began using the spyware in 2017. A whistleblower known as "Safir" disclosed that the spyware was initially purchased by the United Arab Emirates and then transferred to Moroccan intelligence agencies.

The investigation uncovered that Morocco identified over 200 Spanish phone numbers as potential targets for infection with Pegasus. Among those targeted were the phones of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, Defense Minister Margarita Robles, and Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska. The hacking attempts reportedly occurred amid a severe diplomatic crisis between Spain and Morocco since 2021. The spyware was also allegedly used against senior officers of the Spanish Civil Guard who were in Morocco as part of counterterrorism cooperation. A senior Spanish officer described the findings as "a betrayal."

In November 2021, the NSO Group was blacklisted by the United States, and shortly thereafter, the Israeli Ministry of Defense banned the export of cyber technologies to several countries, including Morocco and the UAE. The investigation found no evidence of continued Pegasus surveillance activity in Morocco after the end of 2021. The probe, titled "Project Pegasus: Inside Morocco’s Spy Machine," was coordinated by Forbidden Stories and led by 14 media outlets worldwide, including The Guardian, Le Monde, and Haaretz, with technical support from Amnesty International’s Security Lab.