Colombia prosecutors open investigation

6/9/2024 6:12

        Colombia's attorney general
        on Thursday said in a statement that it has opened an
        investigation into the alleged purchase and illegal use of
        Pegasus spy software.
        
        The decision comes after a televised broadcast from
        President Gustavo Petro, who said a unit in the country's
        national police bought the software off the books using $11
        million in cash.
        
        Spyware technology, including Pegasus, has been repeatedly
        found to have been used to hack into the phones of civil
        society, political opposition and journalists in the last
        decade.
        
        Pegasus spyware in particular - built by Israeli firm
        NSO - was found on the phones of various people globally,
        including human rights defenders.
        
        "The investigation seeks to establish, among other
        aspects, whether the negotiation between (police unit) DIPOL and
        NSO was finalized and, if the purchase was made, where did the
        money come from and what the transfer of cash Colombia to Israel
        involved," the statement said.