Moroccan whistleblower reveals how Rabat used Israel's Pegasus spyware for surveillance

A former Moroccan intelligence officer, using the pseudonym Safir, has revealed details about Morocco's use of Israeli-manufactured Pegasus spyware for surveillance. Working for the DGST for nearly a decade, Safir's testimony, corroborated by evidence from Forbidden Stories, Amnesty, and 13 media organizations, indicates that Pegasus was introduced to Moroccan intelligence in 2017 in Rabat by Israel's NSO Group representatives. The report suggests the costly software was a gift from the UAE, with Safir stating, "Millions for the Emiratis, that’s nothing."

• The DGST used Pegasus against Moroccan journalists and human rights defenders starting in September 2017.
• Targets expanded to include Spanish journalists, human rights activists like Aminatou Haidar, and senior Spanish officials, including the defense and interior ministers.
• Spanish Civil Guard officers, who traveled to Morocco for counter-terrorism expertise, were also targeted, with one officer noting, "We didn’t do it because we didn’t suspect we would be spied on."
• The use of Pegasus by Moroccan intelligence reportedly ceased after late 2021, coinciding with the US blacklisting NSO Group and Israel restricting cyber-technology exports to countries including Morocco and the UAE.