Together with Greek police investigator conducted a series of raids on the homes of individuals and on at least six companies connected to Predator spyware scandal on Tuesday.
The raids were ordered by the prosecutor responsible for investigating the wiretapping and attempted tapping of telephones belonging to politicians, journalists, high-profile business-people and others.
As part of the preliminary investigation into the surveillance, prosecutors raided at least six companies linked to the Predator malware, notes daily ethnos.
Citing investigating sources, media report that prosecutors, utilizing and studying all the evidence they have gathered so far from the witness’ statements they receive every day, have identified persons who are allegedly related to companies related to the illegal Predator software.
The aim of the raids is to identify elements that can contribute to the investigation of telephone surveillance. The evidence collected by prosecutors will then be evaluated in order to decide the next steps in the investigation.
In a latest development, ethnos reports Tuesday that “the prosecutors investigating the wiretapping case have sent a request to the national Intelligence Service EYP, asking it to confirm or not the surveillance of politicians, military and other persons included in the lists of those whose communications were intercepted.”
Kathimerini, reported earlier that the raids come after the Foreign Ministry confirmed that it had given a license for the controversial software to be exported to Madagascar and two other African countries by the Athens-based firm Intellexa.
This specific part of the probe, which is investigating whether the proper procedures were followed in granting the export licenses, is expected to be wrapped up by Christmas.
Worth noting, though, is that the raids come months after PASOK leader Nikos Androulakis made public that his mobile was wiretapped, some Greek and international media keep publishing about the wiretapping scandal all the time and yet the raids come two days after Sunday newspaper documento revealed that Labor Minister Costis Hatzidakis was under surveillance when he was Energy Minister.
The newspaper published dialogues from conversations the then Energy Minister had with businessmen, journalists and ministers of ruling New Democracy.
The newspaper claimed that the National Intelligence Service EYP had been monitoring Hatzidakis since November 2020 and for at least a year.
The newspaper keeps claiming that it was the Prime Minister behind the wiretapping as EYP was under his responsibility since July 2019, when ND won the elections and came to power.
Hatzidakis publicly accepted that he was wiretapped adding that he absolutely trusts the Prime Minister and called on immediate actions to find out who was behind his surveillance.
Raid the PM’s office and residency, I would say.
And this software was exported to countries in Africa with possibly dubious regimes? Next to wiretapping politicians, business people, etc, in Greece?
Next time I come to Greece in the Summer and somebody boringly reminds me that Greece was the birthplace of democracy (this happens to me every year), I will remind them of this.