Spanish Government Defends Morocco Against ‘Baseless’ Accusations by Popular Party

Wednesday 11 December 2024 - 16:15

By: Dakir Madiha

Spanish Government Defends Morocco Against ‘Baseless’ Accusations by Popular Party

In a recent parliamentary session, Spanish Defense Minister Margarita Robles strongly criticized the Popular Party (PP) for attributing responsibility to Morocco in the Pegasus spyware case without providing substantial evidence. Robles firmly rejected the allegations, emphasizing that Spain’s National Intelligence Center (CNI) had worked closely with judicial authorities and submitted ten comprehensive reports, with the latest being filed on October 23.

The case revolves around the alleged infection of mobile devices belonging to Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and several cabinet members, including Robles herself. This development comes after Spain’s National Court reopened the investigation in late April 2023, following new information from French authorities, after an earlier closure due to lack of cooperation from Israel.

The Spanish government has maintained a consistent position of rejecting accusations against Morocco. Oscar Lopez, director of Spain’s Presidency Office, described the allegations as a “hoax and slander,” labeling them a “conspiracy theory” commonly associated with the “extreme right.” In line with this, Spain’s 2023 Annual National Security Report made no reference to Morocco in its espionage section, despite explicitly mentioning intelligence activities from other countries like China and Russia. This omission challenges the allegations that Morocco used Pegasus spyware to target Spanish officials during the 2021 diplomatic tensions.

The accusations first surfaced when NGOs Amnesty International and Forbidden Stories alleged that Morocco used the spyware to target activists, journalists, and foreign officials. However, Morocco’s government has repeatedly called for evidence to support these claims, which have not been substantiated.

The investigation, led by magistrate José Luis Calama, remains ongoing. It includes a European Investigation Order (EIO) from French judicial authorities, which details a 2021 investigation into multiple phone infections in France, involving journalists, lawyers, public figures, and government officials. While the Spanish National Court awaits additional reports from the CNI, Robles has stated that the information accessed through Pegasus was personal in nature and did not threaten Spain’s national security.

The investigation continues to unfold as Spain seeks to clear its name and defend Morocco against these unproven accusations.