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Greece's Prime Minister 'used state intelligence agency to spy
on political rivals, journalists and businessmen'
By HANNAH MCDONALD FOR MAILONLINE
PUBLISHED: 13:44 EDT, 5 November 2022 |
Greece has been rocked by a 'wiretapping' scandal as a bombshell report claimed Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis 'used state intelligence to spy on dozens of people including potential political rivals, journalists and businessmen'.
Documento reported that the list of targets included former premier Antonis Samaras, current members of the cabinet and shipping magnate Vangelis Marinakis, owner of Olympiakos and Nottingham Forest football clubs.
Illegal software known as Predator was used in collaboration with technology employed by Greece's state intelligence agency EYP, the newspaper added.
Influential members of the conservative New Democracy party - potential rivals in any future leadership challenge to Mr Mitsotakis - were among those targeted, of which there were 30 politicians, the newspaper said.
Documento reported that the list of targets included former premier Antonis Samaras (pictured)
The weekly, which has close links to the main opposition Syriza party, sourced its information to 'two people with key roles in the surveillance' and said illegal software was also used to tap mobile phones.
'The evidence is missing,' said government spokesman Giannis Oikonomou, who nonetheless called on judicial authorities to investigate what the newspaper has reported.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis (pictured) 'used state intelligence to spy on dozens of people including potential political rivals, journalists and businessmen'
On Friday, a European Parliament committee investigating wiretaps in Greece and other EU states called for a deeper investigation of the case.
Shipping magnate Vangelis Marinakis, owner of Olympiakos and Nottingham Forest football clubs, was also targeted
A Greek parliamentary committee set up to investigate the scandal folded after a month and critics said it failed to summon key witnesses.
The affair exploded in July when Nikos Androulakis - an MEP and leader of Greece's Socialist party - filed a complaint against alleged attempts to tap his mobile phone using Predator spyware.
Within days, it emerged that Mr Androulakis had been under surveillance separately by Greek intelligence before he became leader of Pasok, the country's third largest party.
Two Greek journalists and another senior opposition politician also claim to have been under surveillance.
The affair exploded in July when Nikos Androulakis (pictured) - an MEP and leader of Greece's Socialist party - filed a complaint against alleged attempts to tap his mobile phone using Predator spyware
The scandal forced the resignations in August of the Greek intelligence service chief as well as a close aide and nephew to the prime minister.
The Greek government has flatly denied using illegal surveillance software. It has admitted that state intelligence monitored Mr Androulakis, without disclosing the reason.
'Surveillance software exists in Greece as in the rest of Europe, but no (Greek) public authority has purchased or uses it,' Oikonomou said Saturday.
Mr Mitsotakis has promised to ban the use of illegal wiretaps by law. But critics note that one of his first acts when he became prime minister in 2019, was to attach the national intelligence service to his personal office.
Canadian intelligence warned PM Trudeau that China
covertly funded 2019 election candidates
Toronto Chinese Consulate
By Sam Cooper Global News
Published November 7, 2022
Canadian intelligence officials have warned Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that China has allegedly been targeting Canada with a vast campaign of foreign interference, which includes funding a clandestine network of at least 11 federal candidates running in the 2019 election, according to Global News sources.
Delivered to the prime minister and several cabinet members in a series of briefings and memos first presented in January, the allegations included other detailed examples of Beijing’s efforts to further its influence and, in turn, subvert Canada’s democratic process, sources said.
Based on recent information from the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), those efforts allegedly involve payments through intermediaries to candidates affiliated with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), placing agents into the offices of MPs in order to influence policy, seeking to co-opt and corrupt former Canadian officials to gain leverage in Ottawa, and mounting aggressive campaigns to punish Canadian politicians whom the People’s Republic of China (PRC) views as threats to its interests.
CSIS told Global News it could not answer some questions for this story. But the service confirmed it has identified the PRC’s foreign interference in Canada, which can include covert funding to influence election outcomes.
“The Chinese Communist Party … is using all elements of state power to carry out activities that are a direct threat to our national security and sovereignty,” CSIS stated.
The briefings did not identify the 2019 candidates. But the alleged election interference network included members from both the Liberal and Conservative parties, according to sources with knowledge of the briefs.
Global News was not able to confirm from the sources which cabinet ministers may have been privy to the briefs nor the specific timing that the information was reportedly shared.
Chief among the allegations is that CSIS reported that China’s Toronto consulate directed a large clandestine transfer of funds to a network of at least eleven federal election candidates and numerous Beijing operatives who worked as their campaign staffers.
The funds were allegedly transferred through an Ontario provincial MPP and a federal election candidate staffer. Separate sources aware of the situation said a CCP proxy group, acting as an intermediary, transferred around $250,000.
The 2022 briefs said that some, but not all, members of the alleged network are witting affiliates of the Chinese Communist Party. The intelligence did not conclude whether CSIS believes the network successfully influenced the October 2019 election results, sources say.
CSIS can capture its findings through warrants that allow electronic interception of communications among Chinese consulate officials and Canadian politicians and staffers.
Sources close to this situation say they are revealing details from the 2022 briefs to give Canadians a clearer understanding of China’s attacks on Canada’s democratic system. Out of fear of retribution, they have asked their names be withheld.
In response to the briefing details, experts say the alleged interference points to weakness in Canada’s outdated espionage and counterintelligence laws, which sophisticated interference networks run by China, Russia and Iran are exploiting.
Justin Trudeau's comments were typical Trudeau - sound like you really care about this and then don't do anything more than you absolutely have to. Trudeau has to be cautious with his response so as not to put in place laws that will prevent global environmentalists from contributing to Canadian election campaigns.
There needs to be an inquiry into this to expose the 11 MPs and shame them into resigning. It's hard to believe the Canadian media is protecting these MPs rather than Canada's democratic government. I wonder how many cabinet ministers Trudeau and the Liberal media are protecting?
There is much more on this story at Global News.
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