Italy’s national security committee is investigating whether secret services illegally deployed spyware to monitor activists and journalists linked to a refugee NGO.
During a classified meeting with Copasir, the parliamentary committee for national security, cabinet undersecretary Alfredo Mantovano admitted that the government had authorized the use of advanced surveillance technology on members of Mediterranea Saving Humans, an NGO aiding refugees in the Mediterranean. According to a source familiar with the matter, the decision was based on national security concerns.
The spyware in question, Graphite, is a military-grade tool developed by Israel-based Paragon Solutions. While the government initially denied any involvement, Mantovano told the committee that its use had been approved by both the government and the attorney general of Rome’s court of appeal. He insisted that intelligence agencies operated within legal boundaries, conducting a “preventive” investigation into illegal immigration. However, he denied that the spyware had been deployed against Francesco Cancellato, editor-in-chief of Fanpage.
The revelation follows alerts sent by WhatsApp in January to Italian activists and a journalist, warning that their phones had been targeted by spyware. The news sparked outrage and prompted multiple investigations across Italy, with prosecutors in Rome, Palermo, Naples, Bologna, and Venice examining allegations of illegal surveillance.
Paragon Solutions has since suspended its relationship with Italy after reports of the breaches emerged. The spyware was reportedly intended for use on criminals, raising further questions about its deployment against humanitarian workers.
Mediterranea Saving Humans, informed of the allegations through journalistic sources, condemned the operation, describing it as a “secret operation worthy of a regime.” The organization added, “Five prosecutors are investigating and we trust someone will have the courage to get to the bottom of it and demonstrate, as is clear, that this is an abuse of power and nothing else.”
Copasir is expected to release its findings soon.
