Prosecutors want answers from EYP

The developments in the investigations into allegations of wiretapping of communications of politicians and others took on a more dramatic turn on Tuesday as prosecutors handling the cases ordered raids on companies linked to the Predator malware. The raids were conducted on the prosecutors’ orders by the cybercrime unit, following information that there may be findings useful for the case. 

The Athens offices of Intellexa, which sells the Predator spyware in Greece, and Krikel, an ICT and electronic security systems provider, were among six companies raided. Two other companies which share offices with the aforementioned companies or have the same shareholders were also raided by officers from the police’s cybercrime division. The raids also targeted the homes of executives of all six companies.

At the same time, the prosecutor sent a written official request to the National Intelligence Agency (EYP) whether the names of politicians, journalists and others, which some media reports said were being monitored, correspond to reality.

The request was signed by prosecutors Angeliki Triantafyllou and Konstantinos Spyropoulos, and a response to it could provide useful information for the case.

More specifically, EYP is asked to confirm if indeed surveillance was conducted on the politicians and journalist who have been reported from time to time in publications – mainly by the newspaper Documento.

No reason was reportedly given for the surveillance or whether it was for national security, which is illegal.

Prosecutorial sources explained to Kathimerini that EYP must respond to the prosecution’s request. Then again, they added, it may also decide not to answer the request. And while the request is indeed a significant development in the surveillance investigations, it remained unknown until late Tuesday night whether the raids on the six companies had resulted in any significant findings. Any findings at the homes of executives of the companies under scrutiny will be also be assessed.

Tellingly, last summer, when the revelations first emerged about the wiretapping, the Communications Privacy Authority had raided Intellexa and found two broken chairs and an overturned table.

Prosecutors are continuing to question witnesses, either employees of the companies who are in any way related to the malware, or EYP officials with knowledge of the issues under investigation.