Italy and Israeli Paragon part ways after spyware affair
ROME (Reuters) -Italy and Israeli spyware maker Paragon said they have ended contracts following allegations that the Italian government used the company's technology to hack the phones of critics, according to a parliamentary report on Monday and the company.
Both sides said they had severed ties, giving conflicting accounts that triggered widespread criticism from opposition parties in Italy, while the journalists' federation FNSI called on prosecutors to investigate to ascertain the facts.
An official with Meta's WhatsApp chat service said in January that the spyware had targeted scores of users, including, in Italy, a journalist and members of the Mediterranea migrant sea rescue charity critical of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
The government said in February that seven Italian mobile phone users had been targeted by the spyware. At that time the government denied any involvement in illicit activities and said it had asked the National Cybersecurity Agency to look into the affair.
A report from the parliamentary committee on security, COPASIR, said on Monday that Italian intelligence services had initially put on hold and then ended their contract with Paragon following a media outcry.
It was unclear when the contract was ended. However, COPASIR recalled that, addressing parliament on February 12, the government had said that it was still in place.
The committee also added it found no evidence that Francesco Cancellato, a reported target and editor of investigative website Fanpage, had been put under surveillance using Paragon's spyware, as he had alleged to Reuters and other media outlets.
In a statement quoted by Fanpage, Paragon said it stopped providing spyware to Italy when Cancellato's alleged involvement became public, and said the government declined an offer to jointly investigate whether and how he was spied upon.
The company did not reply to requests for comment from Reuters.
Opposition politicians called on the government to clarify the matter in parliament. Meloni's office declined to comment.
The COPASIR report said Italy's domestic and foreign intelligence agencies activated contracts with Paragon in 2023 and 2024 respectively and used it on a very limited number of people, with permission from a prosecutor.
The foreign intelligence agency used the spyware to search for fugitives, counter illegal immigration, alleged terrorism, organised crime, fuel smuggling and counter-espionage and internal security activities, COPASIR said.
It added that members of the Mediterranea charity were spied on "not as human rights activists, but in reference to their activities potentially related to irregular immigration", with permission from the government.
Undersecretary Alfredo Mantovano, Meloni's point man on intelligence matters, authorised the use of Paragon spyware on Mediterranea activists Luca Casarini and Beppe Caccia on September 5, 2024, the report said.
Mantovano was not immediately available for comment.
A Sicilian judge last month ordered six members of Mediterranea, including Casarini and Caccia, to stand trial on accusations of aiding illegal immigration, the first time crew members of a rescue vessel have faced such prosecution. All have denied wrongdoing.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
a few seconds ago
- USA Today
'Blatant deception': Hamas rejects Israel's Gaza relocation plan
CAIRO, Aug 17 (Reuters) - Palestinian militant group Hamas said on Sunday that Israel's plan to relocate residents from Gaza City constitutes a "new wave of genocide and displacement" for hundreds of thousands of residents in the area. The group said the planned deployment of tents and other shelter equipment by Israel into southern Gaza was a "blatant deception". The Israeli military has said it is preparing to provide tents and other equipment starting from Sunday ahead of its plan to relocate residents from combat zones to the south of the enclave "to ensure their safety". Hamas said in a statement that the deployment of tents under the guise of humanitarian purposes is a blatant deception intended to "cover up a brutal crime that the occupation forces prepare to execute". More: Israelis stage nationwide protests to demand end to Gaza war and release of hostages Israel said earlier this month that it intended to launch a new offensive to seize control of northern Gaza City, the enclave's largest urban centre. The plan has raised international alarm over the fate of the demolished strip, which is home to about 2.2 million people. The war began when Hamas attacked southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages, according to Israeli authorities. About 20 of the remaining 50 hostages in Gaza are believed to be still alive. Israel's subsequent military assault against Hamas has killed over 61,000 Palestinians, Gaza's health ministry says. It has also caused a hunger crisis, internally displaced most of Gaza's population and left much of the enclave in ruins. (Reporting by Nidal Al-Mughrabi; Writing by Menna Alaa El-Din;Editing by Tomasz Janowski and Sharon Singleton)
Newsweek
a few seconds ago
- Newsweek
Iran Sends Ominous Warning to US
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. An Iranian lawmaker has warned that the country's missiles can hit Europe and could eventually target U.S. cities. The remarks come amid rising tensions between Tehran, Western governments, and Israel, with sanctions and military action intensifying the standoff. Amir Hayat-Moqaddam, told Iranian media on Sunday that Tehran has been developing long-range strike capabilities for two decades. He warned that "perhaps our next missile will hit Washington directly." Newsweek has reached out to the State Department and Iran's Foreign Ministry for comment. Why It Matters The comments underline the heightened risk of a broader conflict as Iran openly discusses offensive capabilities against both European capitals and the United States. Western governments have been working to contain Tehran's nuclear program, while Israel and the U.S. have already carried out strikes designed to degrade Iran's military and nuclear infrastructure. The rhetoric adds urgency to ongoing debates over sanctions, nuclear oversight and regional security. Dummy missiles are seen during a protest in Tehran against Israel's attacks on Gaza on April 9, 2025. Dummy missiles are seen during a protest in Tehran against Israel's attacks on Gaza on April 9, To Know Hayat-Moqaddam said Iran's missiles can already reach targets anywhere in Europe. "Even now, all European countries are in our range. With our existing missiles we can strike France, Germany, the U.K., and all of Western and Eastern Europe," he said. Hayat-Moqaddam added that Iranian naval vessels could move close enough to reduce the distance to U.S. cities such as Washington and New York from 10,000 kilometers (about 6,200 miles) to roughly 2,000 kilometers (about 1,240 miles), also placing them within striking range one day. Snapback Sanctions Hayat-Moqaddam also talked about the prospect of renewed sanctions, dismissing European threats to activate the United Nations "snapback" mechanism, which would restore penalties suspended under the 2015 nuclear deal. France, Germany and the U.K. have warned Tehran that unless it fully cooperates with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the measures could be re-instated later this month. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian addresses lawmakers in Tehran on October 22, 2024. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian addresses lawmakers in Tehran on October 22, 2024. Getty Images Hayat-Moqaddam said that sanctions have already reached their maximum effect since the U.S. left the nuclear deal under President Donald Trump in 2018. He said Iran has already endured the harshest measures possible, insisting that "all possible sanctions have already been imposed on our country." Israeli and U.S. Military Actions Tensions spiked in June when Israel launched a surprise attack targeting Iran's nuclear and military infrastructure. The operation coincided with the sixth round of negotiations between Washington and Tehran. Among the casualties were Iran's chief of staff and several senior nuclear scientists. Within days, the U.S. launched airstrikes on three nuclear sites. Trump later said these "obliterated" Iran's nuclear program, although the claim was contested by Iranian authorities. The coordinated strikes highlighted the willingness of both Israel and the U.S. to use military force alongside economic pressure to contain Iran. A crane clears rubble on June 26, 2025, at a building in Tehran destroyed by an Israeli missile strike. A crane clears rubble on June 26, 2025, at a building in Tehran destroyed by an Israeli missile strike. Kyodo/AP Images What People Are Saying Amir Hayat-Moqaddam, Iranian lawmaker: "Perhaps our next missile will hit Washington directly. We can target America from the sea. The Aerospace Force of the Revolutionary Guard has been working for 20 years on making it possible to strike America from Iranian ships. Even if we have not yet reached this technology, it remains within our grasp." What Happens Next With Iran asserting that its missiles can already reach Europe and may soon be able to target American cities from the sea, Western governments face mounting pressure to enforce sanctions and safeguard their security. The coming months will test whether diplomacy or confrontation will dominate the next phase of the crisis.
USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
Oh no! Hypocritical celebrities abandon US, blaming Trump. What will we do now?
If celebrities, or anyone else, want to flee the US because a Republican is president, by all means, good riddance. I've never been so mad at a political party or a politician that I felt like leaving my country. I love America too much to even consider it. But a slew of celebrities have done that. Late night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel just announced during an appearance on the "The Sarah Silverman Podcast" on Aug. 7 that he obtained Italian citizenship. Kimmel alluded that President Donald Trump and the political climate he's created were contributing factors. It's not clear if Kimmel plans to move to Italy full time. "What's going on is as bad as you thought it was going to be," Kimmel said to Silverman during the podcast. "Way worse," Silverman said. "It's so much worse. It's just unbelievable," Kimmel said about America's political climate. "Like I feel like it's probably even worse than he would like it to be." Kimmel joins other celebrities who fled America and blame Trump Kimmel joins several high-profile celebrities who have sought refuge elsewhere because of Trump. It's a fascinating example of how self-aggrandizement, celebrity and perception do not always equate to reality, common sense and gratitude. If anything, it fuels hypocrisy. People magazine reported in 2024 that the comedian and former daytime talk show host Ellen DeGeneres and her wife, Portia de Rossi, had moved to England. DeGeneres confirmed in July that Trump's return to the White House prompted her move across the Atlantic. In March, comedian Rosie O'Donnell announced in a TikTok video that she moved to Ireland with her child. She's working on obtaining Irish citizenship. In the video, she said she moved because she didn't think she'd have equal rights under Trump. If these celebrities' ties to our nation were so weak that they could be severed because Americans elected a Republican president, how much did they care about the United States to begin with? Were they ever really freedom-loving Americans? Subscribe to my newsletterhere and get exclusive access to columns like this one – before anyone else Celebrities who abandon the US are hypocrites Celebrities are often hypocritical when it comes to their real lives, political beliefs and their careers. They'll claim they're anti-gun but make films with jarring violence and hire armed security for themselves. They'll tell other Americans how to vote − and it's mostly for Democrats − but live a lifestyle free of the economic and financial pressures that regular Americans face. Celebrities such as Miley Cyrus, Amy Schumer, Cher and Whoopi Goldberg threatened to leave America if Trump got elected in 2016, but they are still here. Perhaps they at least realize how silly it is to abandon their country because millions of their fellow citizens democratically elected a Republican into office. Perhaps they realized how hypocritical it was to live a life of luxury, thanks to America's free market principles, and then spit in its face because an election didn't go the way they wanted. When O'Donnell says she fled to Ireland out of fear that Americans like her would lose their rights, what does that really mean? Trump has signed no executive orders and Congress has passed no laws that strip any Americans of their fundamental rights. Federal anti-discrimination laws remain in place to protect all Americans, including the LGBTQ+ community. It's strange for someone like Kimmel, with a reported net worth of about $50 million, to flee the United States because of a supposedly difficult political environment. He still has a platform on network TV to ridicule Trump and other conservatives who don't support Kimmel's ultraprogressive opinions. Trump, meanwhile, is doing what 77 million voters said they wanted in November. He's secured the southern border, brought illegal immigration under control, bolstered the economy and is working to secure peace in the Middle East and Ukraine. If celebrities, or anyone else, want to flee the United States because a Republican is president, by all means, good riddance. If they can't appreciate the country that paved the way for their wealth and fame, and they want to believe they are victims of a difficult political climate, they deserve to wallow in their hypocrisy in a country that is a distant second to America's greatness. Nicole Russell is a columnist at USA TODAY and a mother of four who lives in Texas. Contact her at nrussell@ and follow her on X, formerly Twitter: @russell_nm. Sign up for her weekly newsletter, The Right Track, here.
