Spanish official says mobile phones of PM and defense minister tapped by Pegasus system
May 3, 2022, 5:20 am

Spanish official says mobile phones of PM and defense minister tapped by Pegasus system

Pedro Sánchez, Prime Minister of Spain (File photo: Council of the European Union Facebook page)

The Xinhua reported, a Spanish official said on Monday (May 2) that the mobile phones of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and Defense Minister Margarita Robles were tapped by the Pegasus system.

Their phones were subjected to "illegal and external listening" using Pegasus, according to two technical reports from the Spanish National Cryptologic Center, said Felix Bolanos, Spain's minister for the presidency, at a hastily arranged press conference alongside government spokesperson Isabel Rodriguez.

He said the previous attempts to spy on Sanchez's phone were reported in May 2021, while those against Robles were reported a month later.

Bolanos said: "There is no evidence of any intrusion after these dates." However, he highlighted the seriousness of events.

The mobile phones of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and Defense Minister Margarita Robles were tapped by the Pegasus system (File photo: Pixabay)

He said: "These are proven and extremely serious facts, that confirm that there have been intrusions in areas outside state institutions and outside the law."

Bolanos said the information had been given to the judiciary so that a full investigation could be carried out to find "the whole truth."

Man sentenced to 7 years in prison for WhatsApp threats to kill Spain's Prime Minister Sánchez

He noted that "We are reporting facts that are proven and reliable. They are not assumptions."

Source: xinhua

Egypt’s Suez Canal records highest ever monthly revenue in April Joe Biden restores celebration of Eid Al-Fitr at White House

BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”