Spain's highest criminal court has again shelved its investigation into the use of Israeli-made Pegasus spyware targeting senior Spanish ministers, citing a chronic lack of cooperation from Israeli authorities. Judge José Luis Calama of the Audiencia Nacional in Madrid announced the decision on Thursday, stating that Israel's failure to respond to requests for information violated international legal agreements and the principle of good faith between states.
The investigation began in May 2022 after the Spanish government revealed that the phones of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and Defence Minister Margarita Robles had been infected with Pegasus in 2021. The spyware, developed by Israel's NSO Group, is marketed exclusively to state agencies. It was later discovered that the phones of the interior and agriculture ministers were also targeted.
Judge Calama had initially closed the case in July 2023 but reopened it months later after French authorities provided information on Pegasus use against French officials. However, this week's ruling concluded that the French material contained no new evidence to identify those responsible for targeting Spanish politicians. Calama noted that without Israeli cooperation, the investigation remains dormant until possible future evidence emerges.
The revelations led to the dismissal of Spain's spy chief, Paz Esteban, and admission of shortcomings within the National Intelligence Centre (CNI). In a previous statement, NSO Group condemned the misuse of its technology for monitoring politicians and journalists, asserting it would cooperate with investigations. The company maintains it does not operate the software or know the targets of its customers.
