Catalan: Spain spy chief admits legally hacking some phones

By JOSEPH WILSON
Associated Press

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — A leading Catalan separatist politician says that Spain’s top intelligence official has acknowledged that her agency hacked into the cellphones of some politicians but insists it had proper judicial authorization. The digital rights group Citizen Lab says over 60 politicians, activists and others in Spain were reported to be targeted by the controversial Pegasus spyware. Catalan lawmaker Gabriel Rufián spoke Thursday after he participated in a closed-door meeting with the director of Spain’s National Intelligence Center along with a few other lawmakers. He says the spy chief said some politicians were legitimate hacking targets but her agency did not hack all those listed by Citizen Lab. The comments raise more questions about who else was spying on separatists in Spain.