Unanswered questions remain over the operation of a multimillion Israeli-owned ‘spy van’ with the capability of hacking any mobile device after the vehicle was confiscated by Cyprus police.
Cyprus authorities have yet to get to the bottom of the case, but they may find themselves mired in a spy scandal if the high-tech surveillance equipment was used to collect intel on state or military secrets.
Questions raised include why the vehicle was imported to Cyprus and allowed to cruise the island’s streets with an Israeli registration plate.
Government spokesman Prodromos Prodromou confirmed a Cyprus-registered company which owns the van, was set up in 2011 by former Israeli intelligence officer Tal Jonathan Dilian.
He gave no further information about what the company was licensed to do.
The company, through its lawyers, denies any wrongdoing
It also seems the alleged spyware was declared as meteorological equipment when it was imported from Israel into Cyprus.
Police believe that the key to “hacking” into what exactly the van had been doing when roaming Cyprus streets lies with decrypting the servers connected to its spyware.
Chief of police Kypros Michaelides told reporters the police have experts familiar with such equipment and they expect to discover on whom the intel was being collected.
He also said that the case would be referred to the Legal Service for advice and guidance.
Michaelides declined to publicly comment on whether the police had cooperated with the owners of the spy van to retrieve intel on cases regarding national security.
Meanwhile, opposition AKEL leader Andros Kyprianou said, "the information we have on the case is particularly alarming”.
He demanded a thorough investigation to ascertain who is involved in the case and on whom was the equipment being used on.
The matter came to light after Forbes reported that an ex-Israeli intelligence officer is driving around in a GMC-type black ambulance turned surveillance unit with $9 mln worth of spying equipment, in a short video documentary which has gone viral.
In the video, Israeli Tal Dilian – who was described as CEO of Intellexa – explains that his van and its state-of-the-art equipment can monitor mobile phones and intercept electronic communication within a 500-metre radius.
He told Forbes he can hack any phone and retrieve intel and listen into conversations regardless of the level of security that phone may have. He claimed to be selling information to governments.
According to the Cyprus News Agency, the Israeli embassy in Nicosia has been informed of the matter and is closely monitoring developments.
Prodromou said President Nicos Anastasiades is especially “sensitivity to the protection of privacy” and is closely monitoring the course of the investigation.
Anastasiades will hold a meeting on Friday with Kyprianou, the Justice Minister and the chief of police to highlight his determination to combat any breach of privacy laws and private communication.
