Multiple international media investigations, including by Forbidden Stories and Amnesty International, have reported that Moroccan intelligence agencies allegedly used the NSO Group's Pegasus spyware to target French President Emmanuel Macron and several Algerian officials. The allegations, which surfaced in 2021, were part of a wider list of potential targets that included politicians, journalists, and activists globally.
According to the reports, phone numbers belonging to President Macron and members of the French government were selected for potential surveillance by a Moroccan security agency. Similarly, numbers linked to Algerian officials, including the prime minister and diplomats, were also reportedly listed as targets. The Moroccan government has consistently and categorically denied these allegations, stating it "never acquired computer software to infiltrate communication devices."
The French government confirmed that President Macron's phone was among those targeted and subsequently changed his number and device. An official investigation was opened in France. The allegations have contributed to significant diplomatic tensions between France and Morocco, with Paris expressing serious concerns over the reported surveillance.
NSO Group states its technology is licensed only to vetted government intelligence and law enforcement agencies for fighting crime and terrorism. The company says it does not operate the spyware itself and investigates credible misuse allegations. The incident underscores ongoing global debates about the regulation of cyber-surveillance tools and state sovereignty in the digital age.
