Thread by @NihaMasih

BREAKING: Introducing the Pegasus Project: a collaborative investigation involving more than 80 journalists on 4 continents showing how powerful spyware licensed only to governments targeted journalists, activists and more. (1/n) washingtonpost.com/investigations…

The phones appeared on a list of over 50,000 numbers concentrated in countries known to engage in surveillance of their citizens and known to have been clients of the Israeli firm, NSO Group, a leader in the growing and largely unregulated private spyware industry. 2/n

Reporters were able to identify more than 1,000 people through research and interviews on four continents: several Arab royal family members, at least 65 business executives, 85 human rights activists, 189 journalists, and more than 600 politicians and government officials. 3/n

The consortium found many of the phone numbers in at least 10 country clusters, which were subjected to deeper analysis: Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Hungary, India, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Morocco, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. 4/n

In India, the numbers of phones belonging to hundreds of journalists, activists, opposition politicians, government officials and business executives were on the list, as were numbers in several other countries in the region, including Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Pakistan. 5/n

In India, eight accused in the Bhima Koregaon case were on the list prior to their arrest as were some of their family members and associates. 6/n thewire.in/rights/elgar-p…

Over 40 journalists from India feature on the list from prominent outlets. Shishir Gupta, Prashant Jha of HT, Siddharth V of Wire, Ritika Chopra of Express, Vijeta Singh of Hindu. 7/n thewire.in/media/pegasus-…

Forensic analysis of @svaradarajan's phone confirmed the infection. “You feel violated, there’s no doubt about it,” he said. “This is an incredible intrusion, and journalists should not have to deal with this. Nobody should have to deal with this.” 8/n washingtonpost.com/investigations…

Here are the key takeaways from the multi-day #Pegasus Project. 9/n washingtonpost.com/investigations…

The NSO group in response called the investigation’s findings exaggerated and baseless. It also said it does not operate the spyware licensed to its clients and “has no insight” into their specific intelligence activities. 10/n

Unnamed sources in the Indian govt to ANI: The allegations regarding government surveillance on specific people has no concrete basis or
truth, appears to be a similar fishing expedition based on conjectures and exaggerations to malign the Indian democracy& its institutions. 11/n

NEW: After a global investigation uncovered how NSO’s government clients deployed Pegasus against activists, journalists and private citizens around the world, the group pledged Sunday to investigate potential cases of human-rights abuse. 12/n washingtonpost.com/technology/202…

Imp to note that NSO claims its products should only be used by its government clients to investigate terrorism or major crimes. In India, we know it was used against journalists, activists, bizmen, opposition leaders. 13/n

@Snowden the former National Security Agency contractor whose 2013 leak of highly classified documents sparked a global conversation on govt spying, said the leak would be “the story of the year,” calling for a “comprehensive moratorium” on sale of phone-hacking tools.14/n

Will Cathcart, the head of WhatsApp, which sued NSO in court on allegations the company spied on 1,400 of its users, urged companies and govts on Sunday to “hold NSO Group accountable” for building spyware used to “commit horrible human rights abuses all around the world.” 15/n

Here's a helpful guide to how #Pegasus the spyware works. 16/n washingtonpost.com/technology/202…

BREAKING: More names in the list out now. @RahulGandhi, his aides and friends; Ashok Lavasa, key election official considered an obstacle to the ruling party; @PrashantKishor and members of the family of the woman who accused CJI Gogoi of sexual harassment washingtonpost.com/world/2021/07/…

A number for Ashwini Vaishnaw, the new minister for information technology also on the list. Minutes before, he told the Parliament that "there is no substance whatsoever behind this sensationalism." washingtonpost.com/world/2021/07/…

.@PrashantKishor's phone was compromised as recently as July 14, a forensic analysis showed. Those responsible “were looking to take undue advantage of their position of power with the help of illegal snooping," he said 19/n washingtonpost.com/world/2021/07/…

.@RahulGandhi in a statement said, "It is an attack on the democratic foundations of our country. It must be thoroughly investigated and those responsible be identified and punished.” His aides Alankar Sawai and Sachin Rao were also on the list 20/n washingtonpost.com/world/2021/07/…

Ashok Lavasa, an impediment to Modi’s ambitions was also on the list. In line to lead the powerful Election Commission, he determined that Modi violated election guidelines during the 2019 campaign. He later resigned from the commission. 21/n washingtonpost.com/world/2021/07/…

In 2019, an SC staffer accused India's chief justice of sexual harassment, who denied the allegations. Days later, 11 phone numbers used by the woman and her family appear on the list. The justice is now a member of Parliament with the ruling party. 22/n washingtonpost.com/world/2021/07/…