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Spyware case takes a new turn as EYP official’s complaint highlights security chief’s targeting
🇬🇷 Greece /Crime & Justice

Spyware case takes a new turn as EYP official’s complaint highlights security chief’s targeting

From Ta Nea · () Greek

Translated from Greek and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

Analysis Named sources Under investigation
  • EYP official Giannis Papadopoulos has filed a criminal complaint alleging that Predator spyware infected his phone and seeking an investigation for espionage.
  • The complaint names Ioannis Lavranos, Felix Bitsiou, Tal Dilian and Sarah Hamou, while lawyer Zacharias Kesses linked the case to the earlier targeting of former EYP security director Tasos Papageorgiou.
  • Kesses criticized prosecutors for failing to examine whether classified security information was accessed, transferred or used.

A serving senior official of Greece’s intelligence service has taken the Predator spyware scandal to court, saying the alleged infection of his phone may have exposed information tied to national security.

Giannis Papadopoulos, a senior official at the National Intelligence Service, filed a complaint against Ioannis Lavranos, Felix Bitsiou, Tal Dilian and Sarah Hamou. He is asking prosecutors to investigate the case as a possible offense of espionage. Because of his position, Papadopoulos handled highly classified information, and he argues that passing such material to third parties would pose a direct threat to the country.

The complaint has also revived questions about Tasos Papageorgiou, the former EYP security director. Lawyer Zacharias Kesses, who represents victims of the surveillance scandal, said Papageorgiou’s alleged targeting showed how deeply the spyware may have reached inside the service. Papageorgiou was responsible for internal security, protection of personnel and classified information, investigations of security breaches, espionage-risk assessments, and checks on people with access to secret material.

The investigation cannot be exhausted by a routine filing

— Zacharias KessesThe lawyer said the new complaint requires a fuller investigation rather than simple closure.

According to Kesses, Papageorgiou received repeated Predator messages around the same days that ministers Giorgos Gerapetritis, Akis Skertsos, Adonis Georgiadis and Giannis Oikonomou were also targeted. Kesses said Papageorgiou has never been called to testify and that no service has examined the case, despite the importance of his post.

He also said authorities never investigated what data might have been extracted from Papageorgiou’s device, including whether personal, official, secret or classified information was accessible, who obtained it, where it was sent, or whether it was used. Kesses argued that the investigation cannot end with a routine filing and called on political and judicial leaders to provide convincing answers about protecting the rule of law.

A direct threat to the country

— Giannis PapadopoulosThe complaint describes the possible disclosure of national-security information from his device.
About this summary

Originally published by Ta Nea in Greek. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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