On his way out of the Supreme Court, Mr. Androulakis said: “Revealing who is behind these sick practices and for whom they are acting is my democratic duty and not a personal matter. Throughout my journey I learned to struggle in transparency, in the light, in the spotlight. Because transparency is a required element of the smooth functioning of our political system. In this dark affair I will not compromise with half-measures and evasions.
PASOK president Nikos Androulakis filed a report to the Prosecutor’s Office of the Supreme Court a while ago, complaining that he almost fell victim to surveillance with the Predator system.
Coming out of the Areopagus, Mr. Androulakis stated: “Exposing who is behind these sick practices and for whom they act is my democratic duty and not a personal matter. Throughout my journey I learned to struggle in transparency, in the light, in the spotlight. Because transparency is a required element of the smooth functioning of our political system. In this dark affair I will not compromise with half-measures and evasions.
According to sources from Harilaou Trikoupi, after the revelation of the surveillance scandals with the “Pegasus” software, the European Parliament created a Special Service, through which the MEPs could check their telephone devices for possible infections from illegal surveillance software.
We remind you that Pegasus is malicious software that belongs to the category of spyware. It is designed to invade devices without the user being notified, collect whatever information it wants, and then disappear.
On 28 June 2022, Mr. Androulakis made use of this Parliament service for precautionary reasons. From the first check carried out on the device of the President of PASOK – Movement for Change, it was seen the presence of a suspicious link (link) connected to the illegal Predator surveillance software.
Predator is a surveillance tool that gives its operator full and permanent access to the target’s device. Predator allows the operator to extract secret codes [passwords]files, photos, web browsing history, contacts as well as identity data (such as mobile device information).
Predator can take screenshots, record user entries [στο κινητό του], and can also activate the device’s microphone and camera. This enables attackers to monitor any action taking place on or near a device, such as conversations taking place within a room.
Predator also allows its operator to record text messages sent or received (including those sent via “encrypted applications”) as well as simple and VoIP phone calls (including telephone conversations via “encrypted” applications).
Following Parliament’s relevant security protocol, which was immediately activated, a copy of the device was created so that a more detailed check could be carried out. Then, following a proposal from the competent services of the European Parliament, an additional check was carried out on Mr. Androulakis’ device. After the completion of these checks, the services of the Parliament drew up the relevant Report which they delivered to Mr. Androulakis in the previous days.
According to what is described there, Mr. Androulakis received a text message on September 21, 2021, i.e. shortly before the start of internal party proceedings, on his device inviting him to press a specific link, which according to a report by the University’s CitizensLab of Toronto is used as bait to install the Predator tracking software on the target’s cell phone.
The message read precisely: “Let’s get serious mate, we’ve got a win to do.” and followed by the link, which was a falsification of a website that exists and works normally. Although the message appears to have been read an hour after it was received, the fact that Mr. Androulakis never clicked on the linkis what seems to have saved him from the worst.
According to the same sources, there was an attempt to trap the phone of Mr. Androulakis, which was prevented thanks to the foresight of Mr. Androulakis not to follow the link that would trap his phone.
It is noted that in the more than 200 MEPs’ mobile controls that have been carried out by the European Parliament, this was the first case in which an attempt to infect a personal telephone device was found. Technical advisors also do not rule out listening with other systems that leave no traces.
In addition to the indictment submitted today to Mr. Prosecutor of the Supreme Court, the Vice-President of the European Commission Vera Jourova, the responsible Commissioner Mr. Didier Reynders, the President of the Socialist Group, the President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola and members of the European Parliament’s Committee of Inquiry to investigate the use of Pegasus software and related spyware tracking software.
According to Charilaou Trikoupis sources, this is a serious case of attempted violation of the privacy of telephone communications in Greece.
No attempt was made to violate only the privacy of Mr. Androulakis and the confidentiality of his communications, which according to the Constitution is absolutely inviolable.
Attempts were made to undermine his political activity and by extension the free functioning of the democratic state is at stake.
“Those hunting Mr. Androulakis (predator = hunter) sought not only to listen to his calls and messages, but also to turn Mr. Androulakis’s device into a means of continuous monitoring,” the same sources state.
Nikos Androulakis and PASOK calls for immediate action by all competent bodies to find those who attempted this crude attempt to trap the current President of the country’s third parliamentary party. Political parties and all institutional actors must join their voices for the clearance in this case.
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