$14 milion spy equipment missing

THE DISAPPEARANCE of nearly $14 million of sophisticated phone  tapping equipment used by the previous administration has led to the filing of  a criminal complaint with the First Anticorruption Prosecutor against former executive secretary of the National Security Council, Alejandro Garuz.

The complaint , was filed Tuesday, December 2 by the current executive secretary, Rolando López Pérez, after discovery of the loss of equipment to intercept communications, belonging to the Security Council. As the illegal use of the equipment presents a potential danger to society and the crime calls for more than four year in jail Perez has called for preventative detention for Garuz.

The machines were acquired in July 23, 2010 by the then Social Investment Fund (FIS), now National Assistance Program (PAN), from the Israeli company M.LM. Protection LTD, represented by Ober Far at a cost of $13,475,000. At that time the director of the FIS was Giacomo Tamburrelli currently under investigation.

When López Pérez received the  inventory of Security Council property  he found that Garuz never mentioned the existence of the undercover tapping team who were trained by the suppliers, and will also be called in for questioing

The complaint states that when reviewing security investments themselves Contract No. 045/2010 containing the delivery note was found, but this “is missing”.

“Without prejudice that others responsible for the disappearance of this technological equipment, may exist we hold the responsibility of Mr. Alejandro Garuz,responsible because he was the last executive secretary who had the technological equipment and did not inform me on the transfer of functions that some of his predecessors Julio Moltó or Gustavo Perez, had some responsibility with the loss … “he said.

SPY SYSTEM
López Pérez said that the system worked quietly and surreptitiously eliminating any exposure when using security circles, undercover agents, and unidentified transaction servers. It was installed silently on the target computers [people] and allowed access to their files and confidential information.

In the past government, opposition politicians, including former general secretary of the Democratic Revolutionary Party Mitchell Does, and then ex vice-minister Luis Ernesto Carles, reported to the Public Prosecutor that they were victims of phone hacking and directly charged the National Security Council.

Besides politicians, union leaders, civil society spokesmen and even journalists publicly denounced being subject to tapping, says La Prensa.

“Technological equipment purchased by Giacomo Tamburrelli and made available to the Ministry of the Presidency (NSC) is highly sensitive and valuable for its ability to affect the privacy of their targets together with its cost, $13.4 million, it is public money,” said López Pérez,

With regard to crimes against public administration, in different types of embezzlement, which Garuz is charged with, Article 388 of the Penal Code states: “The Public server that removes or misappropriates any form or consents to another appropriates, removes or misappropriates any form money, securities or assets, the administration, collection or custody have been entrusted by virtue of his office, shall be punished with imprisonment from four to ten years “.

If the level of appropriation exceeds the amount of $100,000 or the money, securities or appropriate goods were intended for or development programs or support social welfare purposes, the penalty shall be from eight to fifteen years in prison. “

Faced with the seriousness of the act reported by the important heritage and public safety lesion and taking the offense carries penalties of more than four years in prison, Lopez asked the prosecutor for preventive detention.

He warned that the team has lost a “dangerous character” to the extent that its use entails the abuse of fundamental rights protected by the Constitution and international treaties.

In October, the Minister of the Presidency, Alvaro Aleman portfolio to which is attached the National Security Council, said that the previous government had machines that were dedicated to tap phones.

“We do not know where these machines are. The security agencies think they are still in the country, but do not know where.”