Martinelli spy era equipment still missing

ALMOST a year after the presentation of a complaint  over the  disappearance of equipment used by  the Martinelli government to spy on  journalists, politicians, businessmen and civil society leaders, the loss remains a mystery.

In December 2014, Rolando Lopez, currently executive secretary of the National Security Council (CSN), denounced Alejandro Garuz, executive secretary during Martinelli’s administration, for allegedly committing crimes against public administration, because when he took office the inventory of assets of CSN did not included the spying  equipment. The process is in the hands of the second anti-corruption prosecutor, Vielka Broce.

To date Lopez has no answers as to where the equipment which cost over $13 million might be.

“We became complainants as it should be, and as a public servants , upon receiving an office and noting  the absence of the equipment, we informed the authorities which are now doing research”, said Lopez.

When asked if the CSN is confident that this and other wiretapping machines purchased by the previous government -which are also lost- are not active, Lopez said, “They are not operating”, as they have done the technical verifications.

Two spy  systems, were bought by the past government in transactions with companies NSO Group Technologies Ltd., of Israel, and the Italian company Hacking Team.

After verifying that the machines were missing, the National Security Council filed the complaints.

During the purchase with NSO Group Technologies Ltd., a document included in the file, dated June 3, 2012, was signed by Gustavo Perez, who was then the head of the Council.

Perez and Garuz are both in El Renacer Prison awaiting trial related to wiretapping  and if convicted  could be facing lengthy jail time.