In a significant policy shift, the United States government has decided to remove sanctions from three individuals previously accused of aiding the spread of the notorious "Predator" spyware. This sophisticated surveillance tool has been allegedly deployed against American citizens, journalists, and government officials.
The Sanctions Reversal: Who Was Removed?
The US Department of the Treasury announced the lifting of business bans on Sara Aleksandra Fayssal Hamou, Andrea Nicola Constantino Hermes Gambazzi, and Merom Harpaz. This action partially rolls back the first-ever US sanctions imposed over the alleged misuse of commercial spyware, which can secretly take control of mobile phones.
In a statement to Reuters, the Treasury Department clarified that the removal was "part of the normal administrative process in response to a petition request for reconsideration." The agency added that each individual had demonstrated steps to distance themselves from the Intellexa Consortium. Treasury officials did not immediately respond to further requests for comment from Bloomberg News.
Background: The Intellexa Consortium and Past Actions
The sanctions originally stemmed from actions taken by the Biden administration in 2023. At that time, the US government sanctioned several people and entities linked to the Intellexa Consortium. Officials stated they played roles in developing, operating, and distributing spyware used to target US officials, journalists, and experts.
The Treasury had described Hamou, a Polish national, as a corporate off-shoring specialist who provided managerial services to the consortium. Gambazzi, from Switzerland, was identified as the beneficial owner of a company holding distribution rights for Predator. Harpaz, an Israeli, was labeled a "top executive" at the consortium.
Intellexa, founded by Israeli intelligence veteran Tal Dilian in 2019, has been accused of supplying spyware to authoritarian regimes. The US added four Intellexa-linked companies to an export blacklist in 2023 and sanctioned Dilian himself in March 2024.
Reactions and Global Impact of Predator Spyware
The decision to lift the sanctions has drawn criticism from cybersecurity researchers. John Scott-Railton, a senior researcher at the University of Toronto's Citizen Lab, called the reversal "puzzling." On social media platform X, he stated, "Intellexa's reputation for reckless proliferation of cyber capabilities is unmatched. The pile of Predator abuses is enormous."
The Predator spyware has been at the center of international scandals:
- In 2022, it triggered a national scandal in Greece after allegedly being used to target politicians, journalists, and businessmen, leading to the resignation of the country's intelligence chief.
- An investigation by Amnesty International and media outlets in 2023 found evidence of its use against United Nations officials, US lawmakers, and the President of the European Parliament.
The Treasury Department, when initially announcing sanctions, had warned that "the proliferation of commercial spyware poses distinct and growing security risks to the United States." Attempts to contact the three individuals or the Intellexa Consortium for comment were not immediately successful.
