El Gomati, a Libyan activist residing in Sweden, has brought attention to the controversial relationship between the Italian and Libyan governments. This scrutiny arises as Italy is revealed to be a customer of Paragon, a company known for developing spyware technology. Paragon's executive chairman, John Fleming, insists that the company maintains a zero-tolerance policy against the targeting of journalists and civil society figures.
"Paragon licenses its technology to a select group of global democracies — principally, the United States and its allies." – John Fleming, Paragon Solutions' executive chairman
The controversy intensifies with allegations from WhatsApp that Paragon's spyware was employed in a hacking campaign that compromised the security of approximately 90 journalists and other civil society members. Among those targeted were Francesco Cancellato, an Italian journalist and director of the news website Fanpage.it, and El Gomati himself. Paragon, having a $2 million contract with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), faces significant backlash.
"We have a zero-tolerance policy against such targeting and will terminate our relationship with any customer that violates our terms of service." – John Fleming, Paragon Solutions' executive chairman
WhatsApp reacted by issuing a cease and desist letter to Paragon, highlighting the gravity of the situation. Cancellato's involvement in this scenario stems from Fanpage.it's investigation into the "Gioventù Meloniana" group, which uncovered disturbing behavior including racist and antisemitic remarks. The investigation revealed instances where group members used derogatory language and showed support for Nazi ideologies and pro-Italian dictator Benito Mussolini slogans.
"This is the thing, I mean, what did they want from me?” – Francesco Cancellato, Italian journalist
Adding to the complexity of Paragon's situation is a recent bid from U.S. private equity firm AE Industrial to acquire Paragon for approximately $900 million. AE Industrial spokesperson Matt Conroy refrained from commenting on the bid, deferring to Paragon for further information.
The reach of Paragon extends beyond Italy, as it reportedly sells its products to the U.S. government and other unspecified allied countries. This global distribution raises questions about how its technology is being utilized and whether its terms and conditions effectively prevent misuse.
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