Poland starts probe into allegations of illegal phone-hacking

A Polish parliamentary commission on Monday began investigating accusations that the previous government illegally hacked the phones of targets including political opponents, amid a growing scandal over the use of Pegasus spyware developed by Israel-based NSO Group. A centerpiece of efforts by the new pro-European administration to uncover the truth about alleged wrongdoing during eight years of nationalist rule, the probe has also taken on a new dimension due to media reports that members of the former ruling party were themselves victims of phone hacking. If found to be true such reports could blow apart an opposition that has thus far been united in the defense of its record and the actions of ministers that the new government says broke the law.  Reports in 2021 by the Associated Press that the software was used to hack the phones of government critics, including the head of the election campaign of what was then the largest opposition party, drew accusations that security services eroded democratic norms. (Reuters) 