Brazil to probe claims of spy agency eavesdropping on cell phones – minister

BRASILIA (Reuters) – Brazil’s new government will investigate whether the country’s intelligence agency ABIN illegally spied on Brazilians through their cell phones, Justice Minister Flavio Dino said on Wednesday.

Dino has spoken to the director of the Federal Police and will make an announcement later on Wednesday, he told reporters in a briefing at Palacio do Planalto in Brasilia.

O Globo newspaper reported on Monday that ABIN, which stands for Brazilian National Intelligence Agency, bought and used Israeli software that allowed it to track the movement of up to 10,000 people for 12 months through their cellphone numbers.

ABIN used the equipment until May 2021, the agency said in a message to the media.

Globo reported that the software was used without a court order.

(Reporting by Lisandra Paraguassu; Editing by Richard Chang)