Morocco’s Ex-PM Benkirane Refutes Spying Allegations, Defends Intelligence Services

"Whoever promotes allegations that the intelligence services are spying on the king (Mohammed VI) is a liar and has no information to give us," he said in a Facebook live broadcast on his page. He rejected the revelations about a probable use of the Israeli software Pegasus in Morocco. According to Abdelilah Benkirane, "those who accuse the Moroccan intelligence services of spying on the king do not want to speak clearly to us about their objective and what they want to tell us exactly."

"Intelligence, as is the case everywhere in the world, has the role of spying before the occurrence of misfortunes, and it fulfills this mission according to universal logic. [...] Since this is a common thing in the world, then why was there all this uproar," he wonders. For him, the Moroccan intelligence services are fully playing their role. He also lavished praise on Abdellatif Hammouchi, director general of national security, who is also director general of territorial surveillance. According to the former PJD boss, he is "one of the best people who have managed the country’s security file."

"Hammouchi is a very pious person, unlike the enemies of the PJD who fight him day and night," he said, adding that the head of national security enjoys the trust of King Mohammed VI. Abdelilah Benkirane also calls for not blaming the intelligence and security officials, and in particular Hammouchi, for nothing.