Brazil’s former intelligence head subpoenaed in spying probe

The Federal Police on Thursday executed 21 search and seizure warrants at addresses linked to people suspected of illegally using spy intelligence software to monitor political opponents of the former Jair Bolsonaro administration. 

Congressman Alexandre Ramagem, a career Federal Police officer who served as the head of the Brazilian Intelligence Agency (Abin) for most of the Bolsonaro administration, is one of the targets of today’s operation. As usual, the Federal Police did not disclose the names of the targets. Mr. Ramagem has yet to speak publicly on the matter.

In a statement, the Federal Police said that today’s operation was a continuation of Operation Last Mile, carried out in October, which investigated the misuse of a mobile device geolocation system by Abin officers without judicial authorization.

The name “Last Mile” was a reference to FirstMile, software developed by Israeli espionage company Cognyte that tracks cell phone geolocation data.

According to the Federal Police, evidence obtained during the investigation “indicates that a criminal group created a parallel structure in Abin and used its tools and services for illicit actions, producing information for political and media use, to obtain personal benefits, and even to interfere with Federal Police investigations.”

This is the second Federal Police operation in a week targeting an opposition lawmaker. Congressman Carlos Jordy, the opposition’s House whip, was targeted last Thursday in an investigation into the sponsors of putschist demonstrations, such as the roadblocks carried out by pro-Bolsonaro supporters to contest the results of the 2022 election.

• #federalPolice
• #jairBolsonaro