Spanish Attorney General Seeks Cybersecurity Advice Amid Ongoing Investigation
Álvaro García Ortiz consults police cybersecurity experts after Supreme Court orders recovery of deleted messages.
In a complex turn of events, Spain's Attorney General, Álvaro García Ortiz, has sought 'advice' from the head of the Central Cybersecurity Brigade of the National Police.
This development comes on the heels of a Supreme Court magistrate's directive for the Civil Guard's Central Operational Unit (UCO) to retrieve messages García Ortiz allegedly deleted from his mobile phone.
Sources indicate that this outreach first occurred last Thursday, coinciding with what has been described as an unofficial request from the Attorney General’s camp to Telefónica for the recovery of call logs.
This request aimed at resolving certain technical queries was channelled through a Ministry of Justice official the following day.
It specifically targeted the brigade's commissioner, Juan Carlos Sancho.
As of this report, the National Police has refrained from commenting on whether any meeting or consultation took place.
Similarly, the Attorney General's Office has opted not to make any public statement.
García Ortiz is currently implicated in a case concerning the alleged revelation of secrets related to Alberto González Amador, the partner of Isabel Díaz Ayuso, the President of Madrid’s regional government.
The investigation has seen García Ortiz accuse the UCO of significant irregularities in its reporting, leading the presiding magistrate, Ángel Luis Hurtado, to defend the Civil Guard’s professionalism.
Further complicating matters, sources have disclosed that the Attorney General's close associates made contact with mid-level managers at Telefónica.
This was an effort to access incoming call details, which differ from the more easily accessible outgoing call logs available to regular customers.
El Debate had initially reported on these efforts to recover communications data, measures prompted by the magistrate's own requests to Telefónica and Vodafone for records pertaining to the Attorney General’s numbers over a specific period.
In an additional finding, the UCO had reported to the court the discovery of '0 messages' on García Ortiz's phone within the investigation period.
The UCO has also informed the magistrate about a 'phone terminal change' that García Ortiz allegedly undertook on October 23, shortly after the Supreme Court launched its inquiry.
With telecommunications data pending review and the UCO yet to attempt recovery of the deleted messages, the court has summoned García Ortiz for testimony as an indicted party on January 29. The judge's suspicion centres on potential leaks of emails that could have been used against Díaz Ayuso by both the media and government entities.
Response from the government has been swift.
Government spokesperson Pilar Alegría dismissed the investigative lines as mere 'speculation', emphasizing the absence of concrete evidence linking García Ortiz to the alleged leaks.
Similarly, Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska criticized the varied interpretations of UCO reports by different entities.
As this legal and political saga unfolds, the focus remains on the Attorney General's actions and the broader implications of cybersecurity in maintaining the integrity and confidentiality of sensitive communications within high-profile judicial investigations.
This development comes on the heels of a Supreme Court magistrate's directive for the Civil Guard's Central Operational Unit (UCO) to retrieve messages García Ortiz allegedly deleted from his mobile phone.
Sources indicate that this outreach first occurred last Thursday, coinciding with what has been described as an unofficial request from the Attorney General’s camp to Telefónica for the recovery of call logs.
This request aimed at resolving certain technical queries was channelled through a Ministry of Justice official the following day.
It specifically targeted the brigade's commissioner, Juan Carlos Sancho.
As of this report, the National Police has refrained from commenting on whether any meeting or consultation took place.
Similarly, the Attorney General's Office has opted not to make any public statement.
García Ortiz is currently implicated in a case concerning the alleged revelation of secrets related to Alberto González Amador, the partner of Isabel Díaz Ayuso, the President of Madrid’s regional government.
The investigation has seen García Ortiz accuse the UCO of significant irregularities in its reporting, leading the presiding magistrate, Ángel Luis Hurtado, to defend the Civil Guard’s professionalism.
Further complicating matters, sources have disclosed that the Attorney General's close associates made contact with mid-level managers at Telefónica.
This was an effort to access incoming call details, which differ from the more easily accessible outgoing call logs available to regular customers.
El Debate had initially reported on these efforts to recover communications data, measures prompted by the magistrate's own requests to Telefónica and Vodafone for records pertaining to the Attorney General’s numbers over a specific period.
In an additional finding, the UCO had reported to the court the discovery of '0 messages' on García Ortiz's phone within the investigation period.
The UCO has also informed the magistrate about a 'phone terminal change' that García Ortiz allegedly undertook on October 23, shortly after the Supreme Court launched its inquiry.
With telecommunications data pending review and the UCO yet to attempt recovery of the deleted messages, the court has summoned García Ortiz for testimony as an indicted party on January 29. The judge's suspicion centres on potential leaks of emails that could have been used against Díaz Ayuso by both the media and government entities.
Response from the government has been swift.
Government spokesperson Pilar Alegría dismissed the investigative lines as mere 'speculation', emphasizing the absence of concrete evidence linking García Ortiz to the alleged leaks.
Similarly, Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska criticized the varied interpretations of UCO reports by different entities.
As this legal and political saga unfolds, the focus remains on the Attorney General's actions and the broader implications of cybersecurity in maintaining the integrity and confidentiality of sensitive communications within high-profile judicial investigations.
Translation:
Translated by AI
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