By Sue-Ann Wayow
AN ISRAELI group is currently in Trinidad and Tobago conducting cyber spyware, malware and interception training at the National Operations Fusion Centre (NOFC).
This is the claim being made by Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar who questioned why this was not announced by the Minister of National Security Fitzgerald Hinds on Sunday during a press conference.
She said, “Today, Monday the Israeli Aerospace Industries (IAI), subsidiary group ELTA systems limited of Israel are here conducting cyber spyware, malware and interception training today and tomorrow.”
“If you have nothing to hide, why did you hide it?” Persad-Bissessar asked Hinds.
Persad-Bissessar was speaking during the Monday night virtual report of the United National Congress (UNC).
She also asked about who are the persons being trained and why and the cost of the training.
According to Persad-Bissessar, the event is called, “The cyber workshop conducted by the TTDF in collaboration with the Israeli Aerospace Industries (IAI), subsidiary group ELTA Systems Limited of Israel.”
“Translated it means how to use spyware, malware and interception to terrorise law-abiding citizens of our country,” she said.
She said, “ELTA is a private company. This is not a government-to-government arrangement. The Trinidad and Tobago Government is facilitating training with a private security firm ELTA which specializes in spyware, malware and interception among other things.”
Quoting from an article from an Israeli newspaper titled The Israelis Behind History’s Most Sophisticated Tracker Program That Wormed into Apple, Persad-Bissessar said the Israeli government regards its tracking software as no less than a weapon, whose exports are supervised by the Defense Ministry.
“I bet you that tomorrow the government is going to come to tell you that this cyber spyware, malware and interception training is being done to build cyber security capacity to protect critical information infrastructure,” Persad-Bissessar told viewers.
She questioned the credibility of the company stating that it was itself hacked according to an article in the Jamaica Gleaner on February 28, 2021.
On Sunday, Hinds spoke about Persad-Bissessar’s claims that Government was using the software Pegasus to spy on citizens challenging her to bring evidence.
