London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Wednesday, Jul 02, 2025

Cyprus police arrest three in Israeli-owned ‘spy van’ investigation

Cyprus police arrest three in Israeli-owned ‘spy van’ investigation

High-tech surveillance van allegedly used to intercept phones and messaging apps
Cyprus police have arrested three employees of a firm owned by a former Israeli intelligence officer over suspicions they used a high-tech surveillance van to intercept communications.

The latest case follows mounting concern over the operations of Israeli spyware and surveillance companies across the globe who have been implicated in a series of high-profile scandals, including targeting Harvey Weinstein’s accusers and selling spyware allegedly used to hack the phones of human rights activists.

The arrests in Cyprus involve a Cypriot-registered company called WiSpear, owned by Tal Dilian, an Israeli described in local media as a former intelligence officer with customers in Africa, the Gulf and far east.

In a bizarre twist, Dilian had been interviewed by Forbes magazine on Cyprus this year boasting of the surveillance capabilities of the vehicle involved, a former GMC ambulance fitted out with about $9m worth of equipment, which he claimed could intercept phones and social messaging apps including WhatsApp from a distance of a kilometre.

A Forbes video, showing the blacked-out van packed with equipment, provoked a media frenzy in Cyprus after it went viral last month provoking calls for an investigation into its activities. The arrests on Thursday follow the seizure of the van last month.

The issue has been pursued by the leader of Cyprus’s main opposition Akel party, Andros Kyprianou, who has suggested that his party has information that the vehicle was actively involved in spying on the island.

“We know a great deal, far more than what we say in public. The information coming to us is extremely alarming, about who is implicated in this process, or what contacts took place during the last years,” he added.

“When a vehicle with equipment worth $9m [£6.9] is out on the streets, and Cyprus being the small place that it is, our suspicions are roused as to what it was doing and how it operated. We expect the government to provide convincing answers.”

The Cypriot suspects working for the company, two men and a woman, face 13 charges related to violation of privacy laws, processing private data, falsely obtaining documents and breaking the island’s radio communication law.

In an earlier statement police had said their investigation related to data privacy violations. Claims of any wrongdoing are denied by Dilian and WiSpear who claim the van was on the island for demonstration purposes and that claims made by the company to Forbes had been wilfully misconstrued.

For the Forbes interview, however, Dilian appeared to demonstrate to the journalist involved how his equipment could take control of a colleague’s Huawei phone from a distance of 200 metres and download malware onto the device.

As the reporter watched, messages from the test subject’s WhatsApp account appeared on a monitor in WiSpear’s van.

According to media reports Dilian spent 24 years in the Israel Defense Forces in an elite combat unit and as chief commander in the technological unit of the IDF’s intelligence corps before going into business first with Circles, a smartphone surveillance company which he sold in 2010.

Dilian later founded Intellexa, which claims it can spy on encrypted communications, and WiSpear, whose prospectus offers long-range interception vans.

The company has denied providing services to the Cypriot authorities and says it does not provide intelligence services.

“The sole scope of the company is that of selling products and technology it develops,” said WiSpear in a statement, adding that the van was only in Cyprus field-testing purposes on company-owned devices and with the knowledge of local authorities.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Political Dispute Escalates Between Trump and Musk
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
US Senate Votes to Remove AI Regulation Moratorium from Domestic Policy Bill
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
Jury Deliberations in Diddy Trial Yield Partial Verdict in Serious Criminal Charges
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
King Charles Plans Significant Role for Prince Harry in Coronation
Two Chinese Nationals Arrested for Espionage Activities Against U.S. Navy
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
Trump Administration Considers Withdrawal of Funding for Hospitals Providing Gender Treatment to Minors
Texas Enacts Law Allowing Gold and Silver Transactions
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
OpenAI Secures Multimillion-Dollar AI Contracts with Pentagon, India, and Grab
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Germany Votes to Suspend Family Reunification for Asylum Seekers
Elon Musk Critiques Senate Budget Proposal Over Job Losses and Strategic Risks
Los Angeles Riots ended with Federal Investigations into Funding
Budapest Pride Parade Draws 200,000 Participants Amid Government Ban
Southern Europe Experiences Extreme Heat
Xiaomi's YU7 SUV Launch Garners Record Pre-Orders Amid Market Challenges
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's Lavish Wedding in Venice
Russia Launches Largest Air Assault on Ukraine Since Invasion
Education Secretary Announces Overhaul of Complaints System Amid Rising Parental Grievances
Massive Anti-Government Protests Erupt in Belgrade
Trump Ends Trade Talks with Canada Over Digital Services Tax
UK Government Softens Welfare Reform Plans Amid Labour Party Rebellion
Labour Faces Rebellion Over Disability Benefit Reforms Ahead of Key Vote
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Host Lavish Wedding in Venice Amid Protests
Trump Asserts Readiness for Further Strikes on Iran Amid Nuclear Tensions
North Korea to Open New Beach Resort to Boost Tourism Economy
UK Labour Party Faces Internal Tensions Over Welfare Reforms
Andrew Cuomo Hints at Potential November Comeback Amid Democratic Primary Results
Curtis Sliwa Champions His Vision for New York City Amid Rising Crime Concerns
Federal Reserve Proposes Changes to Capital Rule Affecting Major Banks
EU TO HUNGARY: LET THEM PRIDE OR PREP FOR SHADE. ORBÁN TO EU: STAY IN YOUR LANE AND FIX YOUR OWN MESS.
Trump Escalates Criticism of Media Over Iran Strike Coverage
Trump Announces Upcoming US-Iran Meeting Amid Controversial Airstrikes
Trump Moves to Reshape Middle East Following Israel-Iran Conflict
Big Four Accounting Firms Fined in Exam Cheating Scandal
NATO Members Agree to 5% Defense Spending Target by 2035
Australia's Star Casino Secures $195 Million Rescue Package Amid Challenges
UK to Enhance Nuclear Capabilities with Acquisition of F-35A Fighter Jets
Russian Shadow Payments via Cryptocurrency Reach $9 Billion
Explosions Rock Doha as Iranian Missiles Target Qatar
“You Have 12 Hours to Flee”: Israeli Threat Campaign Targets Surviving Iranian Officials
×