France's Macron targeted in spyware case - report

French President Emmanuel Macron called on Wednesday for an investigation after it was reported that Morocco may have targeted his phone using spyware made by the Israeli company NSO Group.

Flora Bradley-Watson reports.

French President Emmanuel Macron has called for a series of investigations into the Pegasus spyware case.

It follows reports that his phone number was on a list of potential targets for potential surveillance by Morocco.

The French daily newspaper Le Monde reported on Tuesday that Macron was targeted using a spyware tool made by the Israeli company NSO Group.

NSO has said its product is only intended to help governments fight terrorism and crime.

An investigation published on Sunday by 17 media organizations said the spyware had been used to hack key smartphones around the world - from journalists and rights activists to government officials including heads of state.

The French presidency said that if the revelations about Macron's phone were true, they would be very serious.

According to the report in Le Monde, one of the French leader's phone numbers, which he had used regularly since 2017, is on the list of numbers selected by Morocco's intelligence service for potential cyber-spying.

On Tuesday, the Paris Prosecutor's office opened a probe into allegations that French journalists were targeted by Morocco using the same spyware.

Morocco issued a statement on Monday denying any involvement in using Pegasus and rejected what it called, quote, "unfounded and false allegations." Moroccan officials could not immediately be reached for comment on the report about Macron on Tuesday.