Brazilian officials seeking to charge US journalist for allegedly hacking phones

Wednesday, January 22nd 2020 - 09:39 UTC

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Glenn Greenwald had recently published stories describing private messages between public prosecutors

Brazilian authorities are seeking to bring charges against Glenn Greenwald, the journalist who published Edward Snowden's intelligence agency leaks. Greenwald has been accused of “helping guiding and encouraging” a criminal group that hacked into the phones of Brazilian officials.

The journalist had recently published stories describing private messages between public prosecutors. At this point, federal public prosecutors have proposed the charges. However, a judge still needs to decide whether to formally indict him.

Six other individuals have also been accused of illegal telephone interceptions and conspiracy among other related crimes.

Brazilian prosecutors allege that, during his interactions with the group, Mr. Greenwald advised its members to delete messages that they had passed on to him.

Mr. Greenwald has not yet publicly responded to this particular allegation.

Last year, Mr Greenwald and colleagues published a series of ten investigative reports on news site The Intercept, which detailed “a massive trove of previously undisclosed materials” allegedly by Brazilian prosecutors and other officials.

They quoted from messages that had been sent via Telegram, a privacy-focused app that claims to be able to keep “messages safe from hacker attacks”.

The Folha newspaper said that those whose accounts had allegedly been breached included justice minister Sergio Moro and prosecutor Deltan Dallagnol, who is coordinating Operation Car Wash - a probe into the country's biggest ever corruption scandal.

After details of the accusations against him were published, Mr Greenwald issued a statement via The Daily beast news site. In it, he noted that Brazil's Supreme Court had ruled last year that the administration should drop its investigation into him because it violated his press freedom rights.

“Less than two months ago, the federal police, examining all the same evidence cited by the public ministry, stated explicitly that not only have I never committed any crime but that I exercised extreme caution as a journalist never even to get close to any participation,” he added.

“We will not be intimidated by these tyrannical attempts to silence journalists. I am working right now on new reporting and will continue to do so.”

The New York-based Freedom of the Press Foundation has described the Brazilian attorney general office's actions as being “beyond disturbing” and an “outrageous violation of press freedom”.

Edward Snowden, who was granted asylum by Russia after he fled the United States in 2013, tweeted his reaction to the news.

“Absolute red alert: This is unbelievably naked retaliation for revealing extreme corruption at the highest levels of [Brazilian President] Bolsonaro's administration and an existential threat to investigative journalism in Brazil,” he wrote.

Last year, President Bolsonaro commented in public that he thought Mr Greenwald could face legal repercussions in Brazil over his reporting activities.

Categories: Politics, Brazil.

Tags: Brazil, Glenn Greenwald, The intercept.

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Think
If you bully me sock puppet... i bully you..., Shicuréo...

Pay no attention to that highly misinformed Shilean Shicuréo..., a self declared sailorman of a Spanish-made four masted barkentine with an ugly carrion eating chicken at the bowsprit..., that still smells of dead communists blood, urine and faeces...
Compare that with our Argentina-made three masted Windjammer beauty..., prided by voluptuous “Ursula”...
https://live.staticflickr.com/8758/16841383487_d6fe06e819_b.jpg
Jan 22nd, 2020 - 05:46 pm +1
Chicureo
This is solely for the eyes of THINK's bullied sock puppet.
(Other readers are trespassing on his privacy.)

I have great affection for the esteemed ARA Libertad, and unlike some readers here, I was unhappy about the lengthy undignified impoundment of the vessel.

Mister DemonTree is mistaken about it being the sole vessel... Argentina has several floaters, including one that can roll over in the harbor like a trained dog...

And yes, yes, yes ...although my country's ship was thoroughly cleaned of the blood, the sad memory can never be completely erased...

I'm absolutely convinced the Brazilian government will afford all the legal rights to the esteemed journalist, but the toilet facilities must be very primitive. Apparently the Trump administration is not seeking any extradition of him either.

I saw the following in today's news. (It's shocking to see domestic criminals operating randomly, committing acts of violence against innocent Iranian government officials.)
https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/key-soleimani-ally-irgc-commander-shot-dead-my-masked-assassins-motorcycle
Jan 22nd, 2020 - 09:41 pm +1
Chicureo
Estimado THINK

Perhaps you're correct, but if you remember, I defended the captain and his loyal crew. ...and you refer them as parasites...

I do agree that I was indeed fortunate to have been from a family that valued education greatly. As I said before, the navy had a keen interest in seeking candidates from English language schools. The Grange was first on their list...

Which reminds me of Crosby, NASH, and Stills:

You who are on the road
Must have a code that you can live by
And so become yourself
Because the past is just a good-bye.
Teach your children well,
Their father's hell did slowly go by,
And feed them on your dreams
The one they picks, the one you'll know by.
Don't you ever ask them why, if they told you, you will cry,
So just look at them and sigh
And know they love you.
And you, of tender years,
Can't know the fears that your elders grew by,
And so please help them with your youth,
They seek the truth before they can die.
Teach your parents well,
Their children's hell will slowly go by,
And feed them on your dreams
The one they picks, the one you'll know by.
Don't you ever ask them why, if they told you, you will cry,
So just look at them and sigh and know they love you.
Jan 23rd, 2020 - 01:59 am +1

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