UK High Court finds that Dubai ruler hacked ex-wife’s phone

By DANICA KIRKA
Associated Press

LONDON (AP) — A UK court says the ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, hacked the phones of his ex-wife Princess Haya and her attorneys during the legal battle over custody of their two children. The court said Wednesday that Sheikh Mohammed, who is also vice president and prime minister of the United Arab Emirates, gave his “express or implied authority” to hack the phones of the princess and her attorneys using Pegasus spyware produced by NSO Group of Israel. The software is licensed exclusively to nation states for use by their security services. NSO has been at the center of allegations that governments are abusing surveillance technology to spy on political opponents, rights activists and journalists.