British officials held talks with Intellexa, a spyware company whose software was used to target journalists and later sanctioned by the US, according to court documents obtained by Metro.
Sales engineer testifies about UK meetings
During a trial in Athens, Intellexa sales engineer Panagiotis Koutsios testified that he traveled to the UK to pitch the company's 'Big Data Analytics' software to government officials. Multiple sources described this software as a component of the Predator spyware system.
Koutsios said he met only with government officials in state-owned buildings, but refused to reveal which UK department or agency he met with. The UK government declined to comment. He also testified that he did not know if the product was eventually sold.
Predator spyware scandal in Greece
A political scandal erupted in Greece in 2022 when journalist Thanasis Koukakis's phone was infected with Predator after clicking a scam link. Opposition politician Nikos Androulakis was also targeted. Both men had their phones wiretapped by Greece's EYP National Intelligence Service, leading to the resignation of the EYP chief and a close aide to the Prime Minister. The government insisted no law enforcement agency used Predator.
The spyware can infiltrate mobile phones, access messages and photos, and extract data from devices.
Intellexa sanctioned by US
Intellexa, an Athens-based Israeli company, was sanctioned by the US in March 2024 for being a 'security risk' after targeting US officials, journalists, and policy experts. In February 2026, an Athens court found founder Tal Dilian, his partner Sara Hamou, and two former Greek executives guilty of spyware-related offenses.
Koutsios described the Big Data Analytics software as a program that processes terabytes of 'photographs, videos, messages' and other data, making connections between them. He acknowledged it could include personal data and that Predator was a possible method for collecting data to be analyzed. He told lawyers: 'From the moment we spoke only with governmental organisations, we understood that what we were showing … was something sensitive.'
Concerns from campaigners
Big Brother Watch's Head of Advocacy Jack Coulson said: 'If the UK government has been considering using Intellexa technology, we should all be worried. Democracies need to stand up against spyware agencies and the government should be open with the public if it has been using this software and why.'
Amnesty International's Rebecca White said: 'If an Intellexa representative were to have met with UK government officials to try to sell their wares… this should of course raise concerns.' She added that 'highly invasive spyware' such as Predator 'cannot be human rights compliant and should therefore be banned.'
Lord David Alton, Chair of Parliament's Joint Committee on Human Rights, told Metro: 'Software targeting the phones of journalists, politicians, pro-democracy and human rights activists, forms part of a systemic and malign attempt to harvest personal data, to use Big Brother surveillance, and to subvert our democracies. The US has been right to impose sanctions on those who are behind the Predator software. The UK should carefully examine the evidence and consider doing the same.'
Expert views and UK response
Cyber security expert Professor Alan Woodward said he would be 'surprised' if Intellexa tried to sell Predator to the UK, which would 'stay well clear' of commercial spyware firms. He found it 'plausible' officials were interested in the big data analytics tools, which could be used to spot patterns from inefficiency to fraud. However, he noted the government would be cautious about using a supplier involved in spyware.
The UK is leading international efforts to stop powerful hacking tools from spreading. Britain and France launched the Pall Mall Process in February 2024 to tackle commercial cyber intrusion tools.
Intellexa and defendants' statements
Intellexa founder Tal Dilian said: 'These allegations are neither new nor supported by any credible evidence. For years, the same recycled narratives have been repeated through headlines, activist reports, and media speculation, yet no evidence has ever been presented linking me to any unlawful act. Developing and providing intelligence technologies to law enforcement agencies worldwide is a must, and contribute to the well-being of each one of your readers.'
Sara Hamou and the other defendants have denied all charges. Sanctions against Hamou were dropped by the US in 2025. All four defendants are due to appear before an appeals court in Athens on December 11.
