Vehicle-mounted surveillance devices for the National Telecommunication Monitoring Centre (NTMC) were allegedly bought from Israeli suppliers, reported the Haaretz, a left-leaning Israeli newspaper yesterday.Bangladesh and Israel do not have diplomatic ties.

Haaretz reported that the device called Spearhead system was sold by Cyprus-registered firm Passitora, but according to filings hosted by OpenCorporates, Passitora was previously "WiSpear", an Israeli startup.

Passitora is still run by former Israeli military veteran Tal Jonathan Dilion, and according to Dilion's own personal website, he "served an impressive 25 years in the Israeli Defence Force. He served in leadership positions in an elite combat unit and as chief commander of the technological unit."

Haaretz reports that the system consists of a van equipped with surveillance equipment and tracking software, which breaks into mobile phones using the cellphone network or Wi-Fi network for data "including encrypted WhatsApp messages, Facebook chats, contact lists, calls and text messages within a radius of about half a kilometer."

The report said the system can be used to inject spyware into computers and mobile phones within its range.

The newspaper reported that the van was bought for $5.7 million.

The 2021-22 procurement plan document of the NTMC shows that it was to buy a "Vehicle Mounted Data Interceptor-2", among other equipment, for Tk 191 crore.

According to the document, the procurement was to be completed by April 30, 2022.

The NTMC is under the Ministry of Home Affairs.

In addition, Tk 26 crore was kept aside for the maintenance of the said device among others during fiscal year 2021-22. Another Tk 30 crore was kept for its maintenance in fiscal year 2022-23.

NTMC's Director General Maj Gen Ziaul Ahsan was contacted over the phone, but he declined to comment on the matter.

The NTMC had first approached the cabinet committee on purchases for permission to directly buy the device in May 2019, according to media reports following a meeting in May 2019. Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal presided over that meeting.

At a cabinet committee meeting on economic affairs on June 9, 2021, the purchase of the surveillance device for Tk 65.56 crore from Swiss company Toru Group Ltd was approved. The following October, NTMC officials, including Major Gen Ahsan, went to Greece with Toru Group to be trained on the vehicle's use.

Haaretz alleged that Toru, whose CEO is Israeli citizen Assaf Elias, was an intermediary between Bangladesh and Passitora.

The report also stated that another Israel-based company Prelysis Communications and Information sold wi-fi interception system to another intelligence agency in Bangladesh.

Haaretz cited an order issued by the Prime Minister's Office in March 2019, stating that the top officials of the agency were to go to Cyprus to conduct a pre-shipment inspection.

Export records from Cyprus show that company exported a Wagtail Wifi Interception System worth $2.9 million in July 2019.