PSNI urged to explain £5.5m Israeli firm contract amid link to surveillance software

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) has been urged to explain a £5.5m contract with an Israeli firm, raising concerns over its potential link to surveillance software. The contract, which began in November 2019 and is set to conclude in November 2026, remains unnamed by the PSNI, citing potential risks to officers’ safety and the contractor’s commercial interests.

The PSNI has already acknowledged using Israeli technology known as Cellebrite, which is commonly employed to access electronic devices and extract data. This software has been confirmed in a report published last year, detailing the force’s surveillance of journalists, lawyers, and others. The use of Cellebrite was further highlighted in the McCullough Review, which was commissioned by the PSNI and published in September 2025.

The McCullough Review confirmed that Cellebrite was used to target Belfast-based journalist Barry McCaffrey. In 2024, the Investigatory Powers Tribunal (IPT) found the PSNI and Metropolitan Police acted illegally by spying on Mr. McCaffrey and his colleague Trevor Birney to identify their sources. The IPT examined allegations that they were subjected to unlawful surveillance over their 2017 film about the 1994 Loughinisland atrocity, which involved collusion.

The PSNI, MI5, and Metropolitan Police have all admitted to unlawfully spying on RTÉ’s northern editor Vincent Kearney. Details of state surveillance on Mr. Kearney and another journalist, Chris Moore, emerged as part of the McCaffrey and Birney IPT proceedings. Daniel Holder, director of the Committee on the Administration of Justice, was also a member of the McCullough Review panel.

The PSNI’s use of Cellebrite was initially met with a “Neither Confirm Nor Deny” response when questioned by the Irish News in 2025. This came after the McCullough Review was published, which detailed the extent of the force’s surveillance activities. The report raised significant concerns about the legality and transparency of the PSNI’s methods, particularly in relation to the use of foreign technology for domestic surveillance.

The issue of state surveillance and the use of foreign technology has sparked broader discussions about accountability and transparency in law enforcement. The PSNI’s refusal to disclose the name of the Israeli firm involved in the £5.5m contract has further fueled calls for greater scrutiny. The potential implications of such contracts extend beyond mere financial considerations, raising ethical and legal questions about the use of surveillance tools in domestic policing.

The use of Israeli technology in surveillance operations highlights the complex relationship between law enforcement and foreign entities. While the PSNI has acknowledged the use of Cellebrite, the broader implications of its involvement with Israeli firms remain unclear. The case of Barry McCaffrey and others underscores the need for transparency and accountability in the use of such technologies, particularly when they are linked to the surveillance of journalists and other vulnerable groups. Micah 6:8 calls for justice, mercy, and humility in our actions, reminding us of the moral responsibility that accompanies such power.

Source: Read the original report