Security fears as British officials’ phones ‘hacked’ during Chagos Island handover talks _ Hieuuk
A swathe of private phone calls were published to a local Mauritian Facebook page.
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Facebook has been forced to intervene and delete multiple leaked phone conversations held by British officials amid the recent negotiations over the Chagos Islands.
Leaked phone recordings were uploaded to a Mauritian Facebook page called “Missie Moustass”, including conversations between the UK’s High Commissioner Charlotte Pierre.
The revelations have now sparked fears about phone hacking around the time the talks about the future ownership of the island began.
The security concerns will be heightened given the Chagos’ site as a joint UK-US air base on Diego Garcia.
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Handover talks on the island may have been subjected to phone tapping (Image: Wikipedia)
A number of complaints have now been submitted to the Mauritius police from the High Commission, with neither phone-tapping nor AI voice manipulation ruled out.
An investigative journalist in Mauritius told The Independent that while Facebook has taken action, some of the leaks remain available on TikTok.
Deputy chief editor of the Mauritius paper L’Express said: “Notably, the leaks also involve a diplomat from the British High Commission in Maur itius.”
As many as five journalists are also believed to have been tapped as well.
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Outgoing Mauritius PM Pravind Jugnauth has dismissed allegations of phone tapping (Image: Getty)
Outgoing Mauritian PM Pravind Jugnauth denied that his government was behind the recordings at a recent rally, describing them as “fabricated conspiracies and falsehoods”.
Mr Jugnauth argued that AI had been used to “manipulate voices and create fake conversations”.
However this has been rejected by investigative journalist Marvin Beetun, who insisted that a leaked conversation featuring him was genuine.
He told the Independent: “My conversation which was leaked yesterday reflects the truth, it’s not fabricated by AI. It was a conversation which dates back to 9 August 2022.”
It is understood that the British Foreign Office is unable to provide further comment on the claims due to it now being subject to a police investigation in Mauritius.
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Former Mauritian leader of the opposition Shakeel Mohamed said he had also been a victim of the phone tapping, describing how he came across several of his conversations on Facebook and TikTok.
He insisted: “They were actual conversations that took place”.
“For one thing, AI replication in Creole, using that as a defence is preposterous. That technology doesn’t exist in Creole – it doesn’t exist with such precision.
“And I can confirm it is my voice, I recall that conversation. There are other conversations with judges and politicians in Mauritius. People I know, they have confirmed to me they were real.
“I am shocked and I am embarrassed as far as our reputation is concerned. This is not Mauritius.”
