Apple, Proton, and Wire’s encrypted services aided Spanish police in identifying activist

Spanish police have made a breakthrough in their investigation into the pro-independence movement in Catalonia, thanks to information obtained from encrypted services Wire and Proton. According to court documents obtained by TechCrunch, the authorities were able to identify a pseudonymous activist involved in the movement.

The Spanish police Guardia Civil sent legal requests through Swiss police to Wire and Proton earlier this year, requesting identifying information related to accounts on the platforms. Wire provided the email address used to register the account, which led to the discovery of a Protonmail address. Proton, in turn, provided a recovery email linked to an iCloud account.

The investigation, which cited “organised crime” and “terrorism,” aimed to uncover the perpetrators of street riots in Catalonia in 2019. With the information obtained, the Guardia Civil then requested details from Apple, resulting in the disclosure of a full name, two home addresses, and a linked Gmail account.

The activist, known as Xuxu Rondinaire, was allegedly involved in planning actions or demonstrations during a visit by King Felipe VI to the region in 2020. Xuxu Rondinaire’s chats on Wire revealed detailed discussions about security protocols related to the King, according to court documents.

While Xuxu Rondinaire’s identity remains unclear, Spanish authorities believe the activist may be an officer of the Catalan police Mossos d’Esquadra. Despite attempts to contact Xuxu Rondinaire through various channels, including email and phone, no response was received.

The case highlights the complex interplay between privacy, encryption, and law enforcement in the digital age, as authorities seek to balance security concerns with individual rights to privacy.