Rade Bajić, a member of the specialised organised-crime unit that indicted senior members of President Aleksandar Vučić's regime last year, told the Guardian: "In my opinion, my involvement in this case was the sole reason for this unlawful spyware attack." In August, Bajić received a message from Apple saying it had detected a targeted mercenary attack against his iPhone. Researchers at the Citizen Lab, who have been analysing Bajić's phone, said this was a "high confidence indicator" that his device was likely targeted with mercenary spyware such as Pegasus. While the researchers have not established who was behind the attack, the Serbian regime has previously been caught using spyware against opponents.
The case stems from the Guardian's revelations that Vučić personally ordered the removal of protected status from the General Staff building, a historically sensitive monument, to allow a $500m Trump hotel and tower to be built. Vučić, who has described the project as beneficial for Serbia, confirmed details of a previously secret meeting about the project over the weekend and said he had done nothing wrong. "I fought for my people. And that's what I'll continue to do in the future," he said.
Representatives of the Trumps and Jared Kushner, who was leading the project, have denied any "pay to play" arrangement and said they were not involved in the Serbian authorities' decision to strip the building of its protected status.
Vučić, who cannot run for a third presidential term, stepped down late last month and has called snap elections for 25 October in an attempt to prolong his 12-year rule by switching from president to prime minister. The prosecutors' unit has said it may bring more charges in the case.