The Supervisory Board of the Information System of the Portuguese Republic (CFSIRP) clarified this Tuesday that it has, on its own initiative, requested information regarding the intervention of the Information and Security Service (SIS) in the event of the recovery of the computer assigned to a former deputy government with classified information.
The Supervisory Board of SIRP clarifies in a statement that following the news made public on May 28 about the involvement of the Information and Security Service (SIS) in the recovery of a state laptop, “immediate and on its own initiative an effort was made to necessary information to fulfill its supervisory task”.
The laptop in question was attributed to Frederico Pinheiro, former assistant to minister João Galamba, who was fired following the controversy over the delivery of documents to the parliamentary committee of inquiry into TAP.
In the note released today, the SIRP Supervisory Board also informs that its activity is “classified and reserved by law”.
The Prime Minister assured in an interview with RTP3 on Monday evening that he was not aware of the involvement of the SIS in the recovery of the computer and that no one from the government instructed the intelligence services to do anything.
“The SIS was not called to intervene. There was a theft of a computer containing secret documentation, the cabinet of the minister did what it had to do, alerted the authorities and the authorities acted accordingly. I was not informed and did not have to do that. Since no one in the government instructed SIS to do this or that, SIS acted in accordance with the warning it received and within its legal powers,” said António Costa.
The Prime Minister emphasized that there was no order for the SIS, neither from S. Bento nor from any member of the government, adding that there was a behavior that seemed appropriate to him, namely “in view of a theft of a computer”, is alerted and the government takes action on the basis of this warning.
The infrastructure minister said at a press conference on Saturday that he had reported to the deputy secretary of state to the prime minister and the minister of justice over the theft of the computer by acquitted deputy Frederico Pinheiro, after being told to report to SIS and at PJ.
In the words of João Galamba, after attacking two people in his office, Frederico Pinheiro “took a computer” that was state property.
The SIRP is the government agency responsible for supporting the political decision-maker, anticipating and assessing the various threats affecting Portugal and its interests: internal and external security, independence, national interests, the integrity of the unity of the State . It integrates the Defense Strategic Information Service (SIED) and the Security Information Service (SIS).
Source: DN
