Italian government approved use of spyware on members of refugee NGO, MPs told

National security committee is investigating whether secret services breached law by using surveillance tool to monitor activists and journalists

The Italian government approved the use of a sophisticated surveillance tool to spy on members of a humanitarian NGO because they were allegedly deemed a possible threat to national security, MPs have heard.

Alfredo Mantovano, a cabinet undersecretary, made the admission during a classified meeting with Copasir, the parliamentary committee for national security, according to a person familiar with the situation.