France Says Israeli firm BlackCore Meddled in New York, Scotland Votes

Israeli firm BlackCore is under suspicion for influencing local elections in France in March, as well as elections in New York City and Scotland, and operations in Angola and Togo, according to France’s disinformation detection service, Viginum. Recently, it was reported that BlackCore may have orchestrated an online smear campaign against three candidates of the France Unbowed party in the French elections.

At a press conference, Viginum’s chief, Marc-Antoine Brillant, stated that investigations led to connecting BlackCore to these actions worldwide. He noted that this approach was not limited to municipal elections in France, as it also seemingly included foreign interference efforts in other regions. However, Brillant mentioned that they have not yet identified who commissioned BlackCore for these actions in France.

French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu indicated that the French government has sought explanations from Israel regarding BlackCore’s interference and assistance in identifying the figures behind the smear campaign. The Israeli embassy in Paris acknowledged the inquiry and stated it awaited more information to conduct its own investigation, emphasizing that Israel does not intend to interfere in France’s political processes.

There was no clear mention of who was targeted in the New York City elections, which were won by Zohran Mamdani, a candidate known for his pro-Palestinian stance. In Scotland, BlackCore-linked accounts were found targeting First Minister John Swinney, who condemned the situation in Gaza. There have been concerns raised about online interference in Scottish Parliament elections, urging the British government to prioritize action against hostile online activities. BlackCore, which previously promoted itself as an advanced technology company for information warfare, has not responded to multiple requests for commentswith information from Reuters