Israeli tech firm accused of targeting First Minister in election

Scotland's first minister was targeted by an Israeli firm spreading online disinformation before the Holyrood election, a French government agency has claimed.

John Swinney and the SNP were allegedly targeted in accounts linked to BlackCore – a tech company claiming to "shape narratives" who French authorities accused of trying to smear pro-Palestine election candidates.

Swinney had described the conflict in Gaza as a "man-made humanitarian catastrophe" and said a genocide by Israel may be unfolding.

The SNP went on to win the Scottish Parliament election on 7 May with 58 seats. Swinney was re-elected as first minister shortly afterwards.

The first minister described the Viginum report as "deeply concerning".

He said: "It is clear that orchestrated disinformation campaigns and foreign election interference are issues which need to be taken seriously.

"Urgent steps need to be taken to counter the threat of foreign online political interference, and ensure that our democratic processes are not undermined.

"That begins with the UK Government, which has responsibility for national security, making dealing with hostile state online interference a far higher priority."

Last month, news agency Reuters revealed that French authorities suspected BlackCore was behind an online smear campaign targeting three mayoral candidates from the hard-left France Unbowed party (LFI) in local elections.

Viginum released a detailed report on the firm, stating that it interfered in several countries with "digital interference operations".

BlackCore is linked to activity in Angola, Togo and the 2025 mayoral election in New York, won by left wing candidate Zohran Mamdani, who is also a supporter of Palestine.

Viginum chief Marc-Antoine Brillant said it was still unclear who had commissioned BlackCore to interfere in France and other countries.

He added: "Our investigations did not make it possible to identify the sponsor or sponsors, if indeed they exist, behind this foreign digital interference."

French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu said the French government had asked Israel for an explanation on BlackCore's actions, but also for help trying to find out who may have been behind the smear campaign.

He said: "I do not doubt for a single instant that if a French private group, from French soil moreover, had engaged in foreign digital interference in Israel, they would have done the same to its ambassador on site."

BlackCore described itself as an "elite influence, cyber, and technology company built for the modern era of information warfare".

It said it provided