Forbes reported that the former officer who was interrogated by Cyprus police is Colonel Tal Dilian, a former commander of the Military Intelligence Directorate's Technology Unit.
On Saturday, Cypriot police said they had seized an alleged "spy van" equipped with sophisticated surveillance equipment capable of hacking communications and questioned its Israeli owner.
According to the report, the vehicle allows users to hack any phone and listen to conversations, as well as intercept WhatsApp conversations, Facebook chats, phone conversations, and access any content on cellular devices.
Police said they were investigating possible violations of the protection of privacy law.
In a previous interview, Forbes quoted Dilian as bragging that "there’s tech that can recognize your face wherever you travel, listen in on your calls, and locate all the phones in an entire country within minutes."