Syrian Hacker Sentenced to 3.5 Years in US Prison for Assad Regime Cyberattacks
Translated & summarized from NEWSru Israel by baba
A Syrian hacker, Ahmad Umar Agah, was sentenced to 42 months in prison by a U.S. federal court in Virginia for participating in cyberattacks on behalf of the Bashar al-Assad regime. Agah, a member of the "Syrian Electronic Army," was involved in hacking dozens of Western media outlets and organizations. A notable attack in 2013 on the Associated Press Twitter account falsely reported explosions at the White House, causing a significant stock market drop. The group also previously targeted the IDF's press service account.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Syrian hacker Ahmad Umar Agah received a 42-month prison sentence in the U.S. for cyberattacks supporting the Assad regime.
- Agah was part of the "Syrian Electronic Army" hacker group, targeting Western media and institutions.
- A 2013 AP Twitter hack falsely reported White House explosions, causing a $136 billion stock market loss.
- The "Syrian Electronic Army" previously spread false information via the IDF's press service account.
- Agah had been a fugitive for over ten years before his sentencing.
A federal court in Virginia has sentenced 32-year-old Syrian hacker Ahmad Umar Agah, known online as Th3Pr0, to 42 months in prison for his role in large-scale cyberattacks supporting the regime of Bashar al-Assad. The U.S. Department of Justice announced the sentencing. Agah was part of the "Syrian Electronic Army" hacker group, which operated under the direction of individuals close to Assad.
Investigators stated that Agah participated in hacking approximately 47 Western media outlets, companies, non-governmental organizations, and government institutions. He had been sought by authorities for over a decade. One of the most notable attacks attributed to the group occurred in April 2013 when they compromised the Twitter account of the Associated Press. The hackers posted a false report about two explosions at the White House and an injury to the U.S. president, which led to a brief collapse of the American stock market, with Dow Jones companies losing about $136 billion in value.
The "Syrian Electronic Army" had previously hacked the press service account of the IDF, spreading a false report about a radioactive material leak at the Dimona nuclear facility.
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