jordan pulse -

​WASHINGTON / AMMAN
​The U.S. Department of Justice announced Thursday that a federal court in the Eastern District of Virginia sentenced Syrian national Ahmad Umar Agha, 32, to 42 months in prison following his conviction for participating in cyberattacks targeting media institutions, companies, organizations, and entities affiliated with the United States and its allies on behalf of deposed Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime.
​The department clarified that Agha—known by the moniker "The Pro"—was involved for over a decade, spanning from August 24, 2011, to January 31, 2024, in hacking operations affecting approximately 47 entities aimed at "spreading propaganda for the former Syrian regime."
​According to the U.S. Department of Justice statement, the defendant belonged to the cyber hacking group known as the "Syrian Electronic Army," which was managed by individuals close to Bashar al-Assad's inner circle.
​Assistant Attorney General John Eisenberg stated that Agha harnessed his hacking skills to serve the Assad regime with the intent of suppressing coverage of the regime's atrocities, intimidating its opponents, and inciting U.S. military personnel to disobey military orders.
​Billions of Dollars in Losses
​Among the group's most prominent operations was the 2013 hack of a U.S. news agency account on Twitter (now X), publishing a false tweet claiming former U.S. President Barack Obama was injured following two explosions at the White House.
​The Department of Justice pointed out that Agha's actions triggered a sudden plunge in the U.S. stock market, leading to a temporary $136 billion loss in the value of stocks listed under the Dow Jones Industrial Average.
​It is worth noting that the indictment included another defendant named Firas Dardar, who remains at large, while a third defendant in the case, Peter Romar, was extradited to the United States and pleaded guilty in September 2016 to charges related to cyber hacking.
​Source: Rum News Agency