The Justice Department charged two computer hackers who are accused of targeting hundreds of websites worldwide to deface them with pro-Iranian messaging, in part as retaliation for the U.S. airstrike that killed Iranian Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani in January.
Behzad Mohammadzadeh, a 19-year-old Iranian national who goes by “Mrb3hz4d” online, and Marwan Abusrour, a 25-years-old stateless national of the Palestinian Authority who uses “Mrwn007” as his name online, were charged on Tuesday with one count of conspiring to commit intentional damage to a protected computer, which could result in up to five years in prison, and another count of intentionally damaging a protected computer, which could result in as many as 10 years behind bars. The two allegedly did so “as retaliation” for the U.S. killing of Soleimani, the leader of the terrorist-designated Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps who is believed to be responsible for the deaths of hundreds of U.S. soldiers in Iraq. The duo are wanted and remain overseas.
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