The US Department of Justice has charged three Iranian nationals for attempting to hack into the emails and computers of President Donald Trump’s campaign staff and other political connections. According to The Washington Post, Masoud Jalili, Seyyed Ali Aghamiri and Yasar Balaghi were indicted on charges filed in the US District Court for the District of Columbia, accusing them of engaging in a wide-ranging hacking campaign against US officials, political campaigns, and the media. The indictment also alleges that their activities are part of Iran’s ongoing efforts to undermine confidence in the US electoral process. The suspects, who may face charges for providing support to a terrorist organization, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft, are accused of carrying out a targeted hacking campaign in Iran for a period of four years. Victims include officials from the US State Department, the CIA, the US Ambassador to Israel, and an Iranian human rights organization. Last May, the hackers successfully accessed accounts belonging to Trump campaign officials and attempted to breach Biden campaign staff members as well. However, extradition laws make it unlikely for the hackers to face justice on US soil.
