More details are emerging about the Israeli youth suspected of phoning in hundreds of hoax bomb threats to Jewish targets in the US and around the world. In at least one case it was a way for a US student to get out of a test: hire an international hacker on the dark web to phone in a bomb threat to your school!
(AP Photo/Nir Keidar)
An 18-year-old Israeli-American hacker accused of phoning in hundreds of false bomb threats to Jewish institutions around the world essentially worked as a bomb-threatener for hire, allowing his clients to pay for his services in bitcoin, police told Channel 2 on Saturday.
According to Channel 2’s report, police suspect that in at least one case a student in the U.S. contacted Michael Ron David Kadar in order to get out of a test scheduled for that same day. The Israeli-American then phoned in a threat that saw the school evacuated.
The new revelation would partially explain the bitcoin account owned by Kadar, worth nearly two million shekels. A large bulk of this sum was also allegedly made selling fake documents on the dark web, including passports, I.D.s and visas. Police also believe Kadar sold drugs online and may have hacked businesses in return for bitcoin payments.
His defence is putting forward the idea that an illness prevented him from knowing what he was doing. But he was doing some sophisticated hacking work.
The case is also causing tension, US authorities want to extradite him:
The State Attorney’s Office in Israel told its American counterpart that although the 18-year-old computer hacker has is suspected of committing crimes in 10 countries, he will be tried in Israel, Israel’s Channel 2 first reported Sunday. The report added that the United States has not backed off its request and that Israel’s denial has not caused a rift in the relationship.
The teen from Ashkelon in southern Israel, who was arrested in Israel last month for making over 100 threats against Jewish sites in the United States, has been named in the United States. But he cannot be named in reports originating from Israel.
Israel’s State Prosecutor’s Office is expected to file a serious indictment against the teen on Monday, Channel 2 reported, including charges of extortion with threats, causing panic and money laundering.
Brian of London is not the messiah, he's a very naughty boy. Since making aliyah in 2009, Brian has blogged at Israellycool. Brian is an indigenous rights activist fighting for indigenous people who’ve returned to their ancestral homelands and built great things.
Brian of London is not the messiah, he's a very naughty boy. Since making aliyah in 2009, Brian has blogged at Israellycool. Brian is an indigenous rights activist fighting for indigenous people who’ve returned to their ancestral homelands and built great things.
