Ardit Ferizi's Case: Providing Material Support to ISIS
Ardit Ferizi, a citizen of Kosovo, was 20 years old when he received his prison term in the United States in September 2016 for providing material support to ISIS that had been thoroughly investigated and proven. After Ferizi became the first terrorist hacker to go to trial and be found guilty, his case received extensive media attention both in the US and abroad. (Mickolus, 2016).
The Hacking Incident: Ferizi's Actions and Motivations
When Ferizi hacked an American business and obtained personally identifiable information (PPI) for an estimated 1300 individuals, he was a Malaysian computer science student. Th3Dir3ctorY was another name for Ferizi at the time of the offense. Ferizi was a fan of online surfing, according to a portion of his argument. According to the court proceedings, Ferizi successfully and maliciously hacked an American retail company database and extracted a lot of biometric data, emails, passwords, social media accounts, and physical addresses of several people. Most of the victims were military and other government personnel. After acquiring the names, Ferizi handed over the information to the ISIS recruiter, Junaid Hussain, who converted it to a "kill list" (Andrew, 2016).
The Legal Proceedings and Sentencing
The company raised alarm after Junaid Hussain broadcasted a threatening message of an impending attack on the persons in the kill list. The US issued a warrant for arrest and requested the Malaysian authorities extradite Ferizi to the US. Ferizi was taken to the US and taken to court over accessing private information and passing it over to the terrorist group, ISIS. U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema assessed all the provided evidence and Ferizi's confession and sentenced him to 20 years in prison. A critical review of the case portrays Ferizi as having planned to undertake the hacking and specifically targeted government personnel and military officers.
Ferizi's Motivations: Association with ISIS and Cybersecurity Vulnerabilities
Ferizi confessed to having developed an interest in associating with ISIS after he learned of his country's media announcing he had joined the terrorist group. He alleged that he was deeply absorbed in the internet and was disappointed that he was falsely accused of working for ISIS. The case of Ferizi also showed the vulnerability of Americans to cybercrime. The threat of a terrorist attack looked easy after Ferizi successfully hacked a secured computer and extracted such sensitive information.
Ferizi's Plea and the Judge's Sentencing
In his plea, Ferizi pointed out that he had used drugs and was turned off by his country's accusations. Besides, Ferizi claimed that American diplomats could not help defend him against his alleged association with ISIS. It was therefore evident that Ferizi sought refuge in ISIS out of frustration and revenge. Ferizi gave an incoherent defense that exposed his predetermined plan to hack and submit such information to ISIS (Stephen 2016). He offered material support to ISIS and violated the privacy of a company and his victims. The ruling served to set an example that America is serious about cybercrime. Besides, Ferizi showed exceptional computer knowledge to bypass the cybersecurity of the company.
Reflection and Conclusion
Ferizi seems to have regretted his position as he recalled how the US intervened in the Kosovo war and saved his country. However, the enormity of his crime and the threat of ISIS attack on the victims in the kill list compelled the judge to pass a sentence of 20 years in prison. Ferizi was a case study of American efforts towards mitigating cybercrime, terrorism, and radicalization, which is a global problem.
References
Andrew Blake (2016).Islamic State hacker sentenced for assisting terrorist group with 'kill list'. The Washington Times. Saturday, September 24, 2016
Retrieved on 15 March 2017 from: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/sep/24/ardit-ferizi-hacker-who-aided-islamic-state-senten/
Stephen Schwartz (2016). U.S. Sentences Kosovar Albanian ISIS Hacker Ardit Ferizi to 20 Years in Prison. Weekly Standard. 10:03 AM, Sep 27, 2016
Retrieved on 15 March 2017 from: http://www.weeklystandard.com/u.s.-sentences-kosovar-albanian-isis-hacker-ardit-ferizi-to-20-years-in-prison/article/2004563
Mickolus, E. F. (2016). Terrorism, 2013-2015: A worldwide chronology.
