A hacker affiliated with the Syrian Electronic Army has been sentenced to more than three years in prison for his role in a hacking conspiracy that targeted nearly 50 Western organizations, the Justice Department announced this week.

Ahmad Umar Agha, who operated online under the alias “Th3Pr0,” was sentenced Thursday in federal court in Virginia to 42 months in prison. Prosecutors said Agha participated in a conspiracy organized by members of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s inner circle, including the commander of Syria’s General Intelligence. The group has carried out computer intrusions in support of Assad since at least 2011.

The AP Twitter Hoax

Agha’s most consequential attack came in 2013, when the Syrian Electronic Army hijacked the Associated Press’s Twitter account and posted a false claim that an explosion at the White House had injured President Barack Obama. The hoax tweet triggered a brief $136 billion dip in the stock market. A 2014 FBI affidavit tied Agha to the intrusion, noting that Twitter’s password reset confirmation for the AP account was sent to an email address linked to him.

In a separate incident, Agha compromised a company hosting the Marine Corps’ recruiting website and used the access to redirect visitors to propaganda urging service members to disobey orders and join the Syrian Army.

Years as a Fugitive

The U.S. first charged Agha in 2014. In 2016, the FBI placed him and fellow Syrian Electronic Army member Firas Dardar on its Cyber’s Most Wanted list, offering a $100,000 reward for information leading to their capture. Both men were indicted by a federal grand jury in 2018. Agha was taken into U.S. custody last year, though the Justice Department has not disclosed details of his arrest. Dardar remains at large.

According to the DOJ, Agha hacked roughly 47 Western media outlets, non-profit organizations, and other entities allied with the United States. Officials also said the broader conspiracy collected intelligence for Assad’s government before it was overthrown by a rebel coalition in 2024.

“Agha deployed his hacking skills in the service of Assad’s regime to silence reporting on the regime’s atrocities, intimidate its opponents, and incite U.S. servicemembers to refuse their orders,” said John Eisenberg, assistant attorney general for national security.

  • Sentence: 42 months in federal prison
  • Targets: Approximately 47 Western media, non-profit, and allied organizations
  • Notable attack: 2013 AP Twitter hijack causing a $136 billion market dip
  • Status of co-conspirator: Firas Dardar remains a fugitive