A man living in Albania has been indicted by a federal jury in the United States for allegedly disrupting Fresno City Council meetings held online during 2020.
These disruptions, known as “Zoom-bombing,” involved using the video conferencing platform Zoom to make racist and offensive comments during the meetings as per to the sources sjvsun
The man, identified as Mohammad Amr Alhashemi, is accused of working with several young people across the United States.
According to the indictment, Alhashemi coordinated these online attacks through the dark web, a hidden part of the internet often used for illegal activities.
The indictment details three charges against Alhashemi:
- Conspiracy to engage in anonymous telecommunications harassment: This charge accuses Alhashemi of planning with others to use communication methods that hide their identity to harass people.
- Conspiracy to engage in repeated harassing communication: This charge alleges that Alhashemi conspired with others to repeatedly send messages meant to annoy or upset people.
- Conspiracy to transmit threatening communications: This charge claims that Alhashemi and others planned to send messages that could be understood as threats.
Impact of the Disruptions
Councilman Miguel Arias, who served as president of the council in 2020, released a statement after learning about the indictment.
He highlighted the importance of public access to council meetings, especially during the pandemic when in-person attendance wasn’t possible. These disruptions likely aimed to prevent the public from participating in and observing the democratic process.
Related Articles:
Unthinkable Evil: Parents Target Toddler in Horrific Abuse Attempt
Texas Rodeo Drama “Ride” Explores Family, Crime, and Healthcare Woes
Bakersfield Crime Drops: CHP Crackdown Nets Big Results
What Happens Next?
Since Alhashemi is not currently living in the United States, it’s unclear how the legal proceedings will unfold. The U.S. Department of Justice may need to work with Albanian authorities to bring him to trial.
The indictment explains that these disruptions happened at a time when the COVID-19 pandemic forced council meetings to be held online, preventing the public from attending in person. This online format made the meetings more vulnerable to such attacks.