January 31, 2024 at 07:42AM
The US Treasury Department imposed sanctions on two Egyptian cybersecurity experts accused of running a platform affiliated with the Islamic State group, offering cyber training and support for evading law enforcement and using cryptocurrencies. The individuals, Mu’min Al-Mawji Mahmud Salim and Sarah Jamal Muhammad Al-Sayyid, are wanted by the FBI with rewards up to $20,000. Additionally, the sanctions targeted a Turkish national for transferring funds to ISIS affiliates in Syria. This follows recent sanctions against individuals involved in cyberattacks and money laundering linked to North Korea and Russia.
Summary of Meeting Notes:
The US Treasury Department announced sanctions against two Egyptian nationals accused of affiliation with the Islamic State group. Mu’min Al-Mawji Mahmud Salim, creator of Electronic Horizons Foundation (EHF), and Sarah Jamal Muhammad Al-Sayyid, his partner, were sanctioned for their involvement in providing cybersecurity training and support to ISIS supporters. The Treasury Department highlighted Sarah Jamal’s role in recruiting ISIS members and procuring web servers for hosting ISIS platforms. The sanctions also targeted Faruk Guzel, a Turkish national accused of transferring funds to ISIS-affiliated individuals in Syria. These actions come in the wake of previous sanctions against entities involved in cyber-related activities, such as the Russian man involved in the 2022 ransomware attack on Australian healthcare insurer Medibank, as well as sanctions against North Korean and Russian individuals and groups for their illicit cyber activities.
The FBI has added the two Egyptian nationals to their wanted list and is offering rewards of up to $20,000 for any information about their whereabouts. This represents a significant move in the global effort to combat cyber terrorism and illicit financial activities related to terrorist organizations.