WANA (Jun 26) – Montenegrin police have announced the arrest of an Iranian national at the request of the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), accusing him of carrying out a series of large-scale cyberattacks targeting American institutions and infrastructure.

 

According to a statement from Montenegro’s police, the 39-year-old suspect, who holds dual Iranian and Turkish citizenship, was arrested in the Adriatic coastal town of Kotor as part of a joint operation with the FBI.

 

According to Reuters, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York has charged the suspect with conspiracy to commit computer fraud, unauthorized computer intrusion, and identity theft.

 

In its statement, Montenegrin police alleged that since 2013, the suspect had orchestrated extensive cyberattacks against more than 150 universities across the United States, causing an estimated $3.4 billion in damages to the targeted infrastructure.

 

Authorities also said the case has been referred to a judge at the High Court in Podgorica, Montenegro’s capital, where extradition proceedings requested by the United States will now move forward.