Anonymous Targets Saudi Government in Bid to Save Teenage Boy From Execution

Strategic Insights -

Anonymous, a collective of hacker activists, has launched a cyber attack on the Saudi Arabian government in a bid to stop the execution of a teenage boy named Ali Mohammed al-Nimr. Al-Nimr was arrested at the age of 17 for taking part in an anti-government protest and has been sentenced to death by crucifixion. Critics claim that al-Nimr is innocent and was punished because of his uncle's prominent human rights activism.

Key Takeaways:

  • Ali Mohammed al-Nimr, a 17-year-old boy, was arrested in 2012 for taking part in an anti-government protest and sentenced to death by crucifixion.
  • Al-Nimr was allegedly tortured, denied access to a lawyer, and forced to sign a confession without knowledge of the case.
  • The execution was approved by 13 judges, and only King Salman has the power to approve it.
  • Anonymous launched a cyber attack on Saudi government websites, including the Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Civil Service, and Saudi Airlines, on September 26.
  • The activists demanded the release of al-Nimr or they would continue to attack the government.
  • The attack is not only about al-Nimr but also about the numerous innocent people who have been sentenced to prison or death due to the Saudi Arabian government's rules.

Statistics:

  • 13 judges have approved the death sentence of Ali Mohammed al-Nimr.
  • 1 teenage boy, Ali Mohammed al-Nimr, has been sentenced to death by crucifixion.
  • Multiple government websites were knocked offline, including:

+ Ministry of Justice (www.saudinf.com)

+ Ministry of Civil Service (www.mcs.gov.sa)

+ General Administration of Education (tabukedu.gov.sa)

+ PSATRI, Saudi Arabia's technological center for its military and security sectors (psatri.ksu.edu.sa)

+ Saudi Airlines (saudiairlines.com)

Sources:

  • "Teenager sentenced to death by crucifixion for taking part in anti-government protests in Saudi Arabia" (read more: [BBC News](https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-41351383))
  • "Anonymous attacks Saudi Government" (Twitter, [hashtags #OpNimr](https://twitter.com/hashtag/OpNimr))
  • Full list of targeted websites published on Pastebin.
  • Open letter from Anonymous to King Salman and the Saudi Arabian government.