Iraqi government says it thwarted cyber plot to rig elections
Iraqi authorities succeeded in uncovering plans by cyber hackers to rig the elections, which may end up persuading Iraqi voters to cast their ballots in October.
BAGHDAD — Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi revealed on Sept. 1 details of an operation to thwart a major plan by cyber groups associated with political and parliamentary parties to rig the Oct. 10 early elections.
The prime minister’s office said in a statement: “Under the judiciary’s direct supervision, our security services carried out a proactive operation that managed to thwart an attempt to rig the elections by putting pressure on employees in the Electoral Commission, so as to create chaos.”
“Following a thorough cyber investigation by the investigative agencies, under the judiciary’s direct supervision, the security services arrested a number of suspects as part of a group seeking to rig the elections by investing their ties with employees at the Electoral Commission so as to create cyber and political chaos in Iraq. That is through a network of websites, including the Green Lady site, whose administrators used various means to suggest that the site is linked to the prime minister’s office, its employees or advisers,” it added.
The statement further explained, “Unfortunately, some media outlets, specifically those affiliated with some political forces, reiterated these false slanders without verifying the information. The unprofessional and unjust reporting is a flagrant violation of the law and principles of the profession.”
