'ISIS hackers' threats against U.S. military wives actually came from Russian trolls

NBC "News" ^ | May 8, 2018 | by AP

[Oldeconomybuyer]

PARIS — Army wife Angela Ricketts was soaking in a bubble bath in her Colorado home, leafing through a memoir, when a message appeared on her iPhone from hackers threatening to slaughter her family.

"Dear Angela!" the Facebook message read. "Bloody Valentine's Day!"

"We know everything about you, your husband and your children," the message continued, claiming that the hackers operating under the flag of Islamic State militants had penetrated her computer and her phone. "We're much closer than you can even imagine."

Ricketts was one of five military wives who received death threats from the self-styled CyberCaliphate on the morning of Feb. 10, 2015. The warnings led to days of anguished media coverage of Islamic State militants' online reach.

Except it wasn't ISIS.

The Associated Press has found evidence that the women were targeted not by jihadists but by the same Russian hacking group that intervened in the American election and exposed the emails of Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign chairman, John Podesta.

[Oldeconomybuyer]

Podesta (like an idiot) clicked on a phishing link in one of his Gmail emails. And as I recall, his Gmail password was "password".

The Russian hacking group didn't "intervene in an American election", they fished around and found an idiot.

[Lurkinanloomin]

At this point, I would believe it as likely to be the FBI behind it as Russians.

[Sacajaweau]

Another good reason not to be on facebook.

Convince me that this is REAL news.

[Democrats hate too much]

This is bull

[wmileo]

"At this point, I would believe it as likely to be the FBI behind it as Russians."

I am no longer sorry to say that I agree.

[mac_truck]

Ever since Eric Snowden exposed their insidious hacking tools and fled to Moscow, the intelligence community and their allies have been on a jihad against the Russians.

[Grampa Dave]

Convince me us, that this is REAL news.

[Grampa Dave]

Great response. We have to ask why?

Ever since Eric Snowden exposed their insidious hacking tools and fled to Moscow, the intelligence community and their allies have been on a jihad against the Russians.

[Seruzawa]

Or the CIA which can leave Russian footprints.

[Magnum44]

This is fake news absurd. What possible motivation would Russian hackers have to threaten the families of US servicemen? What would they possibly have to gain? And on facebook of all places? This is just someone trying to plant credibility to the fake story of:

[BeadCounter]

What scum, just like those pushing the BS propaganda for Russia, a country rated 138 of 180 for press freedom.

[BeadCounter]

Russia is ranked 138nd out of 180 countries for freedom of the press, sure as hell as no reason to believe anything that comes from them.

[BeadCounter]

Russia, little press freedom, not a free country and despite all of the US mistakes, I’d still go with our country’s press over the usual kremlin apologists.