UAE hire US hackers to spy on human rights activists and journalists

The UAE authorities have employed former NSA hackers as spies, targeting government critics, human rights activists and journalists in the MENA region, a new report has revealed.

The Reuters’ investigation found that the Emirati spy programme had targeted a number of high-profile media figures, including Al Jazeera chairman, Hamad bin Thamer Al Thani and BBC host, Giselle Khoury.

Al-Arabi Al-Jadeed founder, Azmi Bishara, Al-Jazeera host, Faisal al-Qassem and Al-Hiwar founder, Azzam Tammi, were also among the targets.

The former US intelligence agents use a cyber tool called Karma, a software that enables hackers to break into iPhones by inputting a target’s phone number or email address.