Cyberattack Ties Revealed: Sudanese Brothers Indicted for Israeli Warning System Breach

An indictment unsealed in California accuses Ahmed and Alaa Omer of orchestrating cyberattacks that compromised Israeli warning systems during a fatal Hamas attack in October 2023, leading to significant casualties and disruption of services.

In the early hours of October 7, 2023, as Hamas breached the Israeli border, a separate and disturbing digital assault was launched from afar. Ahmed Omer, a young Sudanese man with computer skills, executed a cyberattack targeting Israeli early warning systems intended to alert citizens to imminent dangers. This disruption prevented crucial warnings from reaching the public as Hamas carried out its deadly offensive, which resulted in the loss of approximately 1,200 lives and the abduction of more than 200 individuals.

The case against *Mr. Omer and his brother, Alaa Omer,* was revealed with an indictment unsealed this week by the U.S. Department of Justice in California. The brothers are part of a cyber group referred to as *Anonymous Sudan*, which is alleged to have perpetrated up to 35,000 cyber-attacks, primarily distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks, during its year of operations.

U.S. Attorney E. Martin Estrada labeled the group as the "most dangerous" in the world concerning DDoS attacks, outlining its extensive impact, including assaults on various government entities such as the F.B.I. and the Justice Department, and major news organizations including *CNN* and *The Washington Post*. Their cyber onslaught extended beyond the U.S. to countries like Denmark, France, and Sweden, marking the international implications of their actions.

Notably, in February, the Omer brothers reportedly targeted Cedars-Sinai hospital in Los Angeles, temporarily shuttering critical computer systems and requiring emergency services to redirect patients, a move they claimed was retaliation for Israel’s bombing of Gaza hospitals.

Currently, both brothers are in custody in an undisclosed location, with U.S. authorities pressing forward with charges due to the operational impact on American entities, thereby asserting jurisdiction over their case.