Ex-Twitter employees accused of spying for Saudi Arabia

Two former employees of Twitter have been charged in the US for spying for Saudi Arabia.

The charges, unsealed on Wednesday in San Francisco, allege that Saudi agents sought personal information about known Saudi critics and other Twitter users.

Court documents published by the Washington Post named the two as Ahmad Abouammo, a US citizen, and Ali Alzabarah, from Saudi Arabia.

A third person, Saudi citizen Ahmed Almutairi, is also accused of spying.

The charges allege Mr Almutairi acted as an intermediary between the two Twitter employees and Saudi officials.

Ahmad Abouammo appeared in a Seattle court on Wednesday and was remanded in custody pending another hearing due on Friday.

He is also charged with falsifying documents and making false statements to the FBI. Mr Abouammo is said to have left his job as a media partnership manager for Twitter in 2015.

Ali Alzabarah and Ahmed Almutairi are both believed to be in Saudi Arabia.

Mr Alzabarah, a former Twitter engineer, is accused of accessing the personal data of more than 6,000 Twitter users in 2015 after being recruited by Saudi agents.

He was confronted by his supervisors and placed on administrative leave before fleeing to Saudi Arabia with his wife and daughter, investigators said.

In a statement, Twitter said it recognized "the lengths bad actors will go to" to try to undermine its service.

It added: "We understand the incredible risks faced by many who use Twitter to share their perspectives with the world and to hold those in power acｃountable. We have tools in place to protect their privacy and their ability to do their vital work."

Saudi Arabia is a key US ally in the Middle East.

President Donald Trump has maintained close ties with the kingdom despite international condemnation following the murder of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi last year.

Mr Khashoggi was murdered during a visit to the Saudi consulate in Istanbul

 

Vocabulary

1. allege

verb

third person present:alleges, past tense:alleged, past participle:alleged, present participle:alleging

2. vital

Adjective

absolutely necessary or important; essential.

3. acｃountable

Adjective

(of a person, organization, or institution) required or expected to justify actions or decisions; responsible.

4. administrative

Adjective

relating to the running of a business, organization,

5. remanded

Verb

place (a defendant) on bail or in custody, especially when a trial is adjourned.

 

 Discussions

1. Do you have twitter? How widely is twitter used?

2. What charge is agaisnt Ahmad Abouammo and Ali Alzabarah?

3. What is the problem of Twitter when people share their political perscpetives with the world?

4. Do you think it's safe for people to freely express their feelings and opinions through twitter?