The hacking of US elections: the Justice Department accuses 12 Russian intelligence officers

while announcing grand jury indictment of 12 Russian intelligence agents in the investigation in Russia of the special advocate Robert Mueller. (Photo: Reuters)

The United States Department of Justice has accused 12 Russian intelligence officers of "hacking" the Democratic National Committee, the BBC reported. Attorney General Rod Rosenstein said the 12 Russians accused of hacking the committee had used phishing e-mails and malware in their so-called cyber attacks. The investigation, which is led by Special Adviser Robert Mueller, has already indicted 20 people and three companies.

The indictment mentions that a dozen Russian intelligence agents began their cyber-attacks in March 2016 to hack the accounts of and employees involved in the presidential campaign of Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.

Rosenstein told the BBC that the defendants corresponded with several Americans during the conspiracy to manipulate the elections, but there is no direct allegation that an American citizen has engaged in criminal activity. The Deputy Prosecutor General added that the defendants worked for two units of the Russian intelligence service, the GRU.

The 12 Russian intelligence officers allegedly hacked the computer network of the Democratic Congressional Committee and the National Democratic Campaign Committee. "The defendants secretly monitored computers, implanted hundreds of files containing malicious computer code, and stole emails and other documents," he said. Rosenstein also reported that the conspirators created fictitious online identities, such as "DCLeaks" and "Guccifer 2.0"

They would have exploited these identities to release thousands of stolen emails and other documents as early as June 2016. "We know" The impact of the conspirators was to have an impact on the elections, "he told the BBC

" The impact they could have, what whatever their motivation, regardless of what is necessary to prove that offense, is a question of speculation. That's not our responsibility, "he added.

The Deputy Attorney General also said that he had informed President Donald Trump of the charges earlier this week. United, repeatedly dismissed the investigation a "witch hunt."

The investigation looks at the results of the US secret service if the Russians conspired to favor elections in Trump's victory involved in the conspiracy

(With contributions from British Broadcasting Corporation)

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