

US nabs alleged Russian hacker – and Kremlin cries foul - cmsefton
http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Security-Watch/Backchannels/2014/0708/US-nabs-alleged-Russian-hacker-and-Kremlin-cries-foul-video

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bpodgursky
I think a lot of people here are making too much out of the fact that there's
no extradition treaty with the Maldives. An extradition treaty would simply
mean that they were more or less obligated to extradite the hacker if the US
requested (and vice-versa for the US).

But the Maldives are a sovereign nation--if they are OK with the US taking him
into custody, their government is free to let that happen, treaty or not. The
only thing which would indicate wrongdoing is if the Maldives filed a protest
against the US for the abduction (suggesting it wasn't complicit).

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Yunk
> if they are OK with the US taking him into custody, their government is free
> to let that happen, treaty or not.

If who is OK with what? The Maldives is a republic and has to follow its laws
and process to consider arresting someone on a foreign nations behalf and then
consider the extradition.

Republics with executive branches that don't consistently enforce their
mandates need to be punished by the world community before a mafia of
rampantly criminal executive branches emerges and undermines all democratic
republics. Oh wait.

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conistonwater
Why on Earth is Russia upset about a credit card fraudster getting nicked? And
"kidnapping", no less.

Surely this is a good thing for everyone? At worst it's neutral, if you
believe in a competitive free market among thieves.

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pjc50
He's alleging that he was kidnapped in the Maldives and moved to Guam, which
is US territory, so he could be arrested. This is itself illegal; you can't
fight crime with more crime.

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Fuxy
Well FBI agents like to show up uninvited in different countries so this is
the next logical step.

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trhway
i like how tough my old country fights for the rights of its own people...
well, may be not of all people, just some of them :)

Anyway, not defending the guy in any manner, just wondering, what if hacking
CCs weren't a crime in Russia (or whatever other wild 3rd world country), or
if it were just say a minor infraction there, like a traffic ticket whereis in
US it would be a capital offense - would it be normal to catch these people,
bring into US and execute them? Should US bring half of Nigeria population
into US? (does it sound like i'm making the case for the Unified World
Government ? :)

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knodi123
> what if hacking CCs weren't a crime in Russia (or whatever other wild 3rd
> world country), or if it were just say a minor infraction there

The crime that really pissed off the US wasn't "hacking CCs", but "hacking CCs
owned by american banks". If he had been robbing russian banks from russia,
then likely we would never have cared.

> would it be normal to catch these people, bring into US and execute them

There is no need to turn this hypothetical into a parody. Nobody is talking
about execution. But people who commit crimes against americans (or
_especially_ against american corporations) probably already fear the US legal
system. That's why you won't see a lot of colombian drug lords travelling to
the US.

And as the article points out, this isn't even the first time we've done this
to a russian citizen. It's almost routine.

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walshemj
If he was robbing Russian banks he would have fallen down stairs in his
apartment block before now.

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jdong
Although this isn't the kind of business that particularly deserves defending,
but if US in fact did snatch and grab this guy from the Maldives (Who seem to
have no extradition treaty with the US) their actions are far worse than
robbing a few credit card companies.

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Grue3
Considering Russia just recently snached an Ukrainian soldier Nadezhda
Savchenko from Ukraine (who had previously been taken hostage by Donbass
separatists), they really have no higher ground to stand on.

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dublinben
Two wrongs don't make a right. This is Kindergarten level stuff.

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jessaustin
If Russia have anyone to complain to, then surely it's the Maldives? I doubt
the USA went to the trouble of kidnapping the dude without the (cheaply
acquired) cooperation of the local police. The USA made no secret of the fact
this guy was wanted and would be arrested if possible. I doubt the Maldives
will care too much that in future they'll miss out on the Russian-hacker-
thief-vacation market.

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mkohlmyr
I would argue maybe the USA shouldn't be "cheaply acquiring" the cooperation
of local police. Local police is meant to uphold local laws. The second you
pay them to do otherwise in their official capacity both parties are
committing if not a crime directly then at least an ethical violation,
possibly a violation of sovereignty (given its a state actor putting it in
motion). Just being the money doesn't mean you aren't doing something wrong.

Unless the Maldives government was involved to a higher degree than individual
officials who may have been paid off then the USA is most certainly who Russia
should be directing their complaints at.

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jessaustin
Bribes to individual police might be "cheap", but so might some minor trade
concessions to a tiny nation that exports very little, in absolute terms, to
the USA. Alternatively, perhaps the USA embassy can issue a few dozen more
student visas than they were planning on. Is diplomacy illegal too?

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higherpurpose
Is US trying to get every country out there to despise it - on _purpose_?
Because it kind of looks that way. Some suggest they did this to trade him for
Snowden. I hope Putin doesn't give in. Also look what US is doing - it's
making people _root for Putin_. And I really don't like Putin.

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elliptic
What did they do that you know was illegal?

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mark_l_watson
I think the parent poster was referring to kidnapping someone and taking them
to another country with no due process where the kidnapping occurred. Probably
against international law/treaties? I have mixed feelings about this: really
bad re: the kidnapping, but glad to see a credit card scammer get busted.

~~~
elliptic
Do you know he was kidnapped illegally? Or is that alleged?

