Kane Gamble, 18, hacked into John Brennan's emails, rang his home and took control of his wife's iPad, a court heard A BRIT teen hacker posed as a CIA boss to access secret military files – and sent lewd rape threats to a Homeland Security chief, a court has heard.
Kane Gamble, 18, hacked into intelligence head John Brennan's email account, made hoax calls to his family home and even took control of his wife's iPad, judges were told.
Kane Gamble, 18, has pleaded guilty to a string of chargesPA:PRESS ASSOCIATION 3 Kane Gamble, 18, has pleaded guilty to a string of charges The hacks were carried out as part of a campaign of harassment against top US officials motivated by his political views, a court heard.
Gamble was just 15 when he posed as a telecoms worker and Brennan himself to gain information including passwords, contacts lists and sensitive documents about operations in Afghanistan and Iraq.
He then taunted the CIA on Twitter about his successes as a leading member of a collective called “Crackas With Attitude”, which supported the Free Palestine movement.
Prosecutor John Lloyd-Jones QC told the Old Bailey Gamble started the group.
Gamble arrives at the Old Bailey in London, where he will be sentencedPA:PRESS ASSOCIATION 3 Gamble arrives at the Old Bailey in London, where he will be sentenced Gamble told a journalist: “It all started by me getting more and more annoyed at how corrupt and cold-blooded the US Government is so I decided to do something about it.”
The court heard Gamble “felt particularly strongly” about US-backed Israeli violence against Palestinians, the shooting of black people by US police, racist violence by the KKK and the bombing of civilians in Iraq and Syria.
After Brennan, Gamble went on to carry out a series of similar attacks on other top security figures from his bedroom in Leics.
His victims included the secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson, to whom he sent a photo of his daughter and said he would “f*** her”, the court heard.
Gamble was 17 when he was arrested at his council home near LeicesterBPM MEDIA 3 Gamble was 17 when he was arrested at his council home near Leicester He also targeted the ex-deputy director of the FBI Mark Giuliano and James Clapper, director of national intelligence under Obama, as well as their families.
He boasted about carrying out “the best breach ever” after accessing an FBI database to get the names of 1,000 staff and details of the officer responsible for the notorious shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri.
The information Gamble gathered was later used to carry out a “swatting” attack on John Holdren, a science and technology adviser to US President Barack Obama, resulting in armed officers being sent to Mr Holdren's family home.
A similar prank carried out by another hoaxer in the US resulted in the victim being shot dead by gun cops who raided his house.
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FEELING LUCKY? Winning Lotto numbers for Saturday January 20 2018 £17.1million jackpot Gamble was arrested in February 2016 at his council home in Coalville, near Leicester, at the request of the FBI after he hacked into the Department of Justice network.
The teen, who claims he did not realise the seriousness of what he was doing because of his autism, will be sentenced at a later date.
Gamble was allowed to sit next to his mother behind his barrister rather than the dock when he appeared at the Old Bailey.
The teen, of Coalville, Leicester, admitted eight counts of performing a function with intent to secure unauthorised access and two counts of unauthorised modification of computer material. The hearing continues.