Police arrest British teenager 'suspected of hacking CIA boss's emails'

Updated

A British teenager arrested in connection with cyber-crime offences is suspected of hacking into an email account used by the head of the CIA, according to reports.

The South East Regional Organised Crime Unit (SEROCU) declined to comment on "speculation" linking the 16-year-old boy to a series of hacks against the CIA, FBI and other parts of the US government.

Reports claim the teenager - from an unnamed area of the East Midlands - is suspected of co-ordinating a series of cyber-attacks perpetrated by a group using the name "Crackas With Attitude".

The unnamed teenager is said to have had his computer and mobile phone seized following his arrest on Tuesday.

In a statement, SEROCU said: "The South East Regional Organised Crime Unit can confirm we have arrested a 16-year-old boy on Tuesday in the East Midlands on suspicion of conspiracy to commit unauthorised access to computer material."

The youth was also detained on suspicion of committing other offences under the 1990 Computer Misuse Act, including conspiracy to commit unauthorised acts with intent to impair a computer, SEROCU said.

The teenager has been bailed until June 6 pending further inquiries.

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