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Caribbean-Latin America
US expels Venezuela consul general over cyber attack plot allegations
2012-01-09
The United States has ordered a Venezuelan diplomat based in Miami to leave the country, accusing her of discussing possible cyber-attacks on American soil.

According to The BBC, Venezuela's consul general, Livia Acosta Noguera, allegedly discussed cyber-attacks on the US while based at the Venezuelan embassy in Mexico in 2008.

Four US members of Congress had written to the Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in December raising concerns about the diplomat.

The letter said that according to a documentary broadcast on the Spanish-language network Univision last month, Acosta Noguera had discussed attacking the US government's computer systems by diplomats from the Iranian and Cuban embassies and students posing as extremists, while she was vice secretary at Caracas's embassy in Mexico.
It sounds like a singularly muddled plan. Why would students pose as extremists while diplomats hack the system? Surely that's a misuse of the talents of all parties involved, including the PNG-ed lady playing at party planner.
The congressmen asked the State Department to investigate the claims, and if it found them to be true, "declare her a persona non grata and require her immediate departure from the United States".

Meanwhile, the State Department did not comment on the reason for the expulsion.
Didn't want to tip off the Obamanure administration?
Posted by:gorb

#2  from the Daily Mail:

Citing audio and video obtained by the students at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, Univision said Acosta was seeking information about the servers of nuclear power plants in the U.S.

After the documentary aired, the State Department said the allegations were 'very disturbing' and officials said the FBI had opened an investigation into the matter.

One group of Venezuelans in Miami told CNN on Sunday that they supported the U.S. government's move.

'The consul of Venezuela in Miami had not only conspired with Iranian officials to attack the security of the United States, but also had converted the Venezuelan Consulate in Miami into a spy centre to monitor the activities of Venezuelan activists especially in South Florida, with the intention of neutralizing us,' said a statement from the group, which included several organisations of Venezuelan exiles.
Posted by: lotp   2012-01-09 09:05  

#1  Why would students pose as extremists while diplomats hack the system?

Translating the usual AyPee first-to-press hack job (and there won't a follow-up), likely it meant the students/extremists would perform the technical work, while the diplomats provided guidance.
Posted by: Pappy   2012-01-09 09:04  

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