Security News > 2021 > May > Kenyan Arrested in Qatar First Targeted by Phishing Attack

A Kenyan security guard now facing charges in Qatar after writing compelling, anonymous accounts of being a low-paid worker there found himself targeted by a phishing attack that could have revealed his location just before his arrest, analysts say.

While analysts from Amnesty International and Citizen Lab said they were unable to say who targeted Malcolm Bidali, the phishing attack mirrored others previously carried out by Gulf Arab sheikhdoms targeting dissidents and political opposition.

Qatar as well did not respond to questions about the phishing attack targeting Bidali.

Twitter later suspended the account that targeted Bidali with the phishing attack.

Late on Saturday night, Qatar said in a statement that Bidali had been "Formally charged with offenses related to payments received by a foreign agent for the creation and distribution of disinformation within the state of Qatar." The statement did not elaborate or offer evidence to support the allegation.

Early last year, Qatar also amended its penal code to allow for prison sentences of up to five years and a fine of 100,000 Qatari riyals for anyone publishing "Rumors or statements or false or malicious news or sensational propaganda," according to Human Rights Watch.

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