Bosnian Sends Costly Virus To Brown & Root

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http://ww2.pstripes.osd.mil/01/feb01/ed020701f.html

European Stars and Stripes
February 7, 2001

Hacker Sends Costly Virus To Brown & Root

By Scott Schonauer, Bosnia bureau

TUZLA, Bosnia and Herzegovina - Police have accused a Tuzla man of
e-mailing a computer virus to Brown & Root Services, causing $190,000
in damage to the U.S. military contractor's computer system.

Tuzla police have charged Admir Tinjic, 35, of sending the virus to
the company Dec. 12 using the e-mail address camp-morgan@ hotmail.com.
He sent the message with the attachment "sample.zip," according to the
initial investigation by municipal police. Camp Morgan is a U.S. base
camp in Bosnia. The virus spread though the Brown & Root computer
system, destroying the database for the company's generator, police
spokesman Alija Hasic said Tuesday.

This is believed to be the first time police have accused a Bosnian of
a computer crime.

"It's very unusual," Hasic said.

Tinjic is a former Brown & Root employee who was laid off after nearly
five years of service, police said.

The Texas-based company supports U.S. troops in overseas missions like
Bosnia and Kosovo, handling such services as dining hall operations,
building maintenance and trash pickup. Many of the workers it employs
in Bosnia and Kosovo are local residents.

Gerry Marable, a Brown & Root employee, reported the incident to Tuzla
police, the report said. Police said Tinjic is a computer expert and
allege that he sent the virus from his home computer. Police have
forwarded their report to the Tuzla Canton prosecutor's office. An
investigating judge will decide whether to try the case in court.

Unlike the United States, a judge in Bosnia heads a criminal
investigation. Another impartial judge tries it. That means this case
is still under investigation, Hasic said. Cosic Sesenam, Tuzla's chief
prosecutor, has requested a hearing that would include testimony from
the company and local computer science experts. But Sesenam said it
could be several weeks before a date is set because of a lack of
judges in the canton.

Investigators are unsure of the motive, but a Tuzla official who spoke
on the condition of anonymity said Tinjic was one of dozens of Bosnian
workers Brown & Root laid off late last year and he might have been
trying to get back at the company. Tinjic was let go by Brown & Root a
month before his fifth year, which would have brought him extra
benefits and retirement pay if he had reached it, according to the
official. Company officials in Bosnia, who normally do not speak to
reporters, could not be reached for comment.

Sesenam said it is not the duty of his office to determine the motive.

"We don't go into the motive of the act," he said. "We look at the
consciousness to do something or not to do something."

Police said they believe Tinjic knew what he was doing, but would not
give additional details. Tinjic, who denies he sent the e-mail, faces
a minimum of 15 days in jail and a maximum of three years in prison,
according to canton law.

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