Hamza Bendelladj, A Hero Or A Cyber Criminal?

An Algerian, Hamza Bendelladj whose computer skill broke the Internet and caused cyber war gave, but his means was questioned, he was arrested and prosecuted. Hamza who graduated as a computer scientist was known to be the co creator of the spy eye trojan which was used to break into more than 200 banks, including the United States banks, stealing millions of dollars from the coffers of the banks.

The 27 year old from Tizi Ouzou was said to have donated the stolen money to charities in Palestine, but he was nabbed after different investigations. Following his arrest by the authorities in Thailand after he failed to strike a deal with the government on how he did his hacking, Hamza stated that "money and power are nothing if they are not used to build a better world". He loves charity, but how legal did he acquire his means of donation?

How rewarding is giving? Giving can be in form of donation to charity, and gifting. It is also a means to benefit from the giver and a way of imparting. So many times have we seen some organisations, groups or individuals extend their hands to orphans and less privilege without the expectation of getting back what they gave.  On birthdays, wedding ceremony, special occasions, gifts are given to celebrants, and so a way of giving.

Hamza has a good heart, but he would have thought that the monies being stolen do not only belong to the government, but also to some average citizens, and to some less privilege. He never thought on the other hand that the poor bankers working hard to make ends meet for themselves were at risk of losing their jobs because most of them must have been held accountable for the shortage recorded over the period it lasted.

Hamza was dubbed the "Happy Hacker" because he was happy with what he was engaged in. Though some activists fought on his behalf, but law must take its due course. What you give doesn't matter,  but the intention does. Bendelladj in his little way would have done better without stealing from banks to donate to charities. He thought he was doing the right thing, but some innocent people were affected along the line which made the law to go against him. 

In giving there is a reward,  and in giving through a right means,  a greater reward. Hamza was not left alone in the struggle, so many activists and his beneficiaries stood by him during his trial of prosecution, saying that sentencing him to death would not have been the penalty for his offence.

My take, John F. Kennedy donated all of his salary to  charity when he was a congressman and the president of united states of America, i now thought that what if he had solicited for funds from parastatals like the way charity organisations do today to further his quest of giving,  it would have saved him a whole lot. If he saw it from the other perspective, he would have channeled his energy to making his impact in the cyber world to get money,  than cyber stealing which made him a hero to his beneficiaries and a criminal under the law. The question is, 'Hamza Bendelladj, a criminal or a hero?"