Merrick Garland to announce ‘significant national security cases’

The Justice Department on Monday will unveil “significant national security cases” regarding “malign influence schemes and alleged criminal activity by a nation-state actor” in the United States, according to a statement by the department.

Attorney General Merrick Garland was scheduled to hold a press conference announcing more details at 1:30 p.m.

“Nation-state actors” typically refer to highly skilled cyber hackers working on behalf of a foreign adversary and aim for high-profile targets such as the military, government infrastructure, or large-scale disinformation or propaganda campaigns.

It was not immediately clear to which nation-state the Justice Department announcement was referring. However, the DOJ has announced charges in two cases involving members of the Russian government in recent months.

In July, prosecutors accused Aleksandr Viktorovich Ionov of recruiting political groups in Florida, Georgia and California and directing them to spread pro-Moscow talking points with the backing of the Kremlin.

Ionov also allegedly paid for members of the groups to attend government-funded conferences in Russia, as well as a protest in the US against social media efforts to suppress online support for Moscow’s Ukraine invasion.

Garland’s announcement comes 15 days before the Nov. 8 midterm elections.

This is a developing story.