The main question is just how Mueller came by the twelve names. Do Russian hackers leave their names and addresses on whatever computer they break into?
“The main question is just how Mueller came by the twelve names.”
The US spends billion$ annually on “intelligence” and “counterintelligence”. One part of that is almost certainly to keep a working model of who does what in Russian intel, based on open source info, informers and double agents, electronic intercepts, etc., plus truth and lies from “friendly” intel services. No doubt the DoJ’s National Security Division keeps a list of likely Russian intelligence officers by type of activity. Dollars to donuts, that is the source, not independent investigation. The indictment is likely based on such reasoning:
1) CrowdStrike says Russians maybe did the hacking, because they “found” the “signatures” of CozyBear and FancyBear. CS previously alleged that they discovered these signatures and believed they were Russian military intel hackers behind intrusion into Ukrainian howitzer fire-control systems leading to 80%+ losses. That claim is now mostly debunked, and the whole construct is highly suspect).
2) We have a nice working list of Russian intel officers who might labor in the electronic dirty tricks field. (Many of these names probably come from Ukrainian intel sources).
3) Assume Russians did it. Use list of Russian names we think do such things. Viola, indict-em Bob-O.
Would a Summit, Alabama Night Court Magistrate dismiss this case as a joke? Well, yes. That’s why it’s headed back to the counterintelligence vault whence it came.