FBI raids home of prominent computer scientist who has gone incommunicado

Indiana University quietly removes profile of tenured professor and refuses to say why.

Ars Technica

A prominent computer scientist who has spent 20 years publishing academic papers on cryptography, privacy, and cybersecurity has gone incommunicado, had his professor profile, email account, and phone number removed by his employer, Indiana University, and had his homes raided by the FBI. No one knows why. ... Fellow researchers took to social media over the weekend to register their concern over the series of events. "None of this is in any way normal," Matthew Green, a professor specializing in cryptography at Johns Hopkins University, wrote on Mastodon. He continued: "Has anyone been in contact? I hear he’s been missing for two weeks and his students can’t reach him. How does this not get noticed for two weeks???" In the same thread, Matt Blaze, a McDevitt professor of computer science and law at Georgetown University, said: "It's hard to imagine what reason there could be for the university to scrub its website as if he never worked there. And while there's a process for removing tenured faculty, it takes more than an afternoon to do it."

Searches of federal court dockets turned up no documents related to Wang, Ma, or any searches of their residences.

The FBI spokeswoman didn't answer questions seeking which US district court issued the warrant and when, and whether either Wang or Ma is being detained by authorities.

Justice Department representatives didn't return an email seeking the same information.

An email sent to a personal email address belonging to Wang went unanswered at the time this post went live. Their resident status (e.g. US citizens or green card holders) is currently unknown.

Fellow researchers took to social media over the weekend to register their concern over the series of events.

Thousands of people across Jammu and Kashmir took to the streets on Friday to observe Al-Quds Day in solidarity with Palestine. However, the J&K Police have registered cases under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) against the organisers and participants at certain locations, citing pro-Hezbollah slogans and flag-waving. Pro-Palestinian protests were held in several parts of Kashmir and Ladakh, with protesters carrying banners that read “Free Palestine” and calling for an end to Israeli occupation. The demonstrations, attended by men, women, and children, were part of the annual Al-Quds Day commemorations, observed on the last Friday of Ramadan. In Kargil, Ladakh, large groups of protesters marched through busy marketplaces in a show of solidarity with the Palestinian cause. Similar protests took place in Budgam and Baramulla districts of Kashmir, where demonstrators raised slogans against Israel and the United States while waving Hezbollah flags and carrying banners featuring Lebanese cleric and Hezbollah commander Hassan Nasrallah and Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar. The police have booked unknown protesters under the UAPA following a demonstration in Baramulla’s Pattan area. An official confirmed that a case (FIR No. 49/2025) was filed at the Pattan police station but did not specify the exact sections of the anti-terror law invoked. The Wire reported. “In Chainabal, Baramulla district, some protesters were seen waving Hezbollah flags and shouting slogans that could incite public unrest. These actions encourage elements associated with terrorism to engage in subversive activities and attempt to revive terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir,” a police statement stated. Additionally, in Beerwah, Budgam district, the police registered another case under Sections 126(2) (wrongful restraint) and 189(6) (unlawful assembly) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). According to a police spokesperson, “The organisers attempted to create a law and order situation and blocked the Sonpah-Beerwah road, thereby obstructing the smooth movement of the general public.” The case (FIR No. 33/2025) has been lodged at the Beerwah police station. Despite the police crackdown, pro-Palestinian and anti-Israel protests were reported in various areas of Kashmir, including Bemina in Srinagar, as well as parts of Budgam and Baramulla districts. The demonstrations were marked by slogans such as “Murdabad, Murdabad, Israel Murdabad” (Down with Israel) and “Ae zalimo, ae qafiro, Bait-ul-Muqaddas chhod do” (Oh tyrants, oh infidels, leave Jerusalem).