The gang in turn ‘dumped’ the computer bug on an obscure website on April 14, just a week after President Donald Trump ordered the US bombing of Syria.

Some experts believe that timing is significant and indicates that Shadow Brokers has links to the Russian government.

In an internet posting, six days earlier on April 8 – and a day after the first airstrikes – Shadow Brokers appeared to issue a warning to President Trump.

In a statement, the group said in broken English: “Respectfully, what the f*** are you doing? The Shadow Brokers voted for you. The Shadow Brokers supports you. The Shadow Brokers is losing faith in you. Mr Trump helping the Shadow Brokers, helping you. Is appearing you are abandoning ‘your base’, ‘the movement’, and the peoples who getting you elected.”