Anonymous Under Investigation For Potential Attacks in Support of Bradley Manning
The hacker/activist collective Anonymous, known most recently for their fervent support of WikiLeaks and movements in the Middle East, are under some sort of vague investigation by United States authorities because of murmurs that they're planning to disrupt the military jailers holding Pfc. Bradley Manning, the Financial Times reports. Manning has been held for ten months in extreme conditions for allegedly providing government secrets to WikiLeaks, and was recently charged with 22 counts including "aiding the enemy." Anonymous, according to the FT, has discussed on "publicly available document-sharing sites" plans to "harass staff at MCB Quantico Brig," where Manning is being held, "to the point of frustration."
Anonymous would work toward "complete communications shutdown" of the brig's internet presence and phones, according to the report.
A Quantico spokesman told the paper, "We are aware of the threat and any threats to defense department information systems and networks are taken seriously."
Meanwhile, a member of Anonymous, using his real name, Barrett Brown, admitted, "My feeling is I'm going down anyway so I may as well do it with gusto."
In a respectable bit of disclosure, the Financial Times notes at the bottom of their story their own ties with Anonymous, who targeted the computer security firm HBGary after the company's president Aaron Barr bragged to the paper that he had infiltrated the hacker group. In response, Anonymous trashed Barr's online presence and exposed thousands of the company's emails, eventually leading to Barr's resignation.
US probes Anonymous plans for attack on marines [FT]
[jcoscarelli@villagevoice.com / @joecoscarelli]
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