Anonymous Targets Tear Gas Company for Selling ‘Mad Chemical Weapons’
- Posted on February 14, 2012 at 6:25pm by
Liz Klimas
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LONDON (AP) — A U.S. security company whose tear gas has been used against Egyptian demonstrators has become the latest victim of the Anonymous movement, hackers claimed Tuesday.
In a statement posted to the Internet, hackers claimed to have broken into Combined Systems Inc.’s website and stolen personal information belonging to clients and employees of the Jamestown, Pennsylvania-based firm. They accused the company of being run by war profiteers who sell “mad chemical weapons to militaries and cop shops around the world.”
The hackers’ claims could not immediately be verified, although the company’s website was down Tuesday.
Messages left for Combined Systems executives Donald Smith and Jacob Kravel went unreturned. A customer service representative said senior employees were unavailable for comment because they were in a meeting.
Anonymous has claimed a series of Web attacks worldwide and has increasingly focused on security companies, law enforcement and governmental organizations.
(Related: ‘Anon’s greatest hit so far: Hackers take credit for CIA website crash)
The group has often worked in tandem with the Occupy protest movement in the U.S. and has expressed solidarity with the pro-democracy activists across the Arab world.
Anonymous said it had targeted Combined Systems because it was supplying weaponry used “to repress our revolutionary movements.”
It published a series of what it claimed were intercepted emails, one of which appeared to be a warning that Combined Systems’ site had been sabotaged, but the messages’ authenticity could also not be confirmed.
(Photo: Nasser Nasser/AP )
Combined Systems says it sells a variety of crowd control devices — including aerosol grenades, sprays and handcuffs — to law enforcement and military organizations across the world. Journalists and activists have reported finding the company‘s tear gas canisters at Egypt’s Tahrir Square, where authorities have repeatedly cracked down on demonstrators with deadly force.
Last year human rights group Amnesty International said that Combined Systems had delivered some 46 tons of ammunition — including chemical irritants and tear gas — to the Egyptian government in three separate shipments.
Amnesty has asked the U.S. government to stop the shipments, which it said should be suspended “until there is certainty that tear gas and other munitions, weaponry or other equipment aren’t linked to bloodshed on Egyptian streets.”
Anonymous indicated that its attack had been timed to coincide the one-year anniversary of the uprising in Bahrain, the Gulf country hardest hit by upheaval during the so-called “Arab Spring” protests that began last year.
The main Bahrain government website was down for about an hour early Tuesday, but later appeared to be functioning normally. It wasn’t clear whether the problem stemmed from any kind of cyberattack.
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Harvey1
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 11:10pmTear gas isn’t lethal bullets are. Are they proposing not to use non-lethal measures and to just shoot the rioters? Whose side are they on anyway?
Report Post »Leopold
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 4:12pmThis could be a scam like the “Fast and Furious” was to get at the 2. Amendment. Using this anonymous group to continually hack into the Internet gives the government a justified reason to control the net.
It is awful that we have come to a point where the government can ABSOLUTELY not be trusted anymore.
The distrust and racism, the division of class, ethnicity, rich and poor, left and right, believers and unbelievers, government control over parental control, free market vs, government run companies, pro-life vs. anti-life, freedom vs Marxism.
This is the result arrogance on the part of the ignorant, which the left is known for. Unfortunately many people do not know what the left is made of. I hope that Obama has succeeded in this one area. Americans are more and more aware each day of the damage the left has inflicted on the USA
Report Post »Mattsbay18
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 12:51pmWe need to shoot a couple of the yahoos to get the attention of other protesters. Break a few eggs to make a omelet.
Report Post »SamIamTwo
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 12:26pmI am certain that one of our agencies know who these internet thugs are, but I bet they not allowed to do anything about it…
Report Post »Leopold
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 3:55pmDo the crossed swords not tell who they are? At the very least they are islamic sympathizers. If not an islamic group altogether.
Report Post »capitalismrocks
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 11:31amOh look, the script kiddies are at it again…. these guys are a total joke, all they are doing is placing a DDoS script onto some idiot‘s server and point it at an IP or set of IP’s…. its not like they are doing something so monumental, they are cowards and pee-on’s of the hacker world, they aren’t even hackers, just script-kiddies…. they are the low-life junkies of the computer underworld
Report Post »SamIamTwo
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 12:28pmYep at one point anyone could dl the program. ;)
Report Post »don young
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 10:09amNow all the police can do now is shoot everyone to stop them thanks morons.
Report Post »CALL ME SNAKE
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 11:23amI think that’s the point. That way they can demonize the police for using excessive, deadly force.
Report Post »Lucifers Hammer
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 8:52amHey Anon, why not try targeting the one group truly responsible for the wars, the oppression, and the financial collapse? That would be the progressives. You know….BO, Pelosi, Reid, Soros, Buffett, etc. And while you’re at it…why not bring down the evil Apple. It is .00000001%, being the richest company on the planet and solely responsible for the deaths of thousands of enslaved workers.
Isn’t it about time you directed your constructive destruction on the true evils?
Report Post »Hobbs57
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 9:10amAgreed ! ! When I first heard about those in Egypt blaming us because of the Made in the USA being found on the tear gas, it instantly drove me into a flashback when I was a child. My Grandfather had been one of the engineers who helped to design the machine that loaded these gun propelled gas canisters. I recall him showing me the designs, as the machine was set up in a circle with multi stages going around it as the ammunition was loaded. This was the FIRST EVER machine of it’s kind, having all ammunition of this types loaded by hand in the past. I recall my grandfather being proud of their accomplishments, but he also had a hint of sadness, as he explained the machines would take the place of maybe 100 workers. He explained to me( I think I was about15-16) this is how technology works and stressed the important of being on top of technology or I will be left behind. Ironically, my Pap had been raised on a very poor farm in Ohio, having to literally live off of the land for the most part. This plant in Johnstown that makes these munitions, make a bunch of others, but would have most certainly been left in the dust if they hadn’t moved forward with technology. Don’t know if it is the same machine today, but the one I saw was quite impressive, I was fascinated. This “Anonymous” falls for the same sob stories everybody does, because there is always the “sad story”, just as there is always the story of success. How about they hack the Fed and find out what’s going on i
Report Post »Charles
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 8:49amThe true leaders of anonymous definitely want tear gas to go away. They want bullets used on their useful idiots in order to speed up the collapse of society they seek.
Report Post »slwrig2
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 7:46amAnother leftist terrorist group that needs to be abolished along with liberalism itself!!!!!!!!!!!
Report Post »ishka4me
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 8:23amfrom watching the occupy we site, reading their chats, they have plans to attack the company in Pennsylvania that makes tear gas. Many talk about it burning. Funny how law enforcement is ignoring them. Also the talk daily of the riots in Chicago in May. They even have riot training seminars. Justice department is ignoring these criminals.
Report Post »GETLIFE
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 6:09amGreat Twitter icon there. The Muslim Brotherhood swords aimed just below the anonymous mask.
Report Post »marion
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 2:46amI guess they could always get rid of the tear gas and replace it with full metal jacketed bullets, right?
Report Post »TomFerrari
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 5:13amSo, if someone other than them riots, they want the police to not be able to retaliate without the use of lethal force?
Nevermind… They WANT to get somebody shot – that way they can have their summer of 68 moment and become the “victims”.
Next they will be occupying Dunkin Donuts for feeding the officers.
(that is the ows mentality, not mine)
Funny they don’t occupy Apple or Nike or GE or Disney, huh?
Report Post »MYHEROISRON
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 6:09amDoes ANON think they are doing something good? Really? Is that their mission in life? How about shutting down the IRS, ANON? That would be doing some good. How about the Whitehouse? If you nerds want to do some good, try those targets, and a hundred other examples, otherwise piss off!
Report Post »georgepatton
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 2:21amI’LL take a million shares of the tear gas company!
Report Post »usd04422
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 1:28amThose white mask would look awesome with my fist imprint right on that stupid mustache. SHOW YOUR FREAKING FACE COWARD
Report Post »OldGuy66
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 3:23pmI want to know where you get your “anonymous” hunting license. Any info on bag limits would be nice too.
Report Post »Ne_FAL
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 12:03amThe Hackers need to do a little research in the history section of the local public library . After WWI the German govt . used troops in the streets & recently discharged soldiers formed into the Frei Korps armed with RIFLES , HAND GRENADES,HEAVY MACHINE GUNS,FLAMETHROWERS to maintain order & to put down the Spartacus revolt & the Beer hall putsch . Modern tear gas while unpleasant to be exposed to is harmless compared to the first generation of tear gases used in WWI.
Report Post »Black Tiger
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 4:19amTrue, WW1 era Mustard Gas, or Sulphur Dichoride is a nasty little piece of chemical work; Mustard gas has extremely powerful vesicant effects on its victims. In addition, it is strongly mutagenic and carcinogenic, due to its alkylating properties. It is also lipophilic. Because people exposed to mustard gas rarely suffer immediate symptoms, and mustard-contaminated areas may appear completely normal, victims can unknowingly receive high dosages. Within 24 hours of exposure to mustard agent, victims experience intense itching and skin irritation, which gradually turns into large blisters filled with yellow fluid wherever the mustard agent contacted the skin. These are chemical burns and are very debilitating. Mustard gas vapour easily penetrates clothing fabrics such as wool or cotton, so it is not only the exposed skin of victims that gets burned. If the victim’s eyes were exposed then they become sore, starting with conjunctivitis, after which the eyelids swell, resulting in temporary blindness.
Report Post »Lord_Frostwind
Posted on February 14, 2012 at 11:07pmHey look on the bright side of all this. If the flow of tear gas stops, dictators will go back to using bullets, machetes, and tanks for crowd control. Hooray for progress!
Report Post »jb.kibs
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 12:03amI prefer lethal weapons over non-lethal… To me, non-lethal weapons are just a way to silence the public. It’s hard for people to die for what they believe in… Martyrs are rare now…
Can you imagine if they gunned all those people down at the occupy protests? wow, another Kent State huh? They wouldn’t do it, they would have to talk and come to agreements, something.
* There is always a non violent way to solve any problem when you are not on the defending side.*
Report Post »* There is always a way to change peoples behavior without creating a law. *
right-wing-waco
Posted on February 14, 2012 at 10:56pmSomeone needs to expose their identity and picket their home and place of work, (if they indeed work).
Report Post »Black Tiger
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 4:11amI’m with you Waco. These cowards hide because they don;t have the b***s to do it.
Report Post »Virginia Joe
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 5:14amIf you want to picket their homes, I’m betting they still live with their parents. The closest thing they have to a work place is the outdoor cafe’ of a local Starbucks ….
Report Post »right-wing-waco
Posted on February 14, 2012 at 10:54pmThese azzh***s haven’t got the guts to take off the stupid masks and show their faces.
Cluck Cluck.
Report Post »