Technology

Four Suspected Members of the Hacker Collective ‘Anonymous’ Arrested in Spain

Spanish Government Arrests Four Anonymous Members Suspected of Website Attacks

MADRID (The Blaze/AP) — Police say they have arrested four suspected hackers allied to the loose-knit Anonymous movement in connection with attacks on Spanish political party websites.

A National Police statement said two servers used by the group in Bulgaria and the Czech Republic have been blocked.

It said the four included the alleged manager of Anonymous’ computer operations in Spain and Latin America, who was identified only by his initials and the aliases “Thunder” and “Pacotron.”

The four are suspected of defacing websites, carrying out distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks and publishing data on police assigned to the royal palace and the premier’s office online.

Tuesday’s statement said the arrests were part of an Interpol operation.

Anonymous members have also taken credit recently for DDoS attacks on several federal and local government websites in the United States as well, including the CIA, Alabama government, the Boston Police Department and a Federal Trade Commission site, to name a few.

Update: Later reports revealed that up to 25 Anonymous members from four countries had been arrested as part of this operation. The international police agency said in a statement that the arrests in Argentina, Chile, Colombia and Spain were carried out by national law enforcement officers working under the support of Interpol’s Latin American Working Group of Experts on Information Technology Crime.

The suspects, aged between 17 and 40, are suspected of planning coordinated cyberattacks against institutions including Colombia’s defense ministry and presidential websites, Chile’s Endesa electricity company and national library, as well as other targets.

Comments (37)

  • Anarimus
    Posted on March 5, 2012 at 10:46pm

    The thing with Anonymous is they aren’t an organization as one would think. There are hundreds of members or are there thousands? Do they at one minute procure data that “endangers” the state and the next release data that exposes corruption and abuses of power? Anonymous is simply a product of people who are indeed smarter than you and raised in the hacker culture. They live outside what most consider borders and they don‘t believe in doing what they’re told by an authority they logically feel they have no reason to respect. If you read cyberpunk scifi you likely understand them. They believe in freedom and equality not as ideals but as dire necessities and feel government, corporations and religions infringe upon that and there are two things that Anonymous doesn’t do. They do not forgive. They do not forget. So hate them if you will and wish all sorts of sadistic control freak punishments on them but know this for the fact it is. They are not going away and you should be glad about that. In a world where a facebook post can change governments in the middle east and a chat room meeting create a global movement people learn and grow. Information by it‘s very nature wants to be free and that’s what anonymous does better than anyone. They liberate minds and people not with bullets but with data and for that they are my heroes and i support them and applaud them. Bravo anonymous. Bravo.

    Report Post » Anarimus  
  • FreeUsAll
    Posted on February 29, 2012 at 5:13pm

    A sad day for freedom from the state. These individuals, in their attacks against unjust institutions, have now been detained as being “enemies of the state”. Big Brother views them as the “enemy,” while we free thinking individuals see them as true justice in an unjust world. The corrupt should fear them, indeed. My condolences to these men and women and their families. Political prisoners in a corrupt society. Hate the State! Love your country!

    Report Post » FreeUsAll  
  • WeDontNeedNoSteenkinBadges12
    Posted on February 29, 2012 at 4:40pm

    “The four are suspected of defacing websites, …”

    Oh, yes, for that horrible crime, we’ll hunt you down!

    “… carrying out distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks …”

    Oh, that humanity! Will this never end! Somebody must do something!

    “… and publishing data on police assigned to the royal palace and the premier’s office online.”

    Countability? Transparency? Well, we’re having none of that! Do not rest day or night until these human monsters pay the price (should be $1.47 so far — yes, we are keeping track)!

    Really people? With Islam terrorists beheading people, chopping off noses and hands, blowing up civilians and circulating their proud videos of it? REALLY PEOPLE?

    Report Post » WeDontNeedNoSteenkinBadges12  
  • walkintruth
    Posted on February 29, 2012 at 4:09pm

    They have to find these thugs and show the world, we will hunt you down, find you and stop your attack on America.

    Report Post »  
  • sdarbro
    Posted on February 29, 2012 at 3:22pm

    How does anybody know who is or who isn’t ANONYMOUS? Is there a member list? Do they hafta pay dues?

    What is stopping anybody from wearing a Fawkes mask and say they are ANONYMOUS?

    Do they have their own press team to clarify if a statement is authentic ANONYMOUS? Would they release information if someone was accused of being ANONYMOUS but wasn’t really a member?

    What if the law says YOU are a member of ANONYMOUS. How would you create a defense against that claim?

    Report Post » sdarbro  
  • ronin_6
    Posted on February 29, 2012 at 1:45pm

    Don’t live in fear people. Anonymous is only an evolutionary stresser. In other words it will only cause the internet and how honest people do business on the internet to evolve and become more secure. What they don‘t realize or don’t care to note is that the organizations they attack only grow stronger after they attack them. Additionally they exist only in the cyber world, and their own juvenille minds. Do not let vigilantes dominate or cow you into submission.

    Report Post » ronin_6  
    • walkintruth
      Posted on February 29, 2012 at 4:08pm

      My sons do computer programming. They told me the same thing. If there is a threat like this, they just get better at protecting the systems. They also told me that if your not protected then you are a sitting duck to this type of thing. So it will get us to be more vigilant.

      Report Post »  
  • MammalOne
    Posted on February 29, 2012 at 10:06am

    …plenty more where they came from

    Report Post » MammalOne  
  • Jimbo
    Posted on February 29, 2012 at 9:51am

    I believe the arrest will anger them even more, get ready for more attacks and bigger ones. I kinda like the way they were going after thugs and drug lords. Maybe they should have been helped in area’s where they were doing good. Anyway sounds like they caught foot soldiers not the leaders. I see a worse creepy mask everyday on the news, (Obama’s Face) lol
    I wish they would hack my website and let the world know about it. I need the publicity. http://www.rangersranchsupply.com Yea for Mitt. Santorum you are just like Newt. You get a lttle ahead and you turn into an idiot. Your reaching out to the Democrats in Michigan and your person attacks will bring you down. Newt, you angry old white guy (yes I am white) go home. We use to like you until we see how you act when your pride gets hurt. You would rather see 4 more year of Obama and this country destroyed than yield to a better candidate. I wish Perry had stayed in longer. He wasn’t very good at debates but he was a good man.

    Report Post »  
  • politicaljules
    Posted on February 29, 2012 at 8:24am

    I just got threatened with hacking of my personal information last night by a group on fb called occupymarines. Warning me they would release my addy, IP, children’s name, school, ss#, bank, credit cards etc. Yes reported the group, but you can only click the “report” button on the page and cannot give any info to fb these days which frustrates me. They occupied my profile and went to pages I liked and flooded them. I blocked as many as I could but there are at least 12,000 on occupymarines alone. I am kinda scared about the whole thing to be honest, but what can you do? I’ll back down from commenting on anything occupy, but that is what they want.

    Report Post »  
    • politicaljules
      Posted on February 29, 2012 at 8:36am

      They will post your addy your mortgage info, employer, mom, dad, and their addy and phone, all your social web sites, children, and even your girlfriend/boyfriend/SO description to all their buddies.

      They call it a d0x and you can search for some and find a few on pastebin. It is really scary stuff they are doing right here in our own backyard.

      Report Post »  
    • StanO360
      Posted on February 29, 2012 at 1:34pm

      You wouldn’t believe how many people think that they are doing something great. People don’t think, haven’t learned anything in school, they don’t understand basic civics.

      These people are Brown Shirt Fascists as your experience demonstrates. We’re supposed to be glad they hacked the CIA?

      Report Post »  
    • ronin_6
      Posted on February 29, 2012 at 1:47pm

      You’ll back down? Why? Come on now put a little steel in that spine!

      Report Post » ronin_6  
    • Cornflake
      Posted on February 29, 2012 at 5:03pm

      Just start a new facebook page. Delete as much as you can and leave the rest alone. Start a new profile.

      Report Post »  
  • SoundStride
    Posted on February 29, 2012 at 8:06am

    Throw the book at em or at least a very large brick.

    Report Post » SoundStride  
  • Gonzo
    Posted on February 29, 2012 at 7:49am

    I guess you nerds weren’t as “anonymous”as you thought you were. Anyway, your mothers will be glad that you’re finally moving out.

    Report Post » Gonzo  
    • 2theADDLED
      Posted on February 29, 2012 at 12:16pm

      You could be anonymous if they have control of your computer leading them to arrest innocent people you never know who is on the other end.

      Report Post »  
  • grannyrecipe
    Posted on February 29, 2012 at 6:53am

    I knew that after they did the DDoS on the CIA website that this was coming. I think they knew it too, evidenced by all of the apologizing afterwards.

    Report Post » grannyrecipe  
    • Plan B
      Posted on February 29, 2012 at 9:59am

      Yesterday after these arrests the did a DDOS on Interpol website. It was down for 8 hours.

      Report Post »  
  • LowTechBackup
    Posted on February 29, 2012 at 4:56am

    what’s the difference between the mask of the left today and the white hoods from the past?

    Report Post »  
    • StanO360
      Posted on February 29, 2012 at 1:35pm

      Not white hoods . . . brown shirts (or black if your into Mussolini!)!

      Report Post »  
  • milez5
    Posted on February 29, 2012 at 2:52am

    Well, if they are not killed they need, at the very least, very harsh punishment. Hacking and playing games with websites especially military ones is no joke and these people must be taught that one way or another.

    Report Post »  
  • RAMJR
    Posted on February 29, 2012 at 12:08am

    Wow. Call yourself ‘anonymous’, hide in the dark, wear a stupid mask and threaten people…Hmmm, you sure your not a bunch of Democratic Senators, hiding behind closed doors, looking for a way out of your record of voting and coverups? I’m pretty sure Soros fat face is behind one of those masks, and if Obama is, look for ears.

    Report Post »  
    • Cornflake
      Posted on February 29, 2012 at 3:10am

      That creepy mask is turning up all over the world in the public arena of protest. I’m sure there is a message in that mask as to the identity of these groups of people. I don‘t think it’s a “fad” or “trend” item. Let‘s see if there’s a new mask after these arrest.

      Report Post »  
    • PaxInVeritate
      Posted on February 29, 2012 at 4:07am

      That “creepy” mask is the visage of Guy Fawkes. He was arrested while standing guard over a cache of explosives meant to be used in the assassination attempt (“Gunpowder Plot” Nov. 5, 1605) of “the Protestant King James I of England” while in the House of Lords.

      Report Post » PaxInVeritate  
  • GdHUs
    Posted on February 28, 2012 at 11:51pm

    OK, now these evil people must be treated as their crime deserves. The Russians knew how to do it. Very simply take them to a special room and humanely put a slug through their pitiful brain. Of course this is after you’ve water boarded them to get as much information about their buddies in crime.

    Report Post » GdHUs  
    • The Third Archon
      Posted on February 29, 2012 at 1:13am

      Really? We should kill thousands of teenagers for DDoS attacks?

      Report Post » The Third Archon  
    • Chuck Stein
      Posted on February 29, 2012 at 2:04am

      Sorry, GDHUS, but I’m w/ 3rd on this one.

      Report Post »  
    • Cornflake
      Posted on February 29, 2012 at 3:20am

      Well, I think China may have a better way to deal with hackers. They put them in a contest to hack their sites, and whoever is successful in the cyber warfare wins big prize. That way, China, will learn how to have very tight security. Here, we will put them in jail. Is this Wiki II. Private Manning, gets nominated for a Peace Prize, while he’s on trial for treason. I suppose that’s no more shocking than a President, who received such a prize in less than two weeks in office, and acceptted the prize. We did find out that not only is our govt. a glutton for private info on us, but so are corporations, and they are sharing with the govt. They won’t be satisfied until they know how many sheets of paper I use in the bathroom when I do my business! Some of the things exposed about world governments were a shock, but others not so much if one is into conspiracy theories. The truth, is now a conspiracy, lol. Will anything they expose keep the government honest? Probably not. It will anger the governments which will then go after them to the ends of the earth. The elite do not like to be made to feel foolish.

      Report Post »  
    • 9111315
      Posted on February 29, 2012 at 7:52am

      WW III starts — but it was caused by a 13 year old hacker — so all is good.

      Let the kid off and hang the parents and teachers.

      Report Post »  
    • SLARTIBARTFAST
      Posted on February 29, 2012 at 1:03pm

      GdHUs
      Do you realize you just called for the top to come down, as in “Top down, Bottom up, Inside out”?

      Report Post » SLARTIBARTFAST  
    • StanO360
      Posted on February 29, 2012 at 1:38pm

      Third, these are not 13 year olds. These are adults with agendas that threaten our way of life. Companies and businesses are threatened if they don’t agree with their agenda, that is tyranny. Hacking the CIA, exposing national secrets . . . that is treason.

      Report Post »  
  • lukerw
    Posted on February 28, 2012 at 11:38pm

    “Ghost in a Shell”… the ‘Smiling Man’ episodes… come to life!

    Report Post » lukerw  
  • BurntHills
    Posted on February 28, 2012 at 11:21pm

    if it’s some idiot running around with one of those stupid filthy terrorist muslim head scarves on, shoot it. period. no sense in trying to reason with a mindless moron.

    hey whatever happened to the American ‘anonymous’ that just said it was going to SHUT OBAMA DOWN… ??? isn’t that what it said? so why haven’t they gone after that anti-American monster BEFORE this destruction of America by obama got so advanced.

    Report Post » BurntHills  
    • Cornflake
      Posted on February 29, 2012 at 3:31am

      Well, apparently, there needed to be info released about all the friends in the world government also! Wasn’t there a song with a line that went, “smile in your face, all the time they want to take your place?” For all this facade of government community, and coming together for the world’s benefit, these leaders sure act like a bunch of backbiting socialites when they think the microphone is turned off! Is it worse for these people to have a switch to disable a website, as it is for a government to be allowed to block access? Deep question.

      Report Post »  

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