The idea/entity called Anonymous has been making international headlines over the last 30 days. In late October they threatened to reveal 1,000 KKK identities in Twitter OperationKKK (#OpKKK) and Operation HoodsOff (#HoodsOff). Shortly after the threat, Anonymous revealed a plethora of KKK members, organizations and followers.
After November’s Paris, Beirut, and the Russian airline massacres by ISIS, Anonymous has made a new video message threatening ISIS. The new Operation is called #OpParis. In the video, Anonymous claims they will hunt ISIS down and not let up in avenging the horrific ISIS slaughters.
Earlier in the year after ISIS claimed responsibility for the Paris Charlie Hebdo executions, Anonymous publicly threatened ISIS and reportedly followed through with social media shutdowns meant to cut of the head of the ISIS snake. Both ISIS and Anonymous are internet experts and they use cyberspace for the core of their communication and operations.
Monday morning, Anonymous claimed to have taken down thousands of Twitter accounts allegedly linked to ISIS members, affiliates, and followers. The list first appeared on the Pastebin.com site. It was then removed and transferred to PadRiseUp site, then removed again.
Some of the public and media briefly saw the list. However, the list still needs to be confirmed and verified. Anonymous had some trouble in the past with individuals and groups posing as anons. The impostors have released misinformation most likely to discredit Anonymous. For the most part it hasn’t worked. Though Anonymous has its share of naysayers who are yet to be convinced of the entity’s legitimacy, after OpKKK, more of the public has faith in the intentions of Anonymous.
BBC’s Technology correspondent Roy Cellan-Jones attempted a live interview with Anonymous:
I asked the person behind the Operation Paris account for a phone interview. I was told that was impossible - but he (he appears to be an Italian man) agreed to provide written answers to my questions. Bear in mind that it is impossible to know just who is behind the Twitter account and whether they really command a huge army of hackers - but here is how the conversation went:
Here are two of the five questions BBC asked an alleged “Anon.”
What are the aims of your operation?
Our main goal in this operation is to identify the perpetrators of the Paris terror attacks and all terrorist organizations linked to them, acquire intel to dig deep into the roots of their manpower, disable their propaganda and stop their reach on social media, release their information to the public, and flag down any threat to mankind.
Isn't it better for the fight against IS if its members talk openly on Twitter where the security services can see them, rather than being driven underground?
The propaganda of ISIS is based on advertising their actions. They want to strike terror with their name, with bloody images, with violent videos. We can not fight them with guns and rifles, stopping their propaganda is an effective way to weaken their manpower and their presence in the Internet. Disrupting their communications makes it difficult to organise their attacks in a fluid manner.
The Anonymous mission statement:the point made about ISIS and cyber abilities is spot on why haven't the congress advanced this thwey seem to avoid or deny any actions that lead to ending aggression's ours or theirs. no money in peace. they want us to lead but their maps all lead to more of our children dead or maimed. all the weak accusations and leading from behind is their way of saying he's not about war like they are we can thank God for that had they won 2012 we'd be knee deep in blood and treasure losses.
We are Anonymous
We are legion
We do not forgive
We do not forget
Expect us
What most don’t know, and some fear, is exactly what to expect.
recognize listen to what republicans say and hear the rhetoric it changes when we actually listen from protecting us to leading us in battle. this is not a kingdom they are not kings and our military are not their knights and for us it's not a religious war that is for those in the middle east and some just aggression and power those would be the foreign right wing counterparts to republicans here.
