Statement of the Church of Scientology (Press release here)
The U.S. Department of Justice announced the filing of federal criminal charges against Dmitriy Guzner of New Jersey, a member of the cyber-terrorist group known as Anonymous.
On Friday October 17th, The U.S. Department of Justice announced the filing of federal criminal charges against Dmitriy Guzner of New Jersey, a member of the cyber-terrorist group known as Anonymous, related to the January, 2008 attempted destruction of Scientology websites owned by the Church of Scientology. Guzner has agreed to plead guilty to felony charges that could send him to prison for ten years.(1)
Guzner admitted that he acted on behalf of Anonymous, an Internet hate group whose members have in recent years engaged in numerous criminal activities, including death threats, bomb threats, assaults, criminal harassment, acts of vandalism, web-site attacks, computer hacking and hate-crimes.
Since January, 2008 Anonymous has been responsible for 3.6 million harassing emails and 141 million malicious hits against Church websites, as well as 41 death threats, 56 bomb and arson threats, 103 threats of other violence and 40 incidents of vandalism against Church of Scientology staff, executives, parishioners and/or facilities. A documentary describing these acts of violence can be seen at www.anonymous-exposed.org(2).
Anonymous has also claimed responsibility for illegal attacks against MySpace, Fox News, The Epilepsy Foundation, prominent hip-hop websites and many other groups and individuals(3).
Some of the actions of Anonymous have had tragic consequences:
* In November 2007, Anonymous member Pekka-Eric Auvinen shot and killed seven students, a nurse and a teacher at Joleka High School in Finland before turning the gun on himself and taking his own life. Prior to these acts Auvinen stated on a website used by Anonymous that he would do this all "in the name of Anonymous." He was immediately encouraged to carry out his threats by other members of the group.(4)
* In June 2008, Anonymous member Jake Brahm was sentenced to six months in prison for threatening to detonate dirty bombs in football stadiums in seven different American cities.(5)
* In July 2008, Anonymous member Jarrad Willis committed suicide the day before he was to appear in court on charges of criminal libel related to his internet threats.(6)
This recent announcement by the U.S. Department of Justice charging a member of Anonymous for his role in attacks on the Church of Scientology adds to the existing evidence that Anonymous and its members engage in criminal activities.
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The Church of Scientology is a worldwide religious movement with more than 7,700 churches, missions and groups in 160 countries. The Church and its members dedicate their time and resources to support the many and varied humanitarian programs Scientology has become known for world over - programs addressing the most pressing issues facing our society.(7)
For more information about Scientology, visit the Scientology Video Channel at www.Scientology.org .
Footnotes
(1) www.usdoj.gov/usao/cac/pressroom/pr2008/140.html
(2) blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2008/01/anonymous-hacke.html
blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2008/01/anonymous-attac.html
blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2008/01/anonymous-hac-1.html
abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=4513883
(3) www.smh.com.au/news/articles/hackers-rip-into-rappers-myspace-page/2008/09/02/1220121187595.html
www.myfoxla.com/myfox/pages/Home/Detail?contentId=3894628&version=7&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=VSTY&pageId=1.1.1&sflg=1
www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFjU8bZR19A
www.news.com.au/technology/story/0,25642,23460969-5014239,00.html
www.wired.com/politics/security/news/2008/03/epilepsy
www.mtv.com/news/articles/1590117/20080627/id_0.jhtml
blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2008/09/palin-hacker-gr.html
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/4chan
(4) 4chanarchive.org/brchive/dspl_thread.php5?thread_id=44682385&x=jokela+highschool+shooting+-+pt.2
www.ncccusa.org/news/080804queenswarns.html
(5) www.tomsguide.com/us/Bomb-threat-NFL,news-1678.html and www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,363525,00.html
(6) news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=606851 and
www.shortnews.com/start.cfm?id=72415
(7) www.scientology.org
