What’s interesting for me though is that the FBI didn’t come to the rescue of the US security firm when it was brought to its knees by the Anonymous, and the company CEO had no option but to apologise and negotiate with beg Anonymous publicly and privately for its financial survival.

Barret Brown was mentioned in a NY Times article on Anonymous hacktivism, dated 2 Feb 2011 :

Barrett Brown, who is helping to organize a legal defense for those who might be prosecuted, said further raids were expected.

Brown has been writing about Anonymous (and has been contacted by Anonymous members after reading his articles) for over an year.

I was contacted last night by a person whom I’ve verified to have been the member of Anonymous who effectively launched the 2008 campaign against the Church of Scientology by posting the now-infamous statement of purpose video, which was eventually viewed nearly four million times and which was followed by Project Chanology. The individual has offered to grant me an interview:

” We are very happy with the article you wrote. I spent a lot of time working on press for the titstorm guys over the last few days. Sending out the big press release, answering and interviewing with abc, bbc, and so on. Its been busy. It is nice when someone actually gets Anonymous. So few journalists do.”

What a sweet thing to say! At any rate, I’ll post the interview after it’s been conducted. I find that this works better than posting them before they’ve been conducted. It’s an old journalism trick

And that ‘association’ continues to this day. And he openly refers to himself as “one of them” (as do millions of sympathizers world wide). As noted in this Guardian article dated 27 Jan 2011:

Like those who engaged in sit-ins throughout the 20th century in the cause of justice, which the law always lags behind, Anonymous hacktivists will continue to bring down the hypocrisy and tyranny of those who prefer state to citizen and the status quo to true liberty. All are invited to join us, and those who wish to do so can find us easily enough. The Tunisian people certainly did.

• Author’s note: this article was created in association with Anonymous

So yes, Brown is associated with Anonymous, but there is no indication that he is in any way involved in illegal hacking activities.

Its amazing that a conservative journalist like RSMcCain would cast aspersions and talk up threat of government control over free speech and press freedom of an US writer.

PS. If Barret Brown knows people who do things, maybe RSMcCain should be nice to him from now on. I don’t think you can’t count on FBI or your government if it comes to that.

I call out Tom Callamore, who wrote the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s demonstrably false “refutation” regarding his association’s hiring of federal contractors associated with HBGary to research and attack the families of their perceived enemies, does not like to be called during family dinner. That’s a fucking shame
BTW I don’t seek undeserved fame. I don’t need to. Sorry to bust your bubble Stacy, but i’m the spokesman for Anonymous.

You have nothing to worry about though Stacy. You have my word. Your meanness towards me doesn’t hurt. ‘Coz i have an unlikely fondness towards you and your blog. After reading your post, I even composed a poem in your honor while taking a break form all those midnight anonymous calls!

Stacy’s Place

Psssst, Stacy I have some words coming your way….
just a few words of thank you and bows low from the waist,
a kiss on your lips, your Stacy’s Place is a hip joint,
joining like minded fragrant (?) flagrant nut cases
and residual wanna-be’s up and at em posters’ menagerie,
We are God’s fools and demigods and sunburned brain-heads,
a little drunk on God-Love and Matter just naturally
spills from our tongues in a chatter and banter and true
meanings of life, friendship even between acknowledged
interlopers, gate crashers, time bandits, buttinskys, outlanders
and meandering Souls, wrecked upon your shores, Stacy,
we steal from you your very precious bits and megabytes
at an alarming posting rate, are you losing that gorgeous
hair and are we tying you up in knots? Don’t worry, be
‘happy, eh? I’ve heard Yoga helps in persistent
cases such as Yours, and now my dear dear Friend,
a word of Congratulations for your Showplace of a Who’s Who
of American Politics and Anonymous Postaholics,
Ain’t we all absolutely absolute the cat’s meow?
And just Who let us out of the bag?

Don’t worry, Stacy you are in my good books. Your blog is in safe hands.

If you get blown to smithereens by a Hellfire missile from a Predator drone, don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Actually, I would say he is definitely involved in their ‘activities.’ After Gregg Housh decided I was a person attacking him on twitter a few nights ago, he published my number and invited people to harass me. Barrett Brown was one of three people stupid enough to call with their numbers unblocked.

I am prosecuting. This is not the first time, either. The first time I had an issue with him putting people in danger, he and his pals impersonated my children, posted my vitals, and even harassed my parents.

The new breed of anonymous is filled with narcissists who relish the idea of having an army to use against their enemies. They’re drunk on it.

Are you a scientologist?

Barrett Brown was one of three people stupid enough to call with their numbers unblocked.

It just implies that he has nothing to hide, and he hasn’t broken any law. The actual Anonymous hacktivists are not stupid and don’t mind breaking laws.

How can we even know if you are even the ‘real’ Joe, you could as well be gg causing mischief. If you are so attached to your moniker, “Joe”, why don’t you create a Disqus profile where others can verify your authenticity?

I don’t care if gg is Barrett Brown, Charles Johnson and Michael Moore combined. None of them is complaining.

Stacy, this is Barrett. I don’t know who the fuck this is above, but it’s not me, as you can probably tell by the writing style. Meanwhile, it looks like I need not bother with refuting your nonsense insomuch as that some fellow Anons have already done so. Seriously, though, half a dozen major U.S. media have referenced me in the past week; it never ceases to amaze me how little homework you feel the need to do before writing about me.

Sweetheart, you know what you did and why you and your collaborator friends are being exposed. You guys tried to out our people to FBI and got a lot of it wrong, which is to say you put innocents on the line along with those who work their asses off to help Tunisia. And I look forward to seeing what sort of lawyer a Wiccan who got laid off from About.com comes up with. Enjoy your LOLsuit.

Barrett, the style of that post above is likely from a troll named gg. It also lacks your distinctive atavar. I thought maybe you were gg, but apparently not. Good for you.

Why should anyone else pick it up? It’s a fine fit AFAIC, so I’ll keep using it as long as it satisfies.

You keep pretending you’ve some hackery stature now, m’kay? Since nothing else has much worked out for you. This reeks of end-of-the-line, last stop, train wreck in progress stuff right here. You’ll be begging Chas Johnson to let you polish his army boots after this one.

Hmmmph. Spokesman for ‘Anonymous’. That’ll work out well.

Who signs your paychecks ?

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