Hacker group gearing up for G8-NATO summit

February 3, 2012 (CHICAGO) (WLS) -- Several police department websites across the country and overseas in Greece were hacked Friday by a protest organization known as Anonymous.

In this Intelligence Report: That same group is also calling for protesters to barricade Chicago during the entire month of May, not just the few days when G8 and NATO leaders are in town.

Official law enforcement websites in Salt Lake City, Syracuse, New York, and Boston were attacked by the collective protest group known as Anonymous, and they took over the justice ministry website in Greece, all resulting in embarrassment, and more importantly, sensitive information being stolen.

Police websites in the Chicago area were not affected, but there is reason to suspect the group Anonymous is winding up to sucker-punch Chicago during the G8/NATO summits in May.

On the group's YouTube channel and website is a message for Chicago: An escalation of the protests.

No longer is the call for just a few days of demonstrations:

"Citizens of the internet, we are Anonymous. On May 1st we will flock to Chicago to occupy during the concurrent NATO and G8 summits. We will set up tents, barricades and kitchens and peacefully occupy Chicago for one month."

Those that police believe are behind the Anonymous protest organization have been anything but peaceful at previous G8 and NATO summits.

Many of the Anonymous protest leaders have experience coming to large protests, such as an anti-war demonstration in Chicago, where police in padded, so-called turtle suits managed crowds that took over Lake Shore Drive.

New riot gear is being deployed for the May summit.

In another video post by Anonymous, the group claims responsibility for disrupting law enforcement around the world:

"This is a message to the Federal Bureau of Investigation and other law enforcement agencies around the globe: You cannot arrest an idea...we are growing and you cannot stop us."

Now the group is taking over police websites. But, this week in Washington, the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee issued a more dire warning about the potential of such attackers.

"A cyber attack is on its way. We will suffer a catastrophic cyber attack. The clock is ticking and winding down," said Rep. Mike Rogers, (R) Michigan.

And, in Friday's video aimed at Chicago, the group Anonymous ends with what is either a promise or a threat:

"We do not forgive. We do not forget. Expect us."

Because Anonymous is anonymous, the law enforcement agencies they have targeted have had a difficult time tracing who is behind the attacks. However, a few weeks ago, some members of the group were tracked and arrested. That only seems to have inflamed the threats and Friday's cyber attack.

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i-team, chuck goudie

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