" But, [Barrett Brown] says, the group’s activities are governed, or at least shaped, by a much smaller group of a “couple dozen” people that reacts to the “ebb and flow” of events. Their overarching goal, he said, “information freedom.” "

Note the bullshit in the sidebar. AnonOps IRC participants are not anonymous: they maintain persistent pseudonyms.

" According to one document, the campaign included an entrapment project. The proposal called for first creating a “false document, perhaps highlighting periodical financial information,” to give to a progressive group opposing the Chamber, and then to subsequently expose the document as a fake to undermine the credibility of the Chamber’s opponents. In addition, the group proposed creating a “fake insider persona” to “generate communications” with Change to Win. "

1. Barr's method was sloppy, but a more careful social network ethnography would confirm his hunch about the collective having definite structure. 2. Note the linked chat log, in which the handful of Anonymous who participated in the hack threatened to release other emails unless the company gave money to the Bradley Manning defense fund. 3. Commenter: "I fear an organization such as this that behaves in a juvenile manner will devolve into a group of thugs aimlessly attacking whatever it wants to just because, if it hasn't reached that point already. "

Brown's claim is probably correct. Lurk in chat and see for yourself. " The subpoena shows federal investigators are trying to piece together the workings of an elusive group composed of hundreds hackers and activists stretched across several countries. Brown said about a dozen members are able to influence the direction of Anonymous. "

“Before this, what these guys were doing was technically illegal, but it was in direct support of a government whistle blower. But now, we have a situation where they’re committing a federal crime, stealing private data and posting it on a torrent,” Hoglund said. “They didn’t just pick on any company, but we try to protect the US government from hackers. They couldn’t have chosen a worse company to pick on.”

" Not long after this, Anonymous was Tweeting Barr’s cell number, a link to his 50,000 personal emails, social security number and home address. "

" The FBI said to one of the students in reference to the cyber attacks that "this is second on their priority list only to child pornography." "