'Anonymous' hacker pleads guilty to 2008 attack on Scientology sites

"Anonymous" protester at a February 2008 anti-Scientology march in Hollywood. Credit: David Sarno / Los Angeles Times

Remember that cyber-attack on Church of Scientology websites those many moons ago? It was an early volley in the brief but memorable war between the church and a group of young Internet denizens who called themselves "Anonymous."  

Since then, the anti-Scientology movement has mostly petered out, but today a spark traveled through its old circuitry when a 19-year-old New Jersey man admitted having launched the January 2008 attack, which sent Scientology sites down for part of a day.

According to a news release from the Justice Department's Los Angeles office, Dmitriy Guzner of Verona, N.J., pleaded guilty to computer hacking charges related to the 2008 distributed denial of service attack (DDOS) on Scientology websites. That's where hackers get so many zombie computers to visit a site that the server overload becomes crippling and the site crashes.

The department's release mentions that Guzner said he "participated in the attack because he considered himself a member of an underground group called 'Anonymous.' " But when asked whether Guzner was one of several participants or the main culprit, agency spokesman Thom Mrozek responded, "He was the guy."

Mrozek also noted that the church was cooperative in the investigation.

The 2008 protests against Scientology were mostly peaceful assemblages of masked youths, but there were instances in which the church reported bomb threats against it, and even white powder mailed to one or more of its locations. At the time, the FBI said it was investigating those allegations as well*.

Guzner is set to be sentenced in August and faces a statutory maximum of 10 years in prison.

Updated, 7:03 p.m.: Commenters point to this May 2008 video (minute 1:20) where a CNN anchor reported that the FBI did not expect that charges would be filed regarding alleged bomb or death threats.

-- David Sarno

Comments

[Tom Newton]

"It was an early volley in the brief but memorable war"

Brief? It's still going on!

http://www.whyweprotest.net
http://www.taxthecult.com
http://www.whoisdavidmiscavige.com

[Anonymous]

If only there were about a million more of him.

[David]

15 months on after the "Church" of Scientology webpage was DDoSed, Anonymous continues to protest peacefully against the organization in 80 cities around the world each month. http://www.whyweprotest.net

Regarding supposed bomb threats and white powder mailings, on May 8th 2008, CNN reported that the FBI "had found nothing to connect this group Anonymous with what [Scientology's spokeman] was talking about."

[Hank]

They're nothing but an internet hate machine, hackers on steroids if you will.

[D.J. Shields]

Scientology fits no definition of a church I've ever heard or read. They desperately need to have their tax-free status taken away.

[Max]

Thanks for the update, David.

Guzner broke the law. He must face the consequences.

The Church of Scientology is breaking many more laws, and more serious laws, like laws against human trafficking. It, too, must face the consequences.

Google "laura decrescenzo"

[Enlightenment]

Tax Scientology !!!

[william tuttle]

Ron Hubbard was a failed science fiction writer who decided to start his own "religion" for fun and profit. Keep up the good work ananamouse very encouraging movement. after the wave rolls over sciencefictionology. we will find where they have hidden Toms money!!!

[Michael A.]

A poor young man may have to go to prison for some inconsequential action which harmed no one. Yet those Wall Street con artists, who through their actions actually DID harm perhaps millions of people, are allowed to keep their ill gotten gains.

Of course you can take this matter a step further by asking the question; how much of a con is the Church of Scientology?

[Marc Abian]

"there were instances in which the church reported bomb threats against it"

Sounds a lot like how they framed critic Paulette Cooper fot making bomb threats.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Freakout

[Lorina]

The number of anonymous protesters may have dropped off idk but I won't be diminishing my contribution until my friend sees her daughter again, after several years of disconnection.

And if it's not too late for this year: Happy Mothers Day to all the mothers who are prevented by those mean-spirited disconnection policies of the so-called church from having contact with their own children.

With senior scientology officials its ALL about the money, and it IS worse than you think.

[Deki]

Didn't that whole thing with the Jersey kid happen in...January?

[charlie]

Anonymous is growing and makeing people aware of the cult of scientology
here in the UK most of the "orgs" are neglected and rundown through lack of cash and have only a hand full of members
scientology is not classed as a religion in the UK
BTW are not all lids

[Cathy]

Mr. Sarno, Anonymous is just not the new kid on the block anymore. That doesn't mean that we aren't still doing what we've been doing since last January-February when this anti-$ci movement started. We are dedicated and we are winning, but the press wouldn't know that because they have moved on.

Many huge developments have transpired including the fact that the London Offices of Amnesty International are reviewing information sent to them about the human trafficking abuses in $cientology. This information has already passed review in two other AI offices on it's way up to the London offices which have the most experience in dealing with human trafficking. We are hoping that a statement against $cientology will be delivered sometime this year after the information is carefully reviewed.

Our efforts have caused people to blow from the cult. For the L. Ron Hubbard birthday event in Clearwater this past month, the cult failed to fill a venue that seats 2180 people. In past years, cult events held at this very same venue was filled to capacity and huge tents were erected to handle the overflow. This is the cult's "mecca" and they can't even find enough warm bodies to fill a hall that holds a little over 2000 people? What's changed that? The internet and Anonymous.

All of the high ranking $cientologists besides David Miscavige have either blown or are being held in the SP Hall at Gold Base in Hemet, CA. The cult is scrambling for PR people and are having to rely heavily on Anne Archer's son Tommy Davis who is just not qualified for the job.

There have been several lawsuits brought against the cult by ex-$cientologists that look to be very damaging for the cult.

There is also what's going on in Nashville. The cult lied to the security firm they hired about Anonymous. A protester was attacked and arrested by the security firm even though he had done nothing illegal. The charges were dropped this week, but this is incident is not over. Go to whyweprotest.net for more information about that if you're interested.

The cult is falling apart and there are very few media people covering it. The new has worn off of Anonymous and we are yesterday's news to people like you, but we are still here and we are not going anywhere until this is over.

Dig deeper the next time, Mr. Sarno.

[Mark Davids]

"Since then, the anti-Scientology movement has mostly petered out"

This statement is false. The protests have continued monthly across the world to this day. Video footage of many recent ones are available on youtube, which would not be the case if they did not occur.

How about some coverage regarding the recent assaults by members of the COS and their employees, such as the ones in Nashville and Riverside County, CA? Those also would not have occured if the protests were mostly over.

[Django]

"Petered Out"? You need to learn to do your research Mr. Sarno. Granted, Anon's total numbers are down from last year, but the folks who've remained are as fervent as ever. So are the newer people like myself: My first protest was this past March.

Granted, the DDOS attack was childish and counter-productive. That tactic has been replaced by peaceful, albiet exuberant protests. The ONLY violence instigated or perpetrated at the protests has been by the Scientology cult or its paid goons. Not one protester has instigated, and Anons have been remarkably forbearing of the numerous threats and assaults from the cult's "handlers" (which, btw, are well-documented).

The "bomb threats" were and are laughably transparent fabrications by the cult, and were dismissed by the FBI almost as fast as they were disseminated.

Also realize that the protests are but one facet of this fight. Anons and critics spend hundreds of man-hours each week getting the word out about the cult's crimes and abuses - on the street, and on the net (like, in online newspaper comment sections).

In short: You've failed. No wonder newspapers are on the ropes. Spend some time on some Anonymous and critical sites:

www.xenu.net
www.whyweprotest,net
www.xenu-directory.net
www.grahamberry.com
http://www.xenutv.com/interviews/otpanel.htm

Read some stories of what life is like inside this vicious cult

www.exscn.net
www.exscientologykids.com
www.counterfeitdreams.blogspot.com

Anonymous "Petered Out"? Nonsense. We're just getting warmed up.

Expect us.

[Nicole Gruber]

The world-wide protests are still ongoing, and have not "petered-out".
If the LA Times would be so kind as to send out a reporter to one of Hollywood area protests, they would get a fuller idea of what we are trying to achieve and see that we are not going away.

A reporter would do well to visit www.whyprotest.net to get an overview of the movement and visit http://www.kesq.com/Global/category.asp?C=162474&nav=menu191_1_1_2 to see the fantastic reports on this issue by Nathan Baca.

[David M]

You have to ask yourselves, if the campaigns to expose the organisation calling itself the church of scientology for the corrupt and dangerous organisation it is are petering out how come the organisation is still sending out their propaganda ("Anonymous: Hate Crimes" and Anonymous: Who they are and what they do"). How come they tried and failed to prevent protesting outside the gates of their "Gold" base by trying to manipulate the law in Riverside county?

If you want to see signs of petering out, one only need check out the number of empty buildings owned by scientology; they must have the most office space per person of any organisation on the planet.

[Tom]

It hasn't petered out, that is why the religion of Scientology still has to defend itself against all those bigots and cyber-terrorists. Luckily they get help by brave security companies like recently in Nashville: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KoWgm-1vGME

[imominous]

Google is your friend, Mr. Sarno. Lrn2internetresearch.

There is absolutely no excuse for inaccuracies in this day of the information superhighway.

Anonymous is alive and well. If last year's battlefield was the street, this year it's the courtroom. For example:
1. Belgium is bringing the organization, not individual Scientologists, to court.
2. France is about to do the same. Could result in a total ban in those countries.
3. Two lawsuits from former members demanding compensation for decades of slave labor and coerced abortions have been launched.
4. Exposure of Scientology influence in Riverside County, CA is ongoing. Scientology has a "secret base" there.
5. Scientology no longer has free rein on Berendo Street, AKA L. Ron Hubbard Way in Los Angeles. They can no longer close it off weekly, preventing non-Scientology residents of that neighborhood to drive to their homes, order pizza, or entertain guests on the weekend.

Things are just starting to get good. If the Headley couple win their lawsuits, the cult will likely be forced to pay its workers minimum wage, rather than .36 cents an hour as Marc Headley estimated. Should the Headley's lawsuits prevail, others are waiting to step forward to demand justice for years lost inside this totalitarian cult. And paying their workers minimum wage is going to cut deeply into the dwindling profits Scientology has been raking in.

Having been in part responsible for all this, do you seriously think Anonymous is going to quit now? There's blood in the water, mate! And popcorn in the microwave! The battleground has shifted and, just because you don't see us in large numbers on the street in no way means we've disappeared or given up.

Heck, the show is just starting to get good!

[Tom Newton]

"FAIR GAME" IS A LIE"

Anonymous members frequently cite "Fair Game" as the reason for wearing those ridiculous masks. This term refers to the Church of Scientology's alleged tactics for handling their critics. However, despite what the critics of the Church profess to believe about "Fair Game," it never actually happens. Without exception, all instances of the Church's supposedly litigious nature can in fact be demonstrated to have been provoked by the very radical extremists themselves.

Being sued by the Church is a badge of honor among these hateful and deceitful activists. In fact, there is NOTHING the Church is reputed to do to their critics which Anonymous hasn't already done to many random and not so random individuals (Do a Google search of Hatch Mckay and Anonymous and see what turns up).

Anonymous is a hypocritical hate group. Members do exactly the types of things they claim the Church does. This is a demonstrable fact, as all non-Anonymous readers of this blog can attest. The true reason they hide behind their masks is because they don't want to be connected to hate crimes, cyber-bullying, and child porn.

Here's a recent thread at one of their sites where members are discussing the fact that "Fair Game" doesn't ever really happen:

http://forums.whyweprotest.net/303-whats-all-about/what-risks-43803/

Another salient fact: thousands of Anonymous members live in places where masked protests are not permitted. Combine this with the dozens of anti-Scientology authors, prominent critics, and various un-anonymous Internet activists, such as Donald "The Angry Gay Pope" Mires and, to any thinking person anyway, there is no reason to believe that there is any danger whatsoever in being a religious bigot with a gripe against Scientology. That is, if one is committed to legal and ethical behavior.

Tom Newton

[WolfyRik]

"petered out"? I guess the phrase "bologna sandwich" means nothing to you Mr Sarno? What kind of reporter writes such an obviously wrong article? Do you actually do research or just make guesses at the state of a situation based on a few casual glances? The "Church" of scientology has petered out to a far greater degree than Anonymous.

Just look at the numerous closures of their Org's and Missions. Look at the never seen before courage of the media, openly investigating and exposing the activities of this cult. Numerous world-wide court cases against them with allegations ranging from fraud to human trafficking. Closures of front groups like Second Chance. Studies and Census data from around the world all showing a marked decline in their already tiny membership. Leaks of documents and statistics and of course the ever present Anonymous, protesting monthly and often several times a month, across the planet.

And of all the allegations made against Anonymous and the critics by the cult of scientology, one person faces a jail term for hacking? Where are the bomb-threats arrests? Where is the evidence of bomb-threats? Where is the evidence of any wrong doing by Anonymous since the original DDOS?

[Anonymous Supporter]

Hmmmm an LA paper, whose cops are in the cult's pocket saying that Anonymous is petering out? What a shocker! Please. If anything the cult is petering out, losing members, having the public find out what the pyramid scheme is really about (selling books and tapes.) As Jason Beghe has said, there are no clears or OTs

And nice copy pasta "Tom Newton" (there are several of you after all, part of the OSA that seeks to draw debate from the topic at hand to discussion that are off track and waste time) but it is stale and without any savor at this point.

Anonymous petering out? So sorry, but Anonymous runs this.

[3rdman]

Your article is fail, Sarno. Come back and post a real article after you have actually done your research.

Guzner was just a prank-hacker. That was back in January 2008 when the "anti-Scientology" movement was strictly on the net, before Mark Bunker gave us some good advice to take it to the streets through peaceful and lawful protesting.

You suggest that if Guzner is arrested, Anonymous is "petering out?" How did you reach this conclusion? Guzner is one fool out of thousands of individuals who still protest against Scientology's abuses.

Have you gone to our websites? Go out to LA every second weekend or to Rivserside county and find out if we are dying out.

[Zeeebra]

Interesting. We've "petered out," yet a single one of us showing up is enough to make the cult close their curtains, take down their signs, and pack it up for the day.

Our numbers may not be as strong as they were a year ago, but who needs numbers when merely one causes such panic?