Web Anarchists Target Mastercard And PayPal
6:03pm UK, Wednesday December 08, 2010
Web anarchists have attacked PayPal and Mastercard after they blocked account holders from donating to whistleblowing website WikiLeaks.
Mastercard have refused to say whether or not the attack took place
The cyber offensive was apparently launched by the 4chan group, also known as Anonymous.
The attacks were partially successful, affecting Mastercard's European operations.
Sam Kiley, Sky News' security editor, said: "This organisation is very aggressive.
"It's a counter attack to the suspension of WikiLeaks' services by the financial sector that supports them.
"They have attacked them to try and freeze them out of their business."
WikLeaks has released a series of embarrassing cables sent by US diplomats
Kiley said Mastercard would neither confirm or deny the attack but he knew it had taken place.
He added: "PayPal were knocked back, but not knocked out."
The attack came just a day after the same group of anarchists shut down Swiss bank PostFinance.
The bank had frozen money belonging to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange after the latest round of whistleblowing.
PostFinance's website was down for more than 16 hours in total.
The welcome al Megrahi received sparked fury in the US
Meanwhile, the latest US cables published by WikiLeaks have revealed Britain feared Libya would take "harsh and immediate action" against it if the Lockerbie bomber died in jail.
The website has pressed on with its disclosure of secret diplomatic documents despite the arrest of Mr Assange.
The latest documents claim Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi made "thuggish" threats to halt all UK trade deals if Abdelbaset al Megrahi was not freed.
The convicted mass killer was freed on compassionate grounds
Al Megrahi, who was suffering from terminal prostate cancer, was released on compassionate grounds by the Scottish government in August 2009.
The move provoked anger in the US amid rumours it was linked to lucrative British oil deals with Libya.
American fury deepened when al Megrahi received a hero's welcome on his return to the country. He is still alive more than a year later.
2010-12-08
WikiLeaks: Web Anarchists Attack Mastercard And PayPal After They Block Donations To Website | UK News | Sky News
via news.sky.com
