Swiss bank that locked Wikileaks account hacked tonight

[Ruby the Liberal]

LOL! Game on. :D

Earlier today we noted how the Swiss bank Switzerland Post Finance (a bank associated with the Swiss post office) had frozen Julian Assange's bank account for his defense fund.

Well, payback.

As NYT reports, their site has now been taken offline, and a group calling itself Operation Payback on Twitter claims credit for the DDOS.

Links at site to news reports:


Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/the-bank-that-froze-julian-assanges-bank-account-has-now-been-taken-down-by-hackers-2010-12#ixzz17OH1WoSx

[GodlessBiker]

1. Nice play. This could prove interesting.

[Ruby the Liberal]

2. These guys have been going after anyone and everyone who is anti-anti-wikileaks

This is their 4th or 5th hit today alone.

:D :D :D

[Toucano]

3. Fuck yeah, it's on!

Although at this point, I'd cheer for just about anybody demonstrating some chutzpah.

[Angry Dragon]

4. Maybe they have some extra they could give to Obama

[DJ13]

5. Wouldnt help

[Angry Dragon]

9. Just a thought n/t

[Ruby the Liberal]

6. I think that sums up my glee as well.

Tonight was such a disappointment, it was great to see a win against the money/power establishment.

Like the unemployed in this country, Julian does not deserve the treatment he is getting.

[hlthe2b]

18. Isn't that the truth.... sort of reflexive at this point...

:shrug:

[snagglepuss]

32. LOL. You got that right. nt

[laughingliberal]

46. It's like in the Depression when the people cheered for the bank robbers.

When people are so beaten down, anyone who is standing up to power becomes a folk hero.

[Hawkowl]

61. I had that feeling a few months ago.

It was startling. I finally understood how these bank robbers became folk heroes. It makes me very sad and angry.

[tinkerbell41]

7. Woo hoo!!

If this is how it starts....
Like him or not, I've always rather to have gone down in flames than to go with the status quo.

[Ruby the Liberal]

26. This isn't his game. Their first hacks said that they didn't even like his ass

but they supported his right to do what he was doing, and as long as people stood up against him, they would make the short list. This is their 4th or 5th hit today by my count.

[me b zola]

8. A secret wish that I've had for a while

is for a hacker to make all of the money in the accounts of TPTB simply vanish. Not steal/transfer into a different account, just vanish into thin air. It might go a ways to level the playing field.

[Ruby the Liberal]

10. Even better - a fraction of a penny on every transaction

ala Office Space.

*poof!*

:D

[RKP5637]

11. It's really all vapor, isn't it - no real substance, just numbers in software these days. All

zeros. Would that create one instantaneous leveling effect or what, just vanish into thin air.

[me b zola]

16. .

:)

[Jamastiene]

25. My secret wish is similar.

I've been wishing for a Cyber Robin Hood who would siphon off enough from the wealthiest so that the poorest can get to keep our homes and eat, anything to help the poor. Just a small amount of the amount of money the richest have would provide homes and feed the rest of the people in the world, not mansions, but good solid modest houses and food to eat. That's all most of us want...well, need, really. But our needs will always be ignored for their wants. That just kills me.

I guess after this tax cut thing, they don't have to fret about whether to buy a billion dollar yacht or a 680 million dollar yacht. :wow:

[me b zola]

31. I like your thought as well

I can't even allow myself, though, to think about how many champaign corks are being popped as we speak. We dream about survival and life with a little dignity while they celebrate our misery.

[htuttle]

12. Begun, the bot war has.

[Kaleko]

13. And here people were saying that Wilileaks released just trivial, meaningless gossip

that has no effect other than endangering a few US field operatives.

Yeah, right.

[Ruby the Liberal]

17. IMO, The issue isn't trivial-ism, it is principle.

[Kaleko]

22. My point is that the implications of Wikileaks' disclosures are tremendously important --

as we can all see now by the fallout that is rippling through our shared reality.

[Ruby the Liberal]

24. Sorry - I picked up on the meme. I was just adding to it.

Poorly, apparently.

:toast:

[truth2power]

47. Yes. Something very, very important. Something that would be catastrophic

if it came to light. TPTB are peeing themselves.

What could it be? Hmm?

[Kaleko]

52. Could it be that heretofore successful population control is in danger of slipping a bit?

Hmmm... Are wage slaves rattled out of their fitful drowsiness yet? Hmmm...

You tell me, truth2power.

[Jamastiene]

14. So, THIS is what a cyber war looks like.

All your banks are belong to us.

MSM bellies up and spouts nonsense, anything to keep from telling the truth about what is really happening. Someone comes along and decides to tell the truth and presto, international cyber war.

Every government, bank, and corporation in the world after one man...all because he shared information, the truth. There must be some really hideous stuff they are afraid of getting out next.

[Ruby the Liberal]

19. There wasn't much of an uproar until he threatened to take on the banking cabal last week

[Jamastiene]

20. Yup, now banks and corporations everywhere are shutting down his funds.

The government hasn't done anything except say stern words to him. He threatens to expose a bank and the banks start shutting him down one by one. That just proves that the corporations have more power than the government, if you think about it.

[Ruby the Liberal]

23. Yet how many money launderers and tax evaders have been shut down by Swiss banks?

Hmmmmmm.

Hard to decide who to root for here, isn't it? :D

[Jamastiene]

27. I have never heard of them shutting down even one of those.

All this over information. It must be some mighty juicy information. :D

[Ruby the Liberal]

28. It could be full of digital confetti for all I know.

No matter. I am so sick and tired of the rich and "powerful" running this planet off the sweat and tears of the 98% balance of us it doesn't even matter to me. As long as it makes them sweat, I smile.

:toast:

[eilen]

63. Didn't the Swiss banks protect Nazi's? kept their

accounts active? One wonders how much Madoff still has holed up there.

[dixiegrrrrl]

21. 'Zactly. How telling is THAT????

[Ruby the Liberal]

29. Eye opening, no?

I just hope he stays safe.

[EmilyKent]

15. Lisbeth Salander's Hacker Republic lives!

Govts have no idea what they're playing with.

Fire...to keep up the imagery. :rofl:

[TBF]

35. Love it! Go, Julian, go! nt

[Renew Deal]

30. You're cheering on criminal behavior?

That's a little embarrassing.

[kgnu_fan]

33. War crime is more than embarrassing. Wikileaks is trying to expose the system of international crime

And those money was given to Wikileaks by supporters. No bank should be interfering other people's money ....

[Renew Deal]

39. What does hacking a bank have to do with anything else you said?

[kgnu_fan]

50. wow, so dense I can not even open the door!

[Cerridwen]

34. I always wonder if people who post as you just did, would have -literally-

thrown Rosa Parks under the bus for breaking the law as it was "criminal behavior."

[Renew Deal]

40. Wikileaks is not Rosa Parks.

They're more Mike Tyson.

[Cerridwen]

42. At the time of Rosa Parks, she was not yet Rosa Parks. She was...

as some in that place and time would have said: nothing more than an "uppity ni**er."

History has not yet decided about WikiLeaks. That will be decided and written by "the winner."

[dana_b]

45. Rosa Parks made people

think about what is essentially wrong or right. She fought against a system that would push her down. She was a very smart woman.

Wikileaks is also bringing information to the forefront - they are showcasing the hypocrisy and cruelty of our imperialist country (I can't wait to see the B of A memoes). That is how I and I suspect many people view these people. Mike Tyson was a very physical and brutal fighter who, sorry to say, didn't appear too bright. Assange and his crew are wicked-smart.

[dixiegrrrrl]

36. As Jefferson said:

[the redcoat]

37. I'm not embarrassed.

"Illegal" means a lot of things, but it doesn't automatically mean "wrong."
In the same respect, "legal" does not automatically mean "right."

As long as people aren't hurt, I will "cheer" on any move that aims to cause trouble for institutions that just want to cover their own ass. Because what's "right" in the long run is that 99% of the world shows the top 1% that we don't just give up.

If that means cheering on criminal behavior, then fine, I'm cheering on criminal behavior.

[Bodhi BloodWave]

49. so, Assange lies about his residency

which goes against the rules of the bank that has some requirements to open an account.

Bank finds out about it and closes account(and having stated that it is Assange's money and he will be getting it back with no criminal charges from having mislead them)

Hacker group attacks said bank since they are Assange/wikileaks cheerleaders

People on DU cheer on the attack on an bank that simply enforced the rules that Assange(and if not him, then the lawyers whose address he used) knew about when they opened it.

Have i got the rough situation right?

[the redcoat]

54. Yep, that's about right.

[EmilyKent]

55. Neither of you are following this, I see.

[TBF]

38. You appear a b it confused about who the real criminals are -

hint Julian Assange is not the one authorizing the Drones ...

[Renew Deal]

41. Two wrongs don't make a right.

[TBF]

43. I don't think Julian did anything wrong. nt

[Ruby the Liberal]

44. Yeah, uh, they didn't rob the bank, they just shut it down for a while

Basically what they did (without warrant or cause) to Assange.

Whats it like in the ivory tower?

As for me, yeah - I am rooting them on. More power to them.

[Bodhi BloodWave]

51. so you support shutting down things that simply enforce the rules

they have set when others break them?

Assange lied about his residency, bank closes account due to breach, bank states its assange's money and he will be getting it back.

Seriously, everything isn't a massive conspiracy to take him down

[Ruby the Liberal]

53. Rules for one, rules for all.

Um, Swiss banks don't require residency. Ever heard of Swiss banking money laundering and tax havens/evasion?

Recall the whole IRS "clemency" over unreported Swiss accounts?


Thanks in advance for linked, verified information that they are releasing his funds.

[Bodhi BloodWave]

58. here is a link to an guardian article

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/dec/06/julian-assange-swiss-bank-account

WikiLeaks had advertised the PostFinance account details online to "donate directly to the Julian Assange and other WikiLeaks Staff Defence Fund," giving an account name of "Assange Julian Paul, Geneve".

A spokesman for the bank told the Associated Press the account was closed this afternoon, but added that there would be "no criminal consequences" for misleading authorities.

"That's his money, he will get his money back," he said. "We just close the account and that's it."

**
And my reason for the residency statement was this
http://msn.finance.com.my/index.php/rss/4502947

Wikileaks has advertised the PostFinance account details online to "donate directly to the Julian Assange and other WikiLeaks Staff Defence Fund," giving an account name of "Assange Julian Paul, Geneve."

"We have to find out if Julian Assange really does live in Geneva. In the process of checking we did not find his name in Geneva," PostFinance spokesman Marc Andrey told AFP, confirming a report in the NZZ am Sonntag newspaper.

*snip*

He explained that bank accounts were normally granted to Swiss residents or foreigners from areas nearby.

But for people from more distant countries such as Australia or the United States, they must have some kind of relationship with Switzerland, such as business ties or a house.

[Ruby the Liberal]

60. LOL!

Thanks for the press release. Appreciate it! Interesting to see them backpedal while actually doing nothing. I wouldn't have believed it.

*sigh*

I worked for UBS. You do NOT need a residence nor a relationship in Switzerland to open an account. I promise you. All you need is the promise of a pulse and a valid mailing address somewhere on planet earth.

Damage Control 101.

[TorchTheWitch]

62. likely depends on the type of account

Sounds to me like he wanted an account with low fees and less deposit amount requirements that the average Joe Local would have but that required certain residency status. Different types of accounts have different requirements.

Not everything is a conspiracy. Wikileaks just didn't have the foresight to realize that how they were managing their money influx could be put in jeopardy because of small things like this that would have gone unnoticed until someone let the service provider know about it. Just like PayPal. People get away with little cheats like this all the time until someone with an ax to grind blows the whistle on them. They should have prepared for that protected their money stream.

[ohheckyeah]

57. I suppose the timing of it is just

a coincidence? LOL

[Bodhi BloodWave]

59. i don't care about the timing in the slightest.

It might be convenient yes, but then Assange(or his lawyers) should know better then to use false information when opening accounts and such wouldn't you agree?

[frylock]

48. facebook page..

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Operation-Payback/159087537452278?v=wall

[Catherina]

56. Vive la resistance! n/t