Anonymous Threatens Mexico’s Murderous Drug Lords

Wired: The hactivist group Anonymous has previously targeted corporations and government entities, but now they’re taking on the Mexican drug cartel Zetas. In an online video, an Anonymous spokesperson says that unless Zetas releases the Anonymous member they kidnapped, the group will release the photos, names and addresses of Zetas-affiliated police officers and taxi drivers.

Experts warn that taking action against the drug lords could have much more serious consequences than launching a cyberattack against a corporate Web server. “Loss of life will be a certain consequence if Anonymous releases the identities of individuals cooperating with cartels,” says the private intelligence firm Stratfor. “Anonymous activists can threaten to reveal information about cartels or launch cyberattacks. But even if the cartels cannot track down the individuals directing cyberattacks or releasing information, the cartels will continue to commit acts of violence meant to warn the online community about such activities.”