A suspected student hacker from Offaly arrested over a cyber plot by Anonymous and LulzSec, has been released without charge.
The son of an Irish politician, Donncha O’Cearrbhail (19), who uses the online alias palladium was detained in Dublin on Tuesday after his name appeared on a New York court charge sheet. He is suspected of being a member of Anonymous and LulzSec.
Anonymous is an online group of "hacktivists" from around the world who commit hacking attacks in support of various causes. LulzSec, short for Lulz Security is a similar small offshoot of Anonymous, who engaged in a numerous attacks during 2011.
The Trinity College student is being accused of tapping into a conference call which the FBI had with Irish police and other international agencies during an investigation into an international hacking ring last January.
He is also suspected of hacking into a police officer’s personal email and collecting details on the January conference call before secretly recording the conversation and sending it onto others.
He has been charged with a computer hacking conspiracy, which carries a maximum prison sentence of ten years. The teenager is also being charged with one count of intentionally disclosing an unlawfully intercepted wire communication, this offence carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
On Wednesday, a police spokesman confirmed the young man had been released from custody and a file was being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
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A second Irish student, 25-year-old Darren Martyn from Galway, was also named on the charge sheet issued by the US Attorney’s office. Martyn, who uses the hacker name pwnsause, has not been arrested.
In their absence, the two Irish men were charged with computer hacking offences at a federal court in New York.
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.McNamara31 | Mar 09, 2012, 11:59 AM EST
IrelandNorth All technologies have a potential for good and for bad. As I said in another post that first mentioned this group “I hope the CIA/FBI give these kids a job” so their skills could be used to prevent an occurrence when some other “hactivist” decides to possibly shut down a power grid or much worse. The article here in IC mentions in a benign way the past activity of this group however their past abilities have shown great open flaws in worldwide, security and financial databases which could if accessed create havoc. Regarding my political statements; can you deny the world operates globally, and it’s time for the politics in the "states" to realize that? I guess you haven't been watching the GOP debates or you would understand what I meant by politicians pandering to the fringe elements.
IrelandNorth | Mar 09, 2012, 08:15 AM EST
McNamara31! Steady on the political paranoia. Does "mentally deranged" and "fringe element" (sic) mean those who don't share your political theology. What if the fringe element is a democratic majority. Will that force you to reinterpret 'democracy' as subversive.
bogsidebunny | Mar 09, 2012, 07:51 AM EST
Nothing will happen to either brat. The Irish press has already branded them as "victims" and the press is singing their praises and relating what brilliant I.T. students they are. They will NEVER be extradited to the United States and will walk free as birds in Ireland. That's the way the system works. EVERYBODY is a victim.
Paradigm | Mar 08, 2012, 06:39 PM EST
Fair play to the Garda. While this young man should have his 'wrist smacked' it's fairly obvious that he won't be surrendered - like British Secretary of State Teresa May is contemplating re Gary McKinnon - to American "justice"; American gaol and male rape. Nor is he being kept for 10 yearsin psychological torture awaiting a decision.
Searlit | Mar 08, 2012, 05:15 PM EST
At least these young people are trying to do something about the corruption. The authorities let the banks and destructive corporations run wild.
bunkerhill | Mar 08, 2012, 03:54 PM EST
I sincerely hope this is not payback time against the Irish for the fact that Liam O'Murchu discovered and tracked the government (or governments) that set up the program to alter Iranian centerfuges. The Progam discovered was going to go on free and clear to far more destruction. General Hayden appeared on the "60 Minutes" smiling with a seemingly tongue in cheek approval of what happened. Why is it okay for some countries and people to hack and not for others? Why is it okay for some countries to stockpile nuclear weapons and not for others? For myself I want to know about the destructive hacking Liam O'Murchu uncovered and who was responsible before I would be bringing young Irish students into court. Could it possibly be payback for what Liam O'Murchu uncovered. It is like having a bully in a playground attacking children at will while all the teachers look on approvingly. God Bless the Peacemakers and that is the word of Jesus Christ.
McNamara31 | Mar 08, 2012, 09:30 AM EST
Welcome to the new global world where teenagers sitting in their room can hack into the CIA, the U.S. Senate, the Vatican, Visa, Master Card, Interpol and take down Sony playstations for days, all while mum’s cooking dinner in the next room. This is just the beginning. The real threat worldwide to government security, power grids, financial markets "and all" are Cyber attacks that can be orchestrated by teenagers with these special sets of skills. As the politics in the states spends more and more time talking issues that will take them back to some imaginary place in their minds, these real and true dangers are growing throughout the world. What's next a mentally deranged "hacktivist" who breaks into a super powers weapons system and holds the entire world hostage? It could happen. This is the perfect moment to wake up American politics. For far too long conservatives have pandered to a “fringe element” who has our political system completely polarized. For once and for all we all have to realize this is a new world with new global threats so get the focus off the guns, and women’s issues, and “taking your country back” and join in with the facts and the knowledge that preparing ourselves for this new world will require.