Anonymous threatens to reveal names of 1,000 Ku Klux Klan members

Hacker group Anonymous has promised to reveal the identities of “about 1,000” Ku Klux Klan (KKK) members on the anniversary of the Ferguson protests.

The #OPKKK campaign marks the so-called “hacktivist” group’s second cyber attack against the white supremacist group, both sparked by the KKK’s threat to use lethal force against protesters waiting for a grand jury decision on possible charges against Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson, who shot and killed unarmed black teenager Michael Brown in August 2014.

“After closely observing so many of you for so very long, we feel confident that applying transparency to your organizational cells is the right, just, appropriate and only course of action,” Anonymous said in a press release issued Tuesday.

“You are terrorists that hide your identities beneath sheets and infiltrate society on every level. The privacy of the Ku Klux Klan no longer exists in cyberspace. You’ve had blood on your hands for nearly 200 years.”

Anonymous maintains that the goal of the operation is strictly digital, noting in its press release that the group is non-violent. The group claims it will release the identities of “about 1,000” Klan members, Ghoul Squad affiliates and “other close associates of various factions of the Ku Klux Klan across the Unites States.”

The group has already leaked the name of a North Carolina woman they claim to be affiliated with the KKK, along with her address, email and phone number, on Twitter.

According to a tweet sent on Oct. 22, Anonymous obtained the names after a group member gained access to a Klan Twitter account.

In mid-November 2014 during the Ferguson riots, the KKK distributed fliers warning protestors they had “awakened a sleeping giant” and threatened violence against activists.

In response, Anonymous waged cyber war on the group, taking over the KKK’s Twitter account and forcing some of the supremacy group’s websites offline using Distributed Denial of Service attacks.

Anonymous’ most recent press release does not mention a specific date it plans to release the names.

“You once told Anonymous that we awakened a sleeping giant within you. We are here to remind you once again — you summoned an unslayable dragon. Anonymous is an idea. This fight will go on as long as it has to,” read the release.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "You once told Anonymous that we awakened a sleeping giant within you. We are here to remind you once again — you summoned an unslayable dragon. Anonymous is an idea. This fight will go on as long as it has to," read the release.