CBS/AP/ January 26, 2013, 12:47 PM

Hackers take over gov't website to avenge Swartz

This screenshot shows the website of the U.S. Sentencing Commission after it was hijacked by the hacker-activist group Anonymous, early Saturday, Jan. 26, 2013, to avenge the death of Aaron Swartz, an Internet activist who committed suicide. The website of the commission, an independent agency of the judicial branch, was replaced with a message warning that when Swartz killed himself two weeks ago "a line was crossed."

This screenshot shows the website of the U.S. Sentencing Commission after it was hijacked by the hacker-activist group Anonymous, early Saturday, Jan. 26, 2013, to avenge the death of Aaron Swartz, an Internet activist who committed suicide. The website of the commission, an independent agency of the judicial branch, was replaced with a message warning that when Swartz killed himself two weeks ago "a line was crossed." / AP Photo

Last Updated 12:47 p.m. ET

WASHINGTON The hacker-activist group Anonymous says it hijacked the website of the U.S. Sentencing Commission to avenge the death of Aaron Swartz, an Internet activist who committed suicide.

The website of the commission, an independent agency of the judicial branch, was taken over early Saturday and replaced with a message warning that when Swartz killed himself two weeks ago "a line was crossed."

The message read in part:

Citizens of the world,
Anonymous has observed for some time now the trajectory of justice in the United States with growing concern. We have marked the departure of this system from the noble ideals in which it was born and enshrined. We have seen the erosion of due process, the dilution of constitutional rights, the usurpation of the rightful authority of courts by the "discretion" or prosecutors. We have seen how the law is wielded less and less to uphold justice, and more and more to exercise control, authority and power in the interests of oppression or personal gain."

The hackers say they've infiltrated several government computer systems and copied secret information that they now threaten to make public.

Family and friends of Swartz, who helped create Reddit and RSS, say he killed himself after he was hounded by federal prosecutors.

Officials say he helped post millions of court documents for free online and that he illegally downloaded millions of academic articles from an online clearinghouse.

By mid-morning Saturday the website was offline.

The FBI's Richard McFeely, executive assistant director of the Criminal, Cyber, Response, and Services Branch, said in a statement that "we were aware as soon as it happened and are handling it as a criminal investigation. We are always concerned when someone illegally accesses another person's or government agency's network."

© 2013 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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JDSP says:
I can't help wondering if this is a "inside job" set up and faked to provide excuses to restrict the internet and free speech.....We will see I guess.
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Alice_Polarbear1 says:
Read this and draw your own conclusions:

http://www.kfbk.com/cc-common/news/sections/newsarticle.html?feed=104668&article=10711513

A few years ago, I would have scorned Anonymous and its actions but sad to say, we are no longer a nation by the people for the people. We are the RULED.
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DanielCocciardi says:
They must think we are so stupid. Anonymous is working for the FBI. They are a fake. It's not that hard to catch a hacker. Don't you think the authorities would have shut them down by now? Look at all the positive press coverage for Anonymous. They are just provocateurs. The Feds operate this way. They call it being "proactive".
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Ambivalent11 says:
This just in from CNN: Diane Feinstein will be introducing legislation to ban certain types of keyboards and too much bandwidth.
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anderann says:
There has been a degradation of our constitution. The next four years will be catastrophic. I do not condone anything illegal but must contend that these hackers may be our only hope. The media has sold out to something....what? What is controlling the media and Obama? Who is controlling them? Who paid for Obama's college, who pays the salaries of the news executives? These are the questions I hope Anonymous releases to the public.
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Dororhy_ says:
Talk going around that this fellow's passing was a message to the Israeli rulership that the messiah is not to be toyed with. I.e., he was a wet op. Is it true? Research it.
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kgrant7858 says:
Hackers take over gov't website to avenge Swartz

' It's Not Nice to **** of the Hackers '

TRUTH

Keith Grant

TRUTHABOUTHTHECIA.ORG
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the_cold_truth says:
THIS was a "line that was crossed"? What about the attacks on our First and Fourth Amendment rights? What about the current attacks on our 2nd Amendment rights? Yet it was the suicide of some guy who (let's be honest) is not that well known outside of the internet that pushed them to this point? Yes, our federal government is out of control and it needs to be stopped, but what took Anonymous so long? Sounds like they care more about "one of their own" than actually caring about our rights like they claim to.
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john90210 says:
why would you say AnonYmous claims to have took it over & hijacked the website of the U.S. Sentencing Commission. by looking at the website they certainly took it over and hijack. But the headline is good most accurate so far.
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MarkDavisMD says:
I warned everyone in Demons of Democracy concerning the erosion of due process and prosecutorial misconduct. Swartz's death was needless. Read the other warnings. Mark Davis MD
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