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Agence France Presse
January 7, 2012 Saturday 1:56 AM GMT
Turkish hackers target French websites before genocide vote
ISTANBUL, Jan 7 2012
Turkish hackers are threatening to unleash a wave of cyber attacks
against French websites after lawmakers in Paris voted to approve a
law that would ban the denial of the Armenian genocide.
Already, hackers have assailed dozens of French websites, including
that of Valerie Boyer, the French politician who introduced the law
that could punish genocide deniers with jail time.
Some attacks have been blamed on a hacking group known as AyYildiz,
which says it fights for Turkish values.
"AyYildiz has nothing against the French," he said. "But if this
carries on, there will be far more serious attacks from many groups,"
said Ishak Telli, a spokesman for the group.
The French lower house approved the law pn December 22 and the Senate
is expected to vote on it by the end of January.
If it is enacted, anyone denying that the 1915-1917 massacre of
Armenians by Ottoman Turk forces amounted to genocide could face jail
time.
Telli said hackers could initiate attacks causing millions of euros in damage.
"You can close commercial and banking sites," Telli said. "You can
take down government websites ... The AyYildiz team has that
capability."
Ankara reacted angrily when the National Assembly passed the bill,
quickly freezing political and military ties with France. Turkey
withdrew its ambassador to Paris, but embassy officials say he will
return Monday to monitor the Senate's handling of the bill.
Starting in 1915, during World War I, many thousands of Armenians died
in Ottoman Turkey. Armenia says 1.5 million were killed in a genocide
where many perished after being forced to march into the desert
without adequate supplies.
Turkey says around 500,000 died in fighting after Armenians sided with
Russian invaders.
France recognised the killings as a genocide in 2001, but the new bill
would punish anyone who denies this with a year in jail and a fine of
45,000 euros ($60,000).
Modern Turkey is still very sensitive about the issue, and has accused
France of attacking freedom of expression and free historical enquiry.
Akincilar, another Turkish hacking group, was blamed on attacking
Boyer's site and that of French-Armenian politician Patrick Devedjian.
Such lawmakers would do better to "study Ottoman history," the group
said in a video sent to AFP.
"Our goal is to expose the arrogance shown by France when it
legislates in its own parliament about the affairs of other
countries," the group said.
Web hacking is illegal in Turkey and hackers run the risk of prison.
But for those that do it, hijacking a website attacking Turkish
beliefs and morals is not a crime, and no nationalist hacker has been
targeted by authorities, said Ozgur Uckan, new media expert at the
Istanbul Bilgi University.
"This type of hacking isn't really punished," Uckan said. "But if they
attack Turkish government sites, the police will do everything in
their power ... It's a kind of double standard."
January 7, 2012 Saturday 1:56 AM GMT
Turkish hackers target French websites before genocide vote
ISTANBUL, Jan 7 2012
Turkish hackers are threatening to unleash a wave of cyber attacks
against French websites after lawmakers in Paris voted to approve a
law that would ban the denial of the Armenian genocide.
Already, hackers have assailed dozens of French websites, including
that of Valerie Boyer, the French politician who introduced the law
that could punish genocide deniers with jail time.
Some attacks have been blamed on a hacking group known as AyYildiz,
which says it fights for Turkish values.
"AyYildiz has nothing against the French," he said. "But if this
carries on, there will be far more serious attacks from many groups,"
said Ishak Telli, a spokesman for the group.
The French lower house approved the law pn December 22 and the Senate
is expected to vote on it by the end of January.
If it is enacted, anyone denying that the 1915-1917 massacre of
Armenians by Ottoman Turk forces amounted to genocide could face jail
time.
Telli said hackers could initiate attacks causing millions of euros in damage.
"You can close commercial and banking sites," Telli said. "You can
take down government websites ... The AyYildiz team has that
capability."
Ankara reacted angrily when the National Assembly passed the bill,
quickly freezing political and military ties with France. Turkey
withdrew its ambassador to Paris, but embassy officials say he will
return Monday to monitor the Senate's handling of the bill.
Starting in 1915, during World War I, many thousands of Armenians died
in Ottoman Turkey. Armenia says 1.5 million were killed in a genocide
where many perished after being forced to march into the desert
without adequate supplies.
Turkey says around 500,000 died in fighting after Armenians sided with
Russian invaders.
France recognised the killings as a genocide in 2001, but the new bill
would punish anyone who denies this with a year in jail and a fine of
45,000 euros ($60,000).
Modern Turkey is still very sensitive about the issue, and has accused
France of attacking freedom of expression and free historical enquiry.
Akincilar, another Turkish hacking group, was blamed on attacking
Boyer's site and that of French-Armenian politician Patrick Devedjian.
Such lawmakers would do better to "study Ottoman history," the group
said in a video sent to AFP.
"Our goal is to expose the arrogance shown by France when it
legislates in its own parliament about the affairs of other
countries," the group said.
Web hacking is illegal in Turkey and hackers run the risk of prison.
But for those that do it, hijacking a website attacking Turkish
beliefs and morals is not a crime, and no nationalist hacker has been
targeted by authorities, said Ozgur Uckan, new media expert at the
Istanbul Bilgi University.
"This type of hacking isn't really punished," Uckan said. "But if they
attack Turkish government sites, the police will do everything in
their power ... It's a kind of double standard."