Anonymous to 'cure the Isis virus' with #OpISIS campaign attacking hundreds of online accounts

The hacktivist collective Anonymous claims it has "exposed and destroyed" more than a thousand online accounts, email addresses and websites linked to the Islamic State (Isis) terrorist group as part of its on-going #OpISIS campaign.

In a statement, Anonymous describes itself as a diverse group of "Muslims Christians and Jews" from "all races, countries, religions, and ethnicity".

Adding: "Remember, the terrorists that are calling themselves Islamic State (IS) are not Muslims. ISIS, we will hunt you, take down your sites, accounts, emails, and expose you. From now on, no safe place for you online."

The group also said that it was the solution to the problem of IS:

You will be treated like a virus, and we are the cure

The list of accounts which have been "exposed and destroyed" include over 800 Twitter accounts which are divided between primary targets which have over 10,000 followers and secondary targets.

The list also includes remarks about some of the individual accounts, including mentioning that the Twitter "khatabamazigh" is "a hacker for ISIS" while "SparHacker3" has threatened to kill members of Anonymous if they don't stop closing accounts.

While IBTimes UK has checked some of the accounts, we have yet to verify that all listed accounts are no longer in operation or were being used previously.

Brainwashing

There is also a list of 12 Facebook accounts which Anonymous says have been "keeping contact with the terrorists (ISIS) in Syria & Iraq" including one woman who reportedly "brainwashed young people to go to Syria to fight alongside terrorists of the Islamic State."

Anonymous also published hundreds of emails, IP addresses and VPN connections which it claims belong to people associated with IS.

The hacktivist group has also promised there is more to come as part of its #OpISIS campaign.

Anonymous first revealed its plans to target jihadists' presence online on 9 January in revenge for the attack on Charlie Hebdo.

"Freedom of expression has suffered an inhuman assault," the group said at the time. "Sickened, shocked, we cannot fall to the ground. It is our duty to react. It is clear that some people do not want, in a free world, this inviolable and sacred right to freely express opinions. Anonymous will never let this right be violated by obscurantism and mysticism. We will always fight the enemies of freedom of expression everywhere."