While World Focuses on Facebook Attack, Anonymous Hackers Expose Brazilian Corruption

While the world's media continue to focus on a threatened attack on Facebook, Anonymous hackers have released fresh data exposing government corruption in Brazil.

On Wednesday, the hacker collective released a series of files allegedly proving corruption in the Brazilian government.

Links to the data were posted alongside a statement on the piratebay Web site claiming to have released "evidence revealing government coverup of a corruption investigation involving the CIA, the Brazilian telecom industry and multiple U.S. corporations."

The files were reportedly taken from evidence collected during Operation Satiagraha (a reference to Mahatma Gandhi's nonviolent action methods). The operation was an investigation into Brazilian Federal Police carried out from 2004 to 2008.

Led by Protógenes Queiroz, the original operation led to the arrest of numerous Brazilian bankers and financiers.

The attack and resulting data dump was reportedly done in protest of Queiroz's removal from the case and the alleged coverup that followed. Queiroz was reportedly removed from the case for failing to tell his superiors about the Secret Service's involvement.

After his removal, an investigation was mounted regarding his reported collaboration with the Secret Service and use of illegal wiretaps. Some of the data posted by Anonymous purports to be taken from the previously unreleased evidence files of this investigation.

The data posted showed transfers among numerous banks, listing the exact monetary amounts flowing between each company.

Alongside the data, Anonymous also posted charts showing the interrelations between each party involved, allegedly demonstrating how the financial figures tied together with the Brazilian government and demonstrated a corrupt use of public funds.

"We do not stand for government or parties. We stand for freedom, of people and information. We are releasing them to spread information, to allow the people to be heard and to know the corruption in their government. We are releasing them to bring power to the voice of the people of Brazil.

"We are releasing them to end the corruption that exists, and truly make those who are being oppressed free," read Anonymous' statement justifying the data's release.

Reported Facebook Attack

Meanwhile, an allegedly Anonymous-led attack on the social network giant Facebook was announced in a YouTube video called "Operation Facebook."

The video was done in Anonymous' usual style, using a computerized voice and a series of slide images and video footage to demonstrate the future target's past crimes. The speaker stated that Facebook would be hacked Nov. 5.

The video claimed the attack would aim to punish Facebook for infringing on its users' privacy.

The authenticity of the reported attack has since been questioned. A report from the AFP alleged that an Anonymous spokesman had contacted it playing down the significance of the video threat.

"I found groups of people who say we absolutely are and have a trick up our sleeves," commented the Anonymous spokesman. "I found others that say it isn't us and that this is stupid. This could be as dumb as one person making a video or as big as someone having already broken into the Facebook network."

Since then reports from a number of Twitter accounts have suggested that while some members of Anonymous may be in the process of organizing an attack on Facebook, not all the group's members supported it.