26/06/2011
By Scott Thompson
Just days after declaring war on the banking sector, hackers Lulz Security have announced they are to disband. The collective issued a statement over the weekend, in which it referred to its crew of six and said its 50 day adventure was done.
The statement said: "While we are responsible for everything that The Lulz Boat is, we are not tied to this identity permanently. Behind this jolly visage of rainbows and top hats, we are people. People with a preference for music, a preference for food; we have varying taste in clothes and television, we are just like you. Even Hitler and Osama Bin Laden had these unique variations and style, and isn't that interesting to know? The mediocre painter turned supervillain liked cats more than we did."
It continued: "Our planned 50 day cruise has expired, and we must now sail into the distance, leaving behind - we hope - inspiration, fear, denial, happiness, approval, disapproval, mockery, embarrassment, thoughtfulness, jealousy, hate, even love. If anything, we hope we had a microscopic impact on someone, somewhere. Anywhere."
A few days earlier, Lulz Security had set its sights on the banking sector, claiming that its top priority was "to steal and leak any classified government information, including email spools and documentation. Prime targets are banks and other high-ranking establishments. If they try to censor our progress, we will obliterate the censor with cannonfire anointed with lizard blood."
Last week, it rubbished suggestions that Ryan Cleary, the teenager arrested for website attacks in a joint Scotland Yard and FBI probe, was connected to the collective. It tweeted: "Seems the glorious leader of LulzSec got arrested, it's all over now... wait... we're all still here! Which poor bastard did they take down?" But it is believed that the arrest shook the hackers and led to them bailing out.
