The Anonymous hacking group has declared “war” on the Turkish government over its belief it is supporting the Islamic State, or ISIS.
The group took responsibility for a recent cyberattack that hit Turkey’s Internet, taking around 400,000 websites offline, reported the Independent newspaper.
Experts told the Telegraph it wasn’t clear who was behind the cyberattacks on Turkish websites that lasted Dec. 14 to Dec. 21. Nic.tr said the attacks originated from “outside Turkey.”
“While both the size and duration of the attack are notable, neither is unheard of. We don’t have enough information to start speculating on whether this is related to specific countries or which kind of group or single individual may be behind it,” Artturi Lehtio with Finland-based internet security company F-secure, told the Telegraph.
Anonymous said it will continue to wage war against Ankara.
“As many of you have heard, Turkey is supporting Daesh [ISIS] by buying oil from them and hospitalising their fighters,” Anonymous claimed.
“We won’t accept that [President Recep Tayyip] Erdogan, the leader of Turkey, will help Isis any longer. The news media has already stated that Turkey’s internet has been the victim of massive DDoS attacks.”
“Dear Government of Turkey, if you don’t stop supporting ISIS, we will continue attacking your internet, your root DNS [the foundation of Turkey’s internet], your banks and take your government sites down.”
“After the root DNS we will start to hit your airports, military assets and private state connections. We will destroy your critical banking infrastructure.”
“Stop this insanity now, Turkey. Your fate is in your hands.”
It isn’t the first time Turkish websites have been attacked. The Syrian Electronic Army, which supports President Bashar al-Assad, said it had broken into government email accounts.
The attacks come just weeks after Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed Erdogan’s family was involved in illegal oil trade with ISIS. His comments were delivered after Turkey downed a Russian fighter plane on Nov. 24.
“Implicating my family with these accusations is especially immoral,” Erdogan said at the time.
On Wednesday, Russian media outlets, including state-funded RT, said a Turkish official essentially has made an “official acknowledgment” over the downing of the Su-24 plane in November.
“When on November 24 the Turkish fighter jet treacherously fired a rocket at our Su-24, the Turkish General Staff was perfectly aware about when and where our two bombers would be carrying out their mission,” ministry spokesman Major General Igor Konashenkov said Wednesday, according to RT.
Meanwhile, Anonymous and other hackers have been going after ISIS websites and Twitter accounts after the terrorist group in Iraq and Syria claimed responsibility for the Paris terror attacks in November that left 130 people dead.
