back to article nCircle purges posts after researcher's arrest for explosives

Security and compliance firm nCircle quietly purged several blog posts written by a former researcher who was arrested this week by Canadian authorities in charge of securing the G8 and G20 summits taking place in Ontario. Byron Sonne, a certified information systems security professional who has been highly visible in research …

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  1. Anonymous Coward
    Grenade

    Oh no!

    "ingredients to make powerful explosives commonly associated with terrorist bombings -- So, that would be what? Nail polish remover and hair bleach?

    I've never seen a list of so many obviously bogus charges in one place.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Stop

      Re: list... bogus charges

      Obviously, you have never seen an arrest booking for "dangerous" mind crimi... domestic terrorists. Arrest bookings are usually many times more (and more serious) charges than what is actually charged for trials.

  2. JC 2
    WTF?

    Tunnel Vision

    "It's an overreaction to arrest someone and his wife and rip their house out for 24 hours for a bunch of Tweets and stuff he bought online. "They're treating him like he's Timothy McVeigh."

    Yeah, I'm sure it was the tweets not the explosives, therefore a search of the property was entirely uncalled for... we just needed him to tweet "I'm innocent" and that's the end of it.

    1. I didn't do IT.
      FAIL

      Re: tweets not the explosives

      You do realize that if you buy ...[Self censored to keep from having this post deleted]... or any combination of over 3000 common household products, foods, or consumer items. That's for a simple grocery store - [American mass retail chain] would be considered a terrorist wonderland of bomb making materials.

      Since they can't control the products (cutting into retail business, mind), they must control the information - "sorry guv, too dumb here to ken yur talking about"... but obviously if you buy a product from secret column A and one from secret column B, you are a clever terrorist that must be watched... instead of some poor shmoe picking up Mother's spring gardening trifles when you pop out for some toiletries.

      Isn't it in England now where certain brands of plant food are now banned due to concerns about people getting high off of it?

  3. Mr Grumblefish

    High Explosives

    and potato guns.

    So he's either a terrorist mastermind or a naughty schoolboy.

    Or the security services are over-reacting as usual.

  4. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    LOL Weev a hacker

    More like a bored sysadmin. He bigs himself up enough on Encyclopedia Dramatica without your help. Goatse Security my arse. He ain't no hacker. Get a grip.

  5. frank ly
    WTF?

    The Horror!

    "... possessing potato guns with the aim of endangering the public..."

    Hanging's too good for that sort!

  6. Aaron Em

    Even Canada? Jesus.

    The whole English-speaking world is going mad.

    1. Trevor_Pott Gold badge
      Unhappy

      Don't think of our Prime Minister as Canadian...

      ...the Americans bought and paid for him a very long time ago.

  7. Anonymous Coward
    Pirate

    Viva la revolucion!

    What a story! Reg readers and commentards, do follow the links for a fuller and deeper appreciation.

    Dan, please stay on top of this amazing story as it unfolds. Keep us posted, because inquiring minds will need to know.

    Sonne sounds like a good old-fashioned hactivist, who has now seriously tickled the belly of the beast. Unfortunately for him and his s.o., "el hombre" don't like that AT ALL.

    I hope the couple's arrest (on somewhat intriguing and vague charges) does not progress beyond a simple "preventive detention" and wrist slapping (BTW what IS the current penalty for being an expert wise-ass?).

    But in today's climate...who can say? South of the border, they could both be wearing orange jumpsuits after a little intensive "therapy" in some tax-payer funded building.

    Then again, ordering components that could be used to make explosives along with potato guns (and then blogging and tweeting about why and how he did so), was probably just that one step too far...even if he was licensed.

    Sadly, the current security "paradigm" that has made this event possible is also helping to bleed Western civilization dry. It is not really improving "security" and may even be helping some real bad guys win some serious points and supporters. The world wiil never be completely safe from dedicated nut-cases, particularly if we keep electing them.

    Our governments will continually try and bankrupt our economies to make us feel safer. Part of that process involves making the public feel "unsafe", otherwise why would we have to spend all this money?

    It's time to roll back this nonsense. I for one, do not feel particularly safer today, despite our governments' best (and expensive) efforts, au contraire.

    In fact today, I suspect that a seriously large number of people are feeling a lot poorer and less safer to boot. Isn't it time for a re-think?

    Before the flames descend, note that I do NOT believe civil disobedience or protest should regress into the destruction of private or public property or anything else that threatens human life or safety. Even in what is left of our democratically elected surveillance-societies, there is still a line that is best not crossed.

    And yet, I often wonder how long it will be before that line finally shifts too far (in either direction). As such, this man's case needs to be watched closely, by all who care about such things.

    Mr. Sonne was definitely tight rope walking on this invisible line, but I am not sure he should be arrested for it. In fact, I would prefer to see him interviewed by more mainstream journalists and maybe run for office. its time to talk about these things in the open.

    To be fair, some G-n protests have turned pretty nasty in the past (which explains the Canuck authorities reaction to this guy, no doubt encouraged by Big Brother). Yet this will start happening now more and more, in today's ever safer and more secure (and more restricted) universe. Kind of gives you a warm and fuzzy feeling all over, doesn't it?

    For a comparison, look at what happened in Geneva, Switzerland during a previous G-conference. Remember that Geneva is a place where professional/amateur radicals and revolutionaries (and a few fringe nuts) prefer to use democratic referendums to implement their nefarious ideas and proposals (as opposed to "direct action/activism"). The nice thing about this is that the Swiss political system will allow a publc referendum once you get 100,000 signatures. It simply reeks of direct democracy and people power. Their president is elected for one year and kept deliberately weak. Most people couldn't name the current Swiss president if they tried. They also police their population quite effectively and safely.

    When the Swiss saw people (many bussed in from out of town) breaking windows and setting cars on fire in one of their many quiet city centers (assisted by local yobs who were probably bored by the constant peace and quiet) they were shocked, to put it mildly. It was definitely not cool. I believe that's because the Swiss have other ways to protest before they reach for bandanas and baseball bats.

    So I have some sympathy reserved for clever pranksters and thinkers like Byron because they can bring their government's many shortcomings into a glaring spotlight for all to see. It successfully re-quashes the "security by obscurity" myth with a resounding crunch.

    Gentlemen and Ladies, it is now exam time:

    Tricky question 1: how many G-20 countries routinely use public referendums as part of their political and democratic process? Brownie points for the closest answer and a year's supply of vinegar soaked hankerchiefs.

    Tricky question 2: how much G-20 public spending over the last 10 years has been devoted to improving "security" (public and military adventures included). A box of free hankerchiefs (no tear gas will be needed here) for anything approaching a remotely accurate answer. I suspect it won't be re-assuring. value: x

    Tricky question 3: Has global G-20 GDP increased or decreased over the last 10 years and if so by how much ? value: y

    Tricky question 4: If x = y or if x > y how much longer can the current world economic system sustain this progression before disappearing into the abyss? Please provide a graph that demonstrates your answer.

    Tricky question 5: if x < y, please check you calculator. Also provide a graph that demonstrates your answer.

    Dear G-20 countries you now have 60 minutes to fill in your test papers. With all the computer power you have devoted to fighting terrorism, it should be no problem for you to pull up a few trivial economic statistics. Feel free to share your answers amongst fellow students but no fighting or cheating, please. Stats may come from officially published sources only. Remember that this is a group effort.

    A second examination where you may use "non-official" sources will follow next week.

  8. Johnny Canuck

    hacker club

    He is also a member of HackLabTO, which dubs itself "Toronto's hacker collective".

    http://hacklab.to/

  9. Anonymous Coward
    WTF?

    This stinks

    > collecting ingredients to make powerful explosives commonly associated with terrorist bombings

    Yeah, me too. TATP can be made from common household chemicals so that would probably go for many of us. Anyone with a fireplace in their home could be charged with this.

    > possessing potato guns with the aim of endangering the public

    Deary me. A *potato* gun. Very nearly a WMD, that is. Saddam had plans for building one, or so they say. Burn him, BUUURN him! Is rule-of-law dead yet...?

    BTW: roll != role.

  10. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Only one thing to do, really.

    Document as much of the G20 security measures as possible, as publicly as possible.

  11. Anonymous Coward
    WTF?

    WTF?

    ...a spud gun?! Seriously, a toy? Or am I missing something here?

    Back in the day when I was a wee one, I recall owning a toy gun...a fantastical toy gun that could not only fire spuds, but water and caps also. I'm sure it claimed to fire around five different forms of 'ammunition' but can't for the life of me remember what they were...

    I don't think the marketing folk were including the bodily fluids and other unsavoury things me and my brother 'adapted' our guns for either.

    Anonymous, because obviously I could be up on a charge for past possession of such a dangerous terrorist weapon.

    1. Pablo
      Boffin

      Probably

      They're most likely referring to a different device from the one you're thinking of. You're might be imagining a toy that shoot small plugs of potato. I'm assuming they're talking about a potato *cannon*, which fires whole potatoes.

      It's still more toy than terrorist weapon though, albeit a somewhat dangerous, adult-supervision-required kind of toy.

    2. Rob Morley

      re: WTF?

      "...a spud gun?! Seriously, a toy? Or am I missing something here?"

      I suspect the sort of spud gun you're thinking of fires little bits of potato, rather than whole ones. The big ones are usually constructed from plastic plumbing fittings and use propane or butane as a propellant, there's plenty about them on the interweb - just search for potato cannon.

  12. solarian
    Thumb Up

    Nice one boys

    I'm so relieved this dangerous potato-gun wielding maniac is off the streets, who knows what "mischief" he might have attempted otherwise! Let's hope they nab Dennis the Menace too, who must surely still be in the area.

  13. Keith T
    Megaphone

    We can thank former PM Jean Chrétien, a Liberal Party of Canada PM, for this

    Liberal supporters here in Canada may want to hold PM Harper responsible for this draconian bit of police state legislation.

    But Google gathers evidence showing it was a former Liberal Party PM, PM Jean Chrétien, who was responsible for passing it.

    http://www2.parl.gc.ca/HousePublications/Publication.aspx?DocId=2330911&Language=e&Mode=1&File=22

    The "Liberal Party of Canada" is about as concerned with liberal ideals as UK's "New Labour" is concerned with employed people, or as the USA's "Neo Cons" are concerned with small government and individual rights.

    1. Trevor_Pott Gold badge

      @Keith T

      Chretien was nuts, and he was for sale. Towards the end he wasn't even bothering to hide the fact that he was owned by the Americans. He was also starting to suffer pretty publicly from senility.

      The difference here is that Harper has *always* been owned by the Americans. As soon as he got into power, any pretence fell, and he has bent over backwards for them repeatedly.

      He has the choice to implement Chretien’s batshit insane anti=protest regulations, or not to. After the protests in Vancouver, the fact that he chose to turn he dial up to 11 on these regulations indicated a complete disregard for both public safety and public opinion. Protests were going to happen. There is simply no way they could have been avoided. Ata a meeting of influential powers like this, there is always someone who is irked.

      Harper could have instructed his security forces to ensure the protestors were safe, the politicians were safe, but otherwise left then to voice their opinions as they should be allowed to do in a proper democracy. Instead, he moved the protestors out of sight, and clamped down on them so hard that they have lashed out and pushed back.

      Regardless of who created the legislation, Harper danced when his strings were pulled, and he used this legislation to the full extent of his abilities. I do very much so hold him responsible for that and I hope that at the next election, the rest of Canada does too.

      Politicians are like socks. They all eventually get dirty, they should be changed often, and no one really cares if you lose one down the dryer.

      Time for Harper to go. Maybe his replacement will be just a little bit less crap.

  14. Kevin 6
    FAIL

    my god

    "associated with terrorist bombings and possessing potato guns with the aim of endangering the public."

    Funny he's being charged with collecting ingredients to make a bomb, which could kill thousands... But their worried about a spud gun that could endanger the public

    hmm bomb or spud gun wonder which is more dangerous...

    This has got to be the most trumped up charges I've read in a long time. That or Canadians are deathly afraid of spud guns

  15. Owen Carter
    WTF?

    Why Just canada...

    In the UK it's not unknown for the police to essentially act as an extension of powerful violent interest groups: http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/video/2010/jun/25/surveillance-state-domestic-extremists

    Story from yesterday; these are the actions of a Police State.

  16. Destroy All Monsters Silver badge
    Unhappy

    Briging back the "compliant" into "compliance"

    "Security and compliance firm nCircle quietly purged several blog posts written by a former researcher."

    Yeah. How's the work as doormat going?

  17. Anonymous Coward
    Black Helicopters

    spud gun==explosives

    me thinks you need explosives of some sort (even if only a tiny amount) to make a spud gun work. doesn't take much to be classed as a terrorist by the powers that be in this brave new world. even if the case is dropped later on plenty of stress/damage would have been done to this guy's family - a good lesson for anyone else thinking of causing trouble.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Happy

      Re: me thinks you need explosives

      Actually, no. You don't "need" explosives - and any you would need would simply be ones sold by retail - a small Bic(tm) lighter, for instance.

      Most nowadays (around here) are done with compressed air (or generated CO2) in a water bottle expressly BECAUSE using a lighter to do more then fire a fag will get you nicked. Remember you get more thrust if you still have some water in it...

      Best REAL charge I have seen involving any spud chucker was "disturbing the peace" when one was "fired" in my neighborhood during the wee hours. Even with the CO2, there is a satisfying "thud" from the launch.

  18. Maty
    Grenade

    whole potatoes are nasty

    Especially if the person firing them uses several old-fashioned razor blades, each with one half pushed lengthways into the potato.

    I've seen these impaled on the end of a whippy stick and 'fired' - the potato can easily travel 100m. They are NOT toys. What they would be like fired from a 'potato gun' don't bear thinking about.

  19. Tom 13

    Not surprised given Canada's penchant for gun confiscation.

    When the cops lose sight of the fact objects don't kill people miscreants do, there's no telling what they will charge you with.

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