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| STATE PRESS MAGAZINE |
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| STATE PRESS MAGAZINE |
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| STATE PRESS MAGAZINE |
by Christina Caldwell
published on Wednesday, April 9, 2008
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Members of the Internet-hacker group Anonymous are masking themselves to take down what they see as a corrupt organization: the Church of Scientology. This week, SPM meets some of the faces under the masks and uncovers what they are fighting against.
It’s an ominous scene reminiscent of the film “V for Vendetta.” On the night of March 5, a handful of people approach each other cautiously, making sure not to blow their cover. They have plans to band together, but remain on their guard.
Introducing themselves only by their Internet aliases, the group collectively wears masks of famous British traitor Guy Fawkes, known to them as “Epic Fail Guy,” or EFG, since Fawkes failed to blow up the British Parliament.
Passers-by give concerned and curious looks as a man in a black suit and tie comes storming around a corner with signs in hand, signs that reflect his attire. The group is about to start a “raid.”
They tape the large sign with the outline of a black suit and tie facing inward on a window outside Coor computer commons. 3/15/08 is the date written on the sign. They post fliers surrounding it, each one stating their intentions.
“Why should we consider Scientology a threat? Because they don’t pay taxes. Because they brainwash. Because they torture and murder their own followers. Because they infiltrated the FBI. Because they control large sums of money. Because they want to dominate the world. You wouldn’t support Charles Manson’s cult, so don’t support L. Ron Hubbard’s,” the sign says. “Brought to you by Anonymous.”
The group is a small, Phoenix-based portion of the world-renowned Internet group Anonymous, which made headlines when they declared war on the Church of Scientology in January.
Behind their mysterious name lies a complicated explanation of how the group came to be, and how they have cohesively rallied around a single cause — the dismantling of Scientology.
They call it Project Chanology.