Anonymous Hackers Remain Defiant as Arrested Ex-Members Agree to Help Authorities

At least four of the 21 suspected Anonymous hackers arrested in the UK, Netherlands and the U.S. have reportedly agreed to help the authorites track down other Anonymous and LulzSec members. The news broke just days after the initial arrests were made.

DutchNews.nl reported that the four men arrested in The Netherlands were actively helping the Dutch Police in their investigations. The four men were all reportedly released from custody by the public prosecution department last Friday.

The report suggested that the men had been released due to their cooperation and willingness to help the Dutch authorities in their investigation, and each of the four were said to have made full statements about their hacking exploits and interactions with both Anonymous and LulzSec to the Dutch police.

In response to the news, both Anonymous and LulzSec posted a series of tweets.

Starting late on Friday the opening tweets -- which have since been re-posted on the AnonymousIRC page numerous times -- read:

"Let us remind you, FBI: Your threats to arrest us are meaningless to us as you cannot arrest an idea. http://bit.ly/pSPRKQ #AntiSec #Voice."

"You WILL not arrest an idea. #Anonymous #AntiSec Talk to your citizens, in honest peace and it will all stop. #Voice"

The final tweet read: "We are not worried about snitches anymore. Because we simply tell them the truth. We can afford to. #AntiSec LET US ALL UNITE! #Voice"

The tweet has widely been taken as a confirmation that at least some of the individuals arrested last week are connected to the group and are now working against Anonymous.

In its usually helpful manner, Anonymous brother-in-arms LulzSec tweeted about the arrests: "Arresting people won't stop us, FBI. We will only cease fire when you all wear shoes on your heads. That's the only way this is ending."

Since the arrests, both hacker groups have continued to mount attacks and release data in the name of AntiSec. The AntiSec name refers to the two groups in the ongoing Operation Anti-Security.

Running in tandem, the two groups also responded to a statement posted by the FBI. In the response, the two addressed several key practices they held as contemptible: these included a reaffirmation of their belief that governments and groups should not try to moderate or censor the internet.