The distributed denial of service (DDoS) campaign launched by Anonymous against Tunisian government websites called Operation:Tunisia has completely backfired by putting the lives of the people Anonymous claims to be helping at risk.
Reporters Without Borders issued statements protesting the apparent crackdown on local activists by the Tunisian government.
According to the organization, which champions freedom of the press worldwide, the Tunisian government began rounding up activists and bloggers on Thursday in efforts to gain more information about the DDoS attacks launched by the non-group known as Anonymous.
Anonymous had issued a press release of sorts filled with lofty rhetoric about their intentions to "help" the Tunisian activists, stating "Anonymous has heard the claim for freedom of the Tunisian people. Anonymous is willing to help the Tunisian people in this fight against oppression. It will be done. It will be done..."
But the DDoS attacks have had quite the opposite effect, according to a post on the Reporters Without Borders website:
"Police arrested the bloggers to question them about hacking into government websites by the militant group Anonymous, several sources told the organisation."
"These arrests, intended to intimidate Tunisian Internet-users and their international backers, are likely to prove counter-productive, by stoking up tension. Arresting several bloggers is not the way to get images of demonstrations deleted from the web or for cyber-attacks to be halted.”
The recent DDoS attacks carried out by Anonymous have simply inflamed the political situation in the troubled nation, and provides more evidence that the international "gathering" of script-kiddies is in way over their head.
Anonymous likes to talk tough, but when it comes down to it they are completely unwilling to put themselves on the line for the ideals they profess to be fighting for.
They prefer to stay out of harms way, comfortably Anonymous.