Anonymous Mexico denies threat to Los Zetas drug cartel

In a video dated 6 October 2011, a besuited man wearing the standard mask worn by supporters of the anarchic hacker group Anonymous gesticulates emphatically. The figure demands the release of an un-named member of  Anonymous whom he says was kidnapped by the powerful Mexican drug cartel Los Zetas while taking part in Operation Paperstorm in the city of Veracruz. Operation Paperstorm was a pro-Anonymous flyering campaign held on 13th, 20th and 29th August in the region.[caption id=“attachment_120052” align=“alignleft” width=“300” caption=“Anonymous mask by Ben Fredericson from Flickr”] [/caption] The voice, which may or may not belong to the hand-waving figure, “speaks Spanish with the accent of a Spaniard while using Mexican slang,” according to the Houston Chronical (which also carries an English transcription of the video). He says ( English / Spanish ):

We want the army and the navy to know that we are fed up of the criminal group Zetas, who have concentrated on kidnapping, stealing and blackmailing in different ways. […] For the time being, we won’t post photos or the names … of the taxi drivers, the journalists or the newspapers nor of the police officers [who have collaborated with Los Zetas], but if needed, we will publish them including their addresses, to see if by doing so the government will arrest them. We can’t defend ourselves with a weapon, but if we can do this with their cars, houses, bars, brothels and everything else in their possession … It won´t be difficult. We all know who they are and where they are.

The kidnapping and video went unremarked and unreported until the American global intelligence think-tank Stratfor published a free article (behind registration) on its website on 28 October. At that point, the media feeding frenzy started. The story was a juicy one. Los Zetas is a formidable drug cartel, explains the AP :

Veracruz, an oil state on the Gulf of Mexico with a major port of the same name, has seen a spike in drug violence in recent months in what authorities say is a battle between the Zetas drug cartel, which has controlled the territory for at least a year, and its rivals. Dozens of bodies have been showing up in recent weeks, including the dumping of 35 last month on a main highway in rush-hour traffic in the city of Boca del Rio.

The idea that a distributed, ad hoc network of hackers could take on some of the most violent criminals in Mexico was the ultimate David and Goliath story. But the story went unmentioned on Anonymous’ various Twitter accounts, and on the site Pastebin, one of Anonymous’ favourite ways to communicate with the world. Like many stories that sound too good to be true, this one also is. Vivir Mexico published an article ( Spanish ) about the defacement of website of Tabasco politician Gustavo Rosario, whose hacked site accuses him of being ‘Es Zeta’, implying he is a Los Zetas collaborator. In an update, they include a message from Anonymous Mexico (translation via Google):

Dear Followers and supporters of this page. Anonymous I hereby FULLY DISCLAIMS Mexico is the responsibility of the news of hacking a page that is related to the alleged cartel Z’s. Our struggle is not of this type and our ideals do not go with that operation. The article published by various electronic media is completely FALSE !!!!. We ask for your support to spread this release. 

Anonymous is, however, a leaderless ad hoc network. Anyone can join in and start a campaign in the “name” of Anonymous without necessarily having the full backing of the group. It may be that the originator of the video feels themselves to be a part of Anonymous and thus able to speak in their voice. But the ‘official’ denial—not much in Anonymous circles can really be described as actually official—throws doubt on the idea that there’s any sort of organised, widespread group behind this. But could such a protest actually work? Can drug cartels be challenged by the collective wiles of cunning hackers? Says The Telegraph :

Stratfor, in its analysis of the video, said anyone exposed by Anonymous as a Zetas collaborator - accurately or not - would surely be targeted by rival gangs and the Zetas could respond by attacking internet activists even if they are not affiliated with Anonymous.

Were Anonymous to get behind a campaign of exposure, they would be risking the lives of everyone listed, regardless of the facts of any alleged collaboration. To make real progress, they would have to develop a very different modus operandi. Indeed, successful attempts to combat organised crime, such as the Mafia in Palermo, Sicily , relied upon the engagement of entire communities. Addiopizzo  means ‘ Goodbye Pizzo ’, with pizzo being the name for the protection monies demanded by the Mafia, and the grassroots Addiopizzo movement built a community of businesses and consumers who refuse to bow to Mafia extortion. Started in 2004, the organisation now has nearly 700 pizzo-free shops and businesses. Addiopizzo also served as inspiration for Mafia? Nein Danke! (Mafia? No Thanks!), an organisation fighting the mafia in Germany. Formed in 2007 after a blood feud resulted in six deaths, German Italians organised to counter the activities of mafia-like organisations. Anyone challenging the drug cartels in Mexico, whether they are a part of Anonymous or not, is taking a dangerous step, but with the escalating violence and inability of the authorities to control the cartels, it may be a risk that some feel driven to take.