Hacktivist Group Anonymous To Target Jihadists Over Charlie Hebdo Massacre #OpCharlieHebdo

Every once in a while the hacktivist group Anonymous does the right thing, though more often than not they don't. They've taken on the Westboro Baptist Church wackos, and pedophiles, and now they're after terrorists.  Prompted by the Charlie Hebdo massacre, Anonymous is launching Operation Charlie Hebdo #OpCharlieHebdo. A video and statement posted on the Belgian Twitter account is "a message for al-Qaeda, the Islamic State and other terrorists"

In the clip, a figure wearing the group's symbolic Guy Fawkes mask is seated in front of a desk with the hashtag #OpCharlieHebdo - which stands for Operation Charlie Hebdo - featured on screen.

The figure, whose voice is obscured says: "We are declaring war against you, the terrorists."

They add that the group will track down and close all accounts on social networks related to terrorists in order to avenge those who have been killed.

This is backed up with a statement entitled "a message to the enemies of freedom of expression" posted to Pastebin, the hacker collective offered their condolences to "the families of the victims of this cowardly and despicable act".

They write "freedom of expression has suffered inhuman assault ... and it is our duty to react".

Anonymous are a group comprised of activists and hackers who claim to defend and protect democracy.

Video on Telegraph UK.

But this isn't the first time they've targeted terrorists, though. Last year they threatened ISIS with #OpIceISIS, and they're stronger than ever.

Good luck to them.

Watch "The Interview" On YouTube For $5.99

Here you go.

Anyone who has the hankering to watch Sony Picture's "The Interview" starring Seth Rogen and James Franco, and can't find a local theater to support freedom of expression, can watch it from the comfort of your own home on YouTube, for $5.99.  No worries about being blown up.

"The Interview" on YouTube.

Portrait Of Putin In Woman's Slip Gets Russian Gallery Owner In Trouble

Some satirical portraits of Russian high-ranking politicians has landed a St Petersburg art gallery (Museum of Authorities) in major trouble.  Owner Aleksandr Donskoi's latest exhibition was raided, 4 paintings were confiscated, and the gallery was subsequently shut down.

One of the portraits that was seized was this one:

That's supposedly Vladimir Putin in a slip fussing with the hair of a bra and panty-clad Dmitry Medvedev. Not a great likeness of either, but some were not amused.

Donskoi believes the raid was initiated by Vitaly Milonov, a local lawmaker who has actively backed a new law targeting homosexuals in Russia.

"Vitaly Milonov arrived with a group of police officers, FSB officials, and representatives of the Prosecutor-General's Office," he said. "They shut down the museum on the grounds that it displayed works that are blasphemous and extremist."

One of the seized paintings depicts Milonov himself -- who has described the images as "pornographic" -- against a backdrop of the gay-rights movement's rainbow flag.

The other two were of Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill with tattoos, and Yelena Mizulina who also supports the banning of homosexual propaganda.

The portrait artist Konstantin Altunin has asked France for political asylum after his wife informed him of a police van waiting for him at home.  Donskoi is also scared.

This type of offense- insulting officials- can net up to a year in jail.  Donskoi plans on appealing to the European Court of Human Rights re. his right to free speech (which still doesn't fully exist in that country- see Pussy Riot):

"I don't know where to file a complaint because all the power structures work together," he said. "The judicial defers to the executive, and so on. This was a sanctioned move. So I hope I can find a lawyer who will help me lodge an application in Strasbourg. This is the only court that would consider this case, which is riddled with violations."

More at RFE/RL

Lars Vilks Has More Mohammed Drawings To Exhibit, In Spite Of Death Threats

Swedish artist and sculptor Lars Vilk- who gained international notoriety for  pushing the limits of freedom of expression by drawing  the head of the Prophet Mohammed on the body of a dog in 2007 and was subsequently targeted for death by offended Muslims, and was then attacked at a lecture on freedom of speech in 2010- has some new paintings of Mohammad ready to exhibit.  The exhibition is set for July this year, in Malmö, Sweden- a city that is heavily populated by Muslims. Vilks believes:

"It's important to continue because if you yield to the threats and back away, you have abandoned the democratic principle."

His Mohammed dog drawing was published in 2007 along with an editorial on freedom of expression in the Swedish paper Nerikes Allehanda after several gallery exhibits pulled the Mohammed drawings because of security concerns.

His latest creations will still portray Mohammed with the body of a  dog, but this time:

 ...in famous works by artists including Claude Monet, Peter Paul Rubens and Anders Zorn.

It was "hard to tell" whether the July exhibition at a gallery in Sweden's third largest city, Malmoe, would prompt more protests and threats, he said.

"At some point this has to be over and done with," he said.

That is, if the gallery doesn't pull the exhibit. And unfortunately, I think it will be a very long time before it's ever over and done with.

He's certainly a courageous man, but I suppose things can't get any worse since he's already received death threats, and was the intended target of  American Colleen LaRose, aka Fatima LaRose, aka "Jihad Jane"- one of seven jihadists who  planned on killing Vilks in 2009.

 We'll see what destruction ensues if they do get exhibited.