Anonymous Defaces Italian Police Syndicate's Website

Hackers associated with the Italian branch of Anonymous have broken into the website of the prison police syndicate (SAPPE) and defaced it with a political message.

People visiting www.sappe.it, the website of the Italian Independent Prison Police Syndicate (Sindacato Autonomo Polizia Penitenziaria - SAPPE) yesterday were greeted by an illustration depicting the LulzSec and Anonymous logos together with nyan cat.

A message under the picture read: "La legge NON e uguale per tutti," which translates to "The law is NOT equal for everyone." A link to a press release on pastebin was also included.

The pastebin announcement reveals that the group's main motive behind the hack was to criticize how prisoners are treated in Italian prisons, which it compares to torture.

Furthermore it condemns the corruption of the country's legal system which allows wealthy individuals who committed serious crimes to go free and imprisons poor immigrants who smuggle goods to survive.

"In this beautiful site you are used to report issues related to your body PPE as the chronic lack of staff and other complaints. We have now decided to dedicate this space to which the detainees are not given this opportunity and that frankly suffer far worse than your stress and wear and tear from the penitentiary," the hacktivists write.

The group points out that it does not have terrorist intentions and that it only tries to give a voice to the unheard. "We [...] therefore wish you happy holidays and hope that the Italian prisoners of all appreciate this small gesture to support them," it concludes.

The group's discontent with the legal system also stems from the recent law enforcement crackdown against its members. At the beginning of July, the Italian police announced the arrest of three individuals, including a 26-year-old man believed to be the head of the local Anonymous chapter.