LulzSec Leader Sabu Talks About Arrest in First TV Interview; ‘Sabu’ warns U.S. gov’t on critical infrastructure.
Sabu aka Xavier Monsegur who was a LulzSec and a Anonymous collective member, gave a free and frank interview to the CBS co-host Charlie Rose on Tuesday. He used his first interview after arrest to warn the US authorities of impending cyber attacks on critical US infrastructure.
“In all reality, there is no security. The hackers will break right into the airport, the phone systems, obviously, the water supply systems (they’ll) shut them down. It should be an inspiration to the American government to focus on our infrastructure.”
Prior to his arrest Sabu was looked upon with great honor in the Anonymous arena. He was arrested by the FBI in June 2011 alongwith two other LulzSec members.
The Arrest
Asked by Rose about the details of his arrest, Sabu said he had been noticing unusual activity around his apartment building in New York weeks before the authorities came knocking at his door but he did’nt pay too much attention. He said when the authorities came, it was already to late to attempt any foolish thing. On the day he got arrested, Sabu says he took out his kids to school as per routine but wen he returned to his apartment, he noticed lots of cars and people whom he did not recognise.
“One of the guys was looking at me as I was walking by, reading his newspaper, and he’s peeking at me…when I look at him he completely gets lost, drops his newspaper and starts fidgeting around the car.”
He bashed government contractors, too, saying, “Our security, the people we pay for that we hire with tax dollars are not really secure themselves.”
Sabu told Rose, that was the moment it struck him that he had it coming and began to prepare for his last day with the family. After taking the kids from school, he went on a “shopping spree” buying them toys and coloring books.
After coming home he shared the details of his impending arrest with his brother and told him to remain calm. Sabu says at around eight or nine in the evening, the police were knocking on his door. Sabu tried to buy some more time to calm his brother, “All right guys, hold on a moment.”
After his arrest, FBI who knew all about his online crusades and activities and his weakness for his kids told him to collaborate with them. Though Sabu did not share what deal he had worked out with the FBI, it is known that he provided the intel for the arrest of fellow political activist and hacker Jeremy Hammond aka “Anarchaos” who was arrested in 2012 for breaking the computer systems of security intelligence company Stratfor. LulzSec hacktivist group which was at peak form in those years was also brought down by the FBI with his help.
As of now it is thought that FBI has managed to prevent more than 300 + cyber attacks on US government and companies with the help of Sabu.
