(MOBILE, Ala.) - Computer hackers claiming to be from the loose-knit group known as 'Anonymous' say they have broken into several Alabama law enforcement and government websites.
In an online news release Friday, the group says it accessed the personal information of more than 46,000 Alabama residents. They say the information includes Social Security numbers, license plate numbers, criminal records and phone numbers.
The City of Mobile received a warning about the threat shortly before 7 p.m. Thursday from the Utah Bureau of Investigation.
"We immediately notified all of our IT people and they worked through the night," says city spokeswoman Barbara Drummond.
Drummond says the hackers accessed some of the city's data, but not on the city's main server.
"What was hacked was the amnesty warrant list," Drummond says.
You may remember the city's amnesty program from the end of last year. The list contained names of the people who were wanted under that program. Drummond says it's unclear how many names were on the list, but it was already in the public domain.
'This is actually data many people can go out and purchase if they wanted to," she says.
Anonymous says it targeted Alabama because of its tough law on illegal immigrants. A statement on the group's website says "we... have been monitoring your recent racist legislation in an attempt to punish immigrants as criminals.... We will not idly stand by as this happens."
The group goes on to say it hopes to teach Alabama governments a lesson for not protecting sensitive personal information.
"Your police administrators have made a terrible mistake," the group writes, "and put the lives of tens of thousands of people in jeopardy."
The group says it will not use the personal information it obtained to do damage.
Drummond says no Social Security numbers or license plate numbers were associated with Mobile's amnesty warrant list.
