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Pirate Bay co-founder charged with hacking and fraud

bbc.co.uk

31–40 of 70 posts

Re: Pirate Bay co-founder charged with hacking and fraud

#31
post #12
post #8

There is a high probability that this is false accusations, just "because we can" from the prosecutors ... I'm from Sweden and I'm very sad to say that I don't consider Sweden to fulfil all the requirements for rule of law and legal security. Even if he is acquitted from the crimes in a trial he will have spent a few months arrested and we don't have a bail system here in Sweden. Both European committee for the preve…

Have you even read the indictment? A casual look seems to indicate that the investigation is very thorough. (See another post here for link) And if anyone is a flight risk who would never be granted bail it is Gottfried, He has already fled a sentence once - that is not to say that being in a 'häkte' is fun or humane, depending on circumstances. Finally: >I'm from Sweden and I'm very sad to say that I don't consider…

I really envy you naive notion on Swedish legal security.

Take a look at our modern history. Confiscation of not yet published newspapers during world war II. The German troop transports, the extradition of Baltic citizens, the IB-matter, forced sterilization. We really have a history of throwing out all legal principles whenever public authorities want to.

In recent times, Thomas Quick, the extradition of two Egyptian citizen without any due process, REVA, perhaps you remember "#gategate" where LEO got acquitted, the "lilac envelopes" our minister of justice wanted to use spread shame to suspects, treatment of acquitted persons in the da Costa case.. I could go on for quite some time with this, there are a lot of examples to choose from.

Just the fact that we have politicians appointing jury members ("nämndemän") is a hint to where Swedish legal security stands. Jury members that in the majority of cases fails to answer basic legal questions correct. The entire chain of courts "förvaltningsrätt" is a very troublesome construction to say the least ...

Re: Pirate Bay co-founder charged with hacking and fraud

#32
post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Have you even read the indictment? A casual look seems to indicate that the investigation is very thorough. (See another post here for link) And if anyone is a flight risk who would never be granted bail it is Gottfried, He has already fled a sentence once - that is not to say that being in a 'häkte' is fun or humane, depending on circumstances. Finally: >I'm from Sweden and I'm very sad to say that I don't consider…

Since he was already sentanced there was little need from a security perspective to keep him in 'häkte' for three months. Instead they could have just transfered him to the prison where he was to serve his previous sentence (as they eventually did).

Swedish authorities are obviously out to get him, if he is kept under arrest he won't be able to subract that time from any prison ruling in another case - even if he is acquitted.

Re: Pirate Bay co-founder charged with hacking and fraud

#33
PCWorld reports he "hacked IBM mainframes". [1] I would be interested in knowing the details of this. I am a sysprog for z/OS for a financial institution by day, and I have never heard of any sort of intrusion like this. Not that these systems are completely bulletproof, but I expect there is some fabrication in these statements. These systems are usually deep in the backend and obscurely buried in archaic and proprietary architectures. Unless Warg had any experience with this platform or some sort of inside help, I highly doubt this allegation.

[1]: http://www.pcworld.com/article/2034733/pirate-bay-cofounder-...

Re: Pirate Bay co-founder charged with hacking and fraud

#34
post #11
post #8

There is a high probability that this is false accusations, just "because we can" from the prosecutors ... I'm from Sweden and I'm very sad to say that I don't consider Sweden to fulfil all the requirements for rule of law and legal security. Even if he is acquitted from the crimes in a trial he will have spent a few months arrested and we don't have a bail system here in Sweden. Both European committee for the preve…

Out of interest, would you prefer to face Swedish justice or the US system?

My knowledge of how the US systems works in practise is limited, but as draugadrotten says in another comment - the penal system of Sweden is in general preferable to US.

But when it comes to legal security it really is much harder choice but I think I would prefer to face the US justice system in all "normal" criminal cases.

If the word terrorism was anywhere near the case I'm not so sure any more.

Re: Pirate Bay co-founder charged with hacking and fraud

#35
post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The indictment can be found here: http://www.aklagare.se/PageFiles/10239/AM_52124_12.pdf (Swedish. Save as, appears to be broken when viewed in browser) A quick read-through seems to suggest that they have quite solid support for it. However, I haven't seen the investigation protocol (FUP) so I cannot say if the actual evidence is any good.

> quite solid support for it. Constituting?

A bunch of documents not actually in the linked PDF.

The prosecutor claims that they have chats logs that show Gottfrid discussing the hacking, logs that connects IP address to those owned/bought by Gottfrid, data on a mobile phone owned by him, and computer + old hard drive.

Sadly, none of that is actually showed in the PDF. Only referenced.

Re: Pirate Bay co-founder charged with hacking and fraud

#36
post #33

PCWorld reports he "hacked IBM mainframes". [1] I would be interested in knowing the details of this. I am a sysprog for z/OS for a financial institution by day, and I have never heard of any sort of intrusion like this. Not that these systems are completely bulletproof, but I expect there is some fabrication in these statements. These systems are usually deep in the backend and obscurely buried in archaic and propri…

The prosecutor document describe the "hack" as Gottfrid testing a bunch of default password at an wireless route, and from there, using the internal networks "automated processes" (ie, I assume they mean that the system lacks any security against the internal network).

Re: Pirate Bay co-founder charged with hacking and fraud

#37
This thing doesn't surprise me too much. The pirate movement has for a long time said that if you constantly call people criminals, the risk that they later actually will commit crimes goes up. I can understand if a person going through the circus called the pirate bay trial is slightly resentful of the Swedish state, and might not feel too respectful of its law.

Still a crime of course, and still wrong.

Re: Pirate Bay co-founder charged with hacking and fraud

#38
post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> quite solid support for it. Constituting?

A bunch of documents not actually in the linked PDF. The prosecutor claims that they have chats logs that show Gottfrid discussing the hacking, logs that connects IP address to those owned/bought by Gottfrid, data on a mobile phone owned by him, and computer + old hard drive. Sadly, none of that is actually showed in the PDF. Only referenced.

I believe the investigation protocol (FUP) will be public once the court case begins but I am not sure.

I guess we will see.

Re: Pirate Bay co-founder charged with hacking and fraud

#39
post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Penalties in the Swedish justice system are humane. Even serious crimes only renders 5-10 years of prison time. Conditions in prisons are far better than the US. Prisoners have private rooms, gym and better food than elderly citizens. The US system have far too severe penalties. Sentences of 10-100 years are now common. Conditions in prisons are horrible with rampant drug abuse, violence and even murders. However, th…

Do you mean less blind? Justice wearing a blindfold implies impartiality and fairness.

I do. Thanks.
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