Alleged TeaMp0ison Member Charged With Computer Misuse

One of the two youths arrested last week accused of hoax calls to the Anti-Terrorist Hotline has been charged.

A 17-year-old from Birmingham appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Saturday 14 April, accused of one count of conspiracy to cause a public nuisance contrary to Common Law, and an offence related to the Computer Misuse Act 1990.

A Metropolitan Police Service spokesperson told TechWeekEurope the latter charge did not relate to a hack on the Anti-Terrorist Hotline services, or on the Met. “That is for separate offences it is believed he took part in,” the spokesperson said.

The youth has been bailed and will appear at West London Youth Court on 25 May. Another youth, aged 16, was arrested on Thursday 12 April.

Met denial

The Met has denied Anti-Terror Hotline services were hacked by TeaMp0ison, despite claims suggesting otherwise. “We are confident the MPS communication systems have not been breached and remain, as they always have been, secure,” said Ailsa Beaton, director of information for the Metropolitan Police Service.

The hacking group said it disabled the service by having an automated script make more than 700 hundred calls from a server in Malaysia during a 24 hour onslaught.

Later, the group leader TriCk called the hotline himself. He gave the officers fake details and claimed he had information related to an act of terrorism, before coming clean and admitting he was there to “embarrass the governments and f*** the police”.

Think you know security? Test yourself with our quiz.