Orlando shootings: Hackers flood Isis Twitter accounts with gay porn after Pulse nightclub killings

Vigilante hacker claims to have taken over social media accounts belonging to supporters of the extremist group

One of the hacked accounts (Screengrab)

Twitter accounts belonging to supporters of Isis have been hacked in the wake of the Orlando shooting, with jihadist content replaced with gay pride messages and links to gay pornography.

A hacker affiliated with the hacktivist collective Anonymous, who uses the online moniker WauchulaGhost, first began hijacking pro-Isis Twitter accounts several months ago. Following the mass shooting at the Pulse gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, on 13 June, the hacker decided to replace Isis imagery posted to the accounts with rainbow flags and pro-LGBT messages.

“I did it for the lives lost in Orlando,” the hacker told Newsweek.

“Daesh [Isis] have been spreading and praising the attack, so I thought I would defend those that were lost. The taking of innocent lives will not be tolerated.”

WauchulaGhost does not disclose his real name or exact location, other than to say he is based in the United States and that “s*** is getting too close to home.”

The vigilante hacker claims to have taken over 200 Twitter accounts belonging to Isis supporters. However, many have since been taken down by Twitter. WauchulaGhost plans to continue the campaign with two other hackers who go by the name Ebony and Yeti.

Isis has used social media platforms like Twitter as a tool for recruitment and to spread propaganda. Twitter claims to have shut down more than 125,000 accounts promoting extremism since 2015.

Messages posted to the compromised accounts include “I’m gay and proud” and “Out and proud.” A link to a gay porn site is included in some of the hacked accounts, although no explicit images have been posted in respect to Islam.

“One thing I do want to say is we aren’t using graphic porn and our purpose is not to offend Muslims,” WauchulaGhost says.

“Our actions are directed at Jihadist extremists. Many of our own [group of hackers] are Muslim and we respect all religions that do not take innocent lives.”

Copyright Newsweek