Hacking activist jailed for 5 years

An activist and writer linked to the hacking collective Anonymous was sentenced to five years in prison for threatening an FBI agent and helping share stolen data, marking the end of a criminal case criticised by free-speech advocates.

Barrett Lancaster Brown originally faced charges that carried more than 100 years in prison, but he pleaded guilty to greatly reduced charges last year. He will receive credit for the more than two years he’s already spent in prison.

Supporters say Brown was targeted by the federal government after sharing data hacked from the Austin-based defence contractor Stratfor. The 33-year-old was often quoted on the workings of Anonymous, a group of hackers that has staged several high-profile attacks on governments and businesses all over the world.