The Ku Klux Klan (KKK) threatened to use lethal force against Ferguson protesters; Anonymous successfully retaliated against the Ku Klux Klan's Ferguson threats by taking over two primary Twitter accounts, keeping KKK websites offline and outing KKK members.

In its statement on Monday night, Anonymous explained that through the Klan's Twitter account, it obtained large amounts of information on multiple white supremacists, and "members of Anonymous who seized the account are continuing to debate if the identities of the people associated with the Klan's account should be released to the public."

We want to be sure we are ousting the right people. It would be against everything Anonymous does if we publicly released the information of the innocent... Once the operation is considered a complete success, we will remove the account from Twitter. What we accomplished 16 Nov 2014 is just the beginning..."

The statement:

Last week, a Ku Klux Klan group based 75 miles south of Ferguson, Missouri, began distributing flyers threatening "lethal force" against Ferguson protesters in any aftermath of the upcoming grand jury decision regarding Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson.

The Missouri group behind the threats — Traditionalist American Knights of the Ku Klux Klan — is listed as an active hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center.

The Ku Klux Klan responded poorly

Anonymous responded by first skirmishing with the KKK on Twitter, then declaring cyberwar on the racist group — with the Ku Klux Klan threatening Anonymous.

We are taking over #OpKKK we will expose over 9000 Anons by sundown with our ace hacker @OpHoodsON. @YourAnonCentral @YourAnonNews — YourKKKcentral (@YourKKKcentral) November 16, 2014

The KKK's "ace hacker" apparently decided to take some time off.

On Monday, Imperial Wizard Frank Ancona, who heads the Traditionalist American Knights of the KKK, told the Daily News, "Sounds to me like a bunch of kids in their mom's basement whacking off."

On Sunday, Anonymous exposed Anacona as a police officer who attended a Darren Wilson rally.

The KKK's response is in line with the racial segregation group's ongoing reaction to being pwned by Anonymous repeatedly over the past few days.

After the Klan's Twitter account @KuKluxKlanUSA mocked and threatened Anonymous, it was then seized by Anonymous, giving the hacktivist entity control of the KKK's largest public Twitter account.

It garnered this priceless reaction:

ATTENTION the coward basement faggots have taken control over @KuKluxKlanUSA COMPROMISED!!! — KLANonymous (@Klanonymous) November 16, 2014

That same day, the Klan set up a second account, @YourKKKcentral, where it issued threats "to call the FBI!" Anonymous quickly took control of that account, as well.

Since the takeover of both primary KKK Twitter accounts, Anonymous has been unrelenting in its focused attacks on the hate group's online presence. No one is surprised that the KKK is bad at both computer security and opsec.

Anonymous has kept the pressure on KKK websites ikkkk.com and TraditionalistAmericanKnights.com, both of which have been unable to resolve for at least 20 hours. The "Traditionalist Knights" website is apparently a CloudFlare customer, and the distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) protection service is noticeably struggling under the assault.

The KKK's website for its largest message board, Stormfront, has been knocked offline repeatedly, coming back with a plea from the KKK members who run it to donate help and money toward the site's security.

Image: @TomFnord

Klan members are taking down incriminating photos from their Facebook pages: One of those photos shows three KKK members at a Darren Wilson rally with their kids.

This photo showing 3 Klansman at the #DarrenWilson rally has been removed from their FaceBook page #HoodsOff #OpKKK pic.twitter.com/oSa4T5tPx2 — Anon Cop Watch (@AnonCopWatch) November 17, 2014

The #OpKKK and #HoodsOFF campaign launched by Anonymous had over 35,000 tweets in its first day, restoring Anonymous to Batman status for many around the world.

An internet mob using its powers for good, like the good old days http://t.co/dW8OvGRWXg — Matthew Licata (@miraimatt) November 17, 2014

Anonymous has widespread support on #OpKKK and whatever it might plan to do next, but many are still reluctant to follow a KKK account.

Now that @AnonCopWatch runs the KKK twitter it puts me in a weird position of wanting to follow the KKK. still can't. #opkkk — Theology of Ferguson (@FaithInFerguson) November 17, 2014

Today, the Missouri state governor declared a State of Emergency in Ferguson, and called in the National Guard in preparation for the grand jury verdict.

The grand jury investigation into the August 9 shooting of 18-year-old Michael Brown and Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson is expected to return a verdict in the next few days.

According to The New York Times, protesters are already preparing for the decision.