Two members of the Lulzsec hacker group have pleaded guilty to charges that they attacked several well known web sites. The Guardian reports that Ryan Cleary, 20, and Jake Davies, 19, have confessed attacks on the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA), National Health Service, News International, Sony, Nintendo, Arizona State police, and other sites in distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks designed to cause the sites to cash. Cleary also confessed to four separate charges including hacking into US Air Force Agency computers at the Pentagon.

Both men appeared at Southwark Crown Court and entered guilty pleas to a series of charges. However, the two men denied charges that they had posted illegally acquired information and posted it to sites such as The Pirate Bay and Pastebin in order to encourage others to commit offences. The case has been adjourned until 12 July.

Jake Davies, also known as "Topiary", was arrested a year ago in the Shetland Islands. Ryan Cleary, known under the names "Anakin," "hershcel.mcdooenstein", "George hampsterman" and "ni", was released on bail but returned to jail after breaking bail conditions. In June, he was charged by the US authorities but they have since said they will not be pressing for extradition. Two others accused, Ryan Ackroyd, 25, and a 17 year old student denied have being involved in the DDoS activities. They are due for trial in April 2013.

(djwm)