Leaks, infiltration, physical attacks at 'Cyber Symposium'

FPI / August 18, 2021

Mike Lindell's Cyber Symposium on alleged foreign hacking of the 2020 election was the target of several “agitators and provocateurs” who sought to discredit any information to come out of the event held last week in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, symposium officials say.

A Telegram post from "Follow the Data with Dr. Frank" noted that information from the symposium was constantly being leaked.

"I know it is frustrating for you folks out there, but one of the first things that Col Waldron said when we met in the 'war room' with the red team was, “Everything said in this room stays in this room, " the post said. "Despite this, there were leaks. Big ones. And obviously, Josh Merritt was one of them. This is not debatable. He is quoted in the the Washington Times, and was captured on tape in two interviews with Pete Santilli."

Merritt, who was on the team hired by Lindell to interrogate the data for the symposium, told The Washington Times that packet captures were unrecoverable in the data and that the data, as provided, could not prove a cyber incursion by China.

Phil Waldron, hired by Lindell to lead the "red team" to interrogate the data presented at the symposium, said he received “credible” information that “there was a poison pill inserted in the data.”

He told the Washington Times that infiltrators were caught “shoulder surfing” to capture information on attendees’ cell phones and laptops. He also alleged individuals were exchanging press badges outside of the venue.

Waldron said the “attackers” were identified through photo imagery and cross-referenced with social media accounts.

“We know who you are,” Waldron said. “We’ve got your photos. And whatever happens after the fact, that will be up to the Lindell organization.”

Waldron said that his team received only a small portion of the data that Lindell claims to have and that the remaining data could contain the needed elements to prove China hacked the 2020 election.

"In the beginning, it was startling to me how rapidly our offenses were being countered, but it makes more sense now that we know there were leaks," the Telegram post said. "The saying, 'No battle plan survives first contact with the enemy' was ringing in my head throughout the event, as our fluid battle plans were constantly being countered almost before they were being launched."

The post identified one of the leakers as only "Spyder."

"I had never met nor heard of 'Spyder' before this event, but was initially impressed by his various exploits when he relayed them to me," the post said. "I have nothing personal to say negative about him, but he obviously violated the trust and confidence of his foxhole buddies. He was removed by the leadership Wednesday morning of the event, once it was confirmed that he was a leak. He was not the only leak."

The symposium leadership, the Telegram post noted, "was prepared for these sorts of things, and various Ops were running the entire time to mitigate them. I was impressed by the professionalism and expertise of my teammates. Of course, I was disappointed that we did not accomplish everything we had originally intended."

Lindell, 60, told symposium attendees Thursday that he was “attacked” the night before at his hotel amid his three-day event at the South Dakota Heritage Alliance, the Sioux Falls Argus Leader reported.

“I’m OK,” Lindell told the crowd. “It hurts a little bit. I just want everyone to know all the evil out there.”

Video posted to Twitter shows Lindell saying he was “attacked” as he got to his hotel, but refused to provide additional details.

He later claimed Antifa or left-wing protesters were involved, but didn’t elaborate, according to a Twitter user who identified himself as a Republican and a former federal prosecutor.

Sioux Falls police spokesman Sam Clemens said Thursday an officer was planning to talk to Lindell about the incident. Department officials later announced that an assault occurred in a hotel near the symposium at about 11:30 p.m., the Argus Leader reported.

Free Press International