http://government.zdnet.com/?p=4021
FBI searches Kernell apt., roommates subpoenaed
Posted by Richard Koman @ September 22, 2008 @ 7:51 AM
The FBI searched the apartment of David Kernell, the son of a Democratic Tennessee state representative, suspected of breaking into Sarah Palins Yahoo email account. Three of his roommates could testify before a Chattanooga grand jury.
And, hey, once youve hacked the governors email (because, its clear, this account was used for official business; it wasnt just her account for family photos) and the entire Internet has fingered you as the culprit, why not throw a party? Apparently thats what Kernell was doing because the FBI broke up a party when they stopped by to serve the search warrant.
To be fair, maybe the roommates were throwing the party and Kernell was moping silently in the corner with sweat dripping down his face and staring at his phone showing 346 missed calls.
Reports local TV station KBIR:
everal agents arrived at The Commons of Knoxville around midnight. They presented their badges upon entering Kernells apartment, where several students were having a party, and took down their names.
The witness tells us they asked him and those who did not live in the unit to go outside. He believes the investigators took about 1.5 to 2 hours taking pictures of everything inside the apartment.
Witnesses say Kernell and his friends fled the apartment when the FBI agents arrived. Kernells three roommates were also subpoenaed, and must testify this week in Chattanooga, according to the witness.
Meanwhile, Gabriel Ramuglia, webmaster of Ctunnel, the proxy service used to attack the Yahoo account, has identified the IP user of the perpetrator but he doesnt think it points to Kernell, Computerworld reports.
Because Im not in contact with the Internet service provider, Im not 100% sure of where the IP is based, he said. But from what I can tell, the IP address doesnt look consistent with the media reports.
The FBI will be able to close the loop, though, with the records of the ISP to which that IP address is assigned. Ramuglia said it is a small, residential ISP.
A grand jury will convene on Tuesday.