Xu Dong develops software for circumventing the Great Firewall, arrested for crime of “creating a disturbance.”

Boxun has learned that a native of Longxi City in Gansu Province, Beijing IT personage Xu Dong, announced on Twitter his support of Hong Kong’s Occupy Central and developed software for circumventing the Great Firewall. On Tuesday November 4, 2014 he was detained by Beijing’s Western District Deshengmen police and taken to Beijing’s Number One Detention Center for the crime of “creating a disturbance.” Xu Dong also had his house searched by the Beijing police, confiscated were two USB memory sticks, two laptop computers, one cell phone and an external hard drive.

Famous rights activist Wu Gan announced the news: “Xu Dong, Gansu native, 31 years-old, IT geek, on Tuesday November 4, 2014, arrested by Deshengmen police for the crime of creating a disturbance and detained in Beijing Number One Detention Center. The real reason is that on Twitter he declared support for Occupy Central. The police threatened his friends not to publicize his arrest. They said Xu had collaborated with hostile forces, and instigated behind the scenes to develop software for circumventing the Great Firewall and other criminal activities.

Boxun’s reporter also learned that because news of Xu Dong’s arrest was revealed, Xu Dong’s friends were threatened by the Beijing police. On the afternoon of Wednesday November 12, 2014, four police officers went to Xu Dong’s friend’s company, intentionally instilling fear, used work colleagues’ video camera, and questioned them for several hours. The police also revealed to Xu Dong’s friends that because they revealed the news it caused Xu Dong to be held in a cell with 12 other people.

Boxun learned that Xu Dong’s Twitter username is @onionhacker. The Chinese intro is: Maple Leaf Banana is a fast and secure software agent for circumventing the Great Firewall.

Xu Dong’s account’s earliest Twitter post is October 29, 2013.

On October 19, 2014 Xu Dong wrote “To defeat the CCP’s firewall is very hard work. Although our resources are limited, we have a very passionate team.” After this he added an attachment guide to circumventing the great firewall.

After Hong Kong’s Occupy Central protests started, on October 1, 2014, Xu Dong Tweeted: “As post-80s and 90s Mainland youth, we support Occupy Central! We support universal suffrage, we hope Hong Kong compatriots persevere! Defy power, protesting Hong Kong government dictatorship until the end is the only way out!

Netizens believe that Xu Dong’s incarceration is not primarily due to his support of Occupy Central, but to the firewall circumventing software. A Netizen said: “Many support Occupy Central on Twitter. They wouldn’t just arrest Xu Dong. The real reason is the firewall circumventing software. His tweet revealed his QQ name, from that they could trace his personal ID and local IP address.”

On Wednesday November 12, 2014, China Internet Network Control department issued prohibitions: “Xu Dong, Xia Lin (renowned lawyer Pu Zhiqiang’s partner), He Feihui (Liren Rural Lending Library founder) US President Obama at APEC call for China opening its Internet, all are not to be reported on.

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