On the morning of Sunday, 8 March terror struck the Japanese futsal world as a banner appeared of Tokyo-based futsal club Fuchu Athletic FC for approximately three hours. Apparently bearing the flag of radical Islamic group ISIS it read: “Hacked by Islamic State (ISIS) We Are Everywhere :)”

More interesting than their suspicious use of a smiley (possibly “winky” as well) emoticon, was the surprising knowledge the organization seemingly had regarding Japanese five-on-five indoor soccer. Their attack came just as the top futsal teams in Japan were gearing up for the Puma Cup finals.

■ Security Breach

Normal service soon resumed on the Fuchu Athletic FC website and a rep for the club issued a statement:

“Today there was a security breach of the official Fuchu Athletic FC website which had caused the website to close down temporarily. However, we’d like to inform everyone that the appropriate measures have been taken and the website is restored. We sincerely apologize for the great deal of inconvenience and worry this has caused. Our club’s website had no links to anyone’s personal information and no private information was leaked. So you can rest easy. Thank you.”

Indeed, had people’s personal details been exposed, the number of victims could have run well into the dozens. This attack caused authorities to issue alerts to other potential targets like the Japan Curling Association and the Japan Contract Bridge League for fear they may be compromised as well.

Perhaps energized by the attack on the same day, Fuchu Athletic FC smashed Setstar Wakayama 7-1 to advance to the Puma Cup quarter finals on Friday 13 March. So suck on that, terror!

■ Widespread attacks

It appears that the ISIS hack went far beyond the seventh-ranking futsal team in Japan. According to an NBC report identical hacks occurred in various high-profile American websites as well on the same weekend. Victims included the Mongomery Inn in Cincinnati, Sequoia Park Zoo in California, Third Street Brewhouse in Minnesota, and the North Douglas Pentecostal Church in Canada.

▼ Yes, even Eldora Speedway…

NBC also reported that the FBI, local law enforcement, and the victims all feel that this is not the work of the actual ISIS organization. However, if you ask me it seems to have all the familiar trappings of the radical religious group: the smiley faces and blatant disrespect of other nation’s zoos, bars, raceways and futsal teams. If this isn’t the work of ISIS, then certainly I have no idea what is.

Source: Fuchu Athletic FC, Gekisaka via My Game News Flash (Japanese), NBC News (English)