According to the New York attorney hired to represent him, Matthew Keys maintains he is innocent of charges claiming he helped members of Anonymous gain access to computers owned by the Tribune Company and modify a news story on the L.A. Times website.

Keys' attorney Tor Ekland told the press today that he is assembling a legal team and that his client "looks forward to contesting these baseless charges." Ekland previously represented notorious Internet troll Weev (a.k.a. Andrew Auernheimer) after he was charged with conspiracy for exposing a security flaw on AT&T's network and revealing the email address of over 100,000 iPad users including members of the military and celebrities. Auernheimer was found guilty of one count of identity fraud and one count of conspiracy to access a computer without authorization.

For his part, Keys has said he contacted the hacker group as a journalist. One Anonymous member known as Sabu outed Keys' involvement in hijacking an L.A. Times new article in 2011. Sabu was later identified as Hector Xavier Monsegur and became an informant. He later pled guilty to multiple hacking charges and is awaiting sentencing.

Reuters suspended Keys without pay after the Department of Justice indictment was handed down yesterday, but a spokesman at the company declined to comment to his own colleagues today.

Previously: Reuters Reporter Accused Of Conspiring With Anonymous, Hacking L.A. Times
Reuters Suspends Reporter Accused Of Conspiracy, Hacking L.A. Times
[Reuters]