The hacking collective Anonymous says it has obtained a "confession" from one of the boys it says was involved in the alleged rape of Nova Scotia teen Rehtaeh Parsons.
In a statement released Friday, Anonymous says it has seen "several public statements" from one of the alleged rapists admitting that he had sex with Parsons while she was intoxicated and that she threw up during the assault.
The groups says this constitutes a "confession" and that the boy in question also named the three other young men involved in the alleged assault. The boy who made the public statements is the same one who appears in the photo that went viral within Parsons' high school, according to Anonymous. Parsons' family has said the photo, and the bullying that resulted from it, led to the teen's suicide
Two boys who have been implicated in the rape and whose names have been circulated online are innocent of any crime, according to Anonymous.
All the information has been shared with police, according to the group. None of the information in the release has been independently verified by The Huffington Post.
Soon after Anonymous' statement began making headlines Friday, the RCMP in Nova Scotia announced they have reopened their investigation of the Parsons case after receiving new and credible information.
The Mounties in Halifax say the person who provided the new information is willing to verify who they are, the reason they're providing it and is willing to work with investigators.They say the information did not come from an online source.
The Mounties also indicated that they are willing to work with Anonymous, but only if someone in the group is willing to reveal their identity and speak with the police on the record.
The Anonymous statement reiterates an earlier demand for the RCMP to take action in the case or see Anonymous release the names of the boys. It seems Anonymous is now getting some of what it wants.
"A claim of sexual assault has been made. There is photographic evidence of it. There is an admission that child pornography was distributed throughout the community. One of the individuals who should be charged hasn't even disputed these facts, " the statement reads. "We are asking -- no, we are demanding: Let a jury decide. Follow your own procedures and protect the innocent."
In a separate statement Thursday, Anonymous said it will not release the names of the alleged perpetrators because Leah Parsons, Rehtaeh's mother, has asked them to refrain from doing so.
In the Friday release, Anonymous says that if it does decide to release the names it will give one week's notice before doing so.
The fresh demands come as Global News reports students from Parsons' Cole Harbour District High School have shared the names of the four alleged rapists with its reporters.
The news organization went to the home of one of the boys and met him when he arrived home on Thursday. He denied he was one of the accused, according to Global, and the boy's father hung up the phone when contacted.
Global was unable to contact any of the three other boys.
While the police have yet to lay any charges, there are signs government wants to take action.
On Thursday, Nova Scotia Premier Darrell Dexter announced that Marilyn More, the minister responsible for the status of women, has been appointed to oversee the provincial government's response to Parsons' death. She will work with the ministers of justice, education, health and community services to assess support services for people who face sexual violence.
Dexter said he hopes a series of measures aimed at improving mental health services, policing and education will be rolled out as soon as possible.'
Justice Minister Ross Landry initially ruled out the possibility of reviewing how the RCMP handled allegations that Parsons was sexually assaulted in November 2011, but soon changed course amid public outrage.
Anonymous, for its part, certainly sounds outraged in its new statement.
"We are group of concerned citizens that have recognized an injustice in the system. We have taken it upon ourselves to point out that injustice to the public and we are asking the police to correct their incompetent handling of this case -- a young girl has already died from it."
With files from The Canadian Press
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