When Chiemi Yonashiro was told an object from a United States military helicopter appeared to have fallen onto the nursery where she had dropped off her three-year-old daughter Mimaru just hours earlier, she burst into tears.

Her daughter – and around 70 other children playing at the nursery at the time – were unhurt, but for Mrs Yonashiro, 46, the incident confirmed her conviction that her family was not safe living in southern Japan’s Okinawa region for one uncomfortable reason: the heavy presence of US military.

“Every day we fear that our lives are at risk,” the mother-of-two told the Sunday Telegraph. “I do not want to let my daughter or other children to experiences such strong fears. I don’t want anyone to suffer this way anymore.”

Mrs Chiemi is one of tens of thousands of Okinawa residents who will on Sunday be offered the opportunity to express their views on the longstanding presence of US military in the region in a historic referendum.

Voters will be asked whether they agree with a deeply controversial plan to relocate a US military base from the crowded residential Futenma region to a more remote part of the island – with early polls indicating that as many as 70 per cent will vote no.

The result of the referendum is legally non-binding and unlikely to stop the government from pushing ahead with relocating, with reclamation work already underway. However, a “no” result is likely to be viewed as a powerful symbol of local opposition to US military.

Okinawa, a subtropical archipelago closer to Taipei than Tokyo, has long been of enormous strategic importance to the US, with the main island hosting more than half of the 47,000 American military personnel based in Japan, despite accounting for less than one per cent of the country’s total land area.

Tensions between the US military and locals have soared in recent years, with a steady stream of complaints over noise, accidents by military aircraft and crimes committed by military personnel and civilian employees.

Momentum to local resistance to US military presence has escalated since last September when Denny Tamaki came to power as Okinawa Governor after campaigning heavily against the relocation plans.

Critics of the relocation say it will damage the island’s delicate marine eco-system and potentially increase aircraft accidents, with many calling for the base to be closed down completely or moved to another part of Japan.

The fact the referendum is taking place at all is likely to cause a major headache for Shinzo Abe, Japan’s prime minister, who is intent on keeping relations smooth with his key ally US president Donald Trump.

The timing of the referendum is also sensitive, in the light of preparations underway for the US-North Korea summit in Vietnam next week and discussions over plans for Mr Trump to visit Japan in May and June.

The controversial relocation plan has been a potential thorn in Washington-Tokyo relations since it was first proposed more than two decades ago, with one former Japanese PM resigning over the issue.

For Mrs Yonashiro, the falling aircraft part at Midorigaoka Nursery in December 2017 was one of a string of incidents that crystalised her deep-rooted opposition to the presence of US military in the region.

During the same month, a large object resembling a window frame also reportedly fell from another US military helicopter into the grounds of a nearby elementary school, causing a stone to lightly injure a child.

“Parents here have felt a sense of crisis since these objects fell into schools, one after another,” says Futenma-born Mrs Yonashiro, who also has an eight-year-old son Tamaru. “Children in Okinawa have a right to live a peaceful life but they are living with danger. As long as US military aircraft are flying over Okinawa, the danger will not go away. I strongly feel this is the time to change Okinawa. It’s not just a matter of military bases, it’s about children’s lives.”

Takehiro Kamiya, the head of Midorigaoka Nursery, was no less outspoken in his opposition to US military forces in Okinawa in the run-up to the referendum, highlighting how military aircraft fly over the building on a daily basis.

“We do not need the military bases anymore,” he told the Sunday Telegraph. “There have been accidents of military aircraft crashing, falling objects and crash-landings, as well as murder, rape, theft, traffic accident, drunk driving. The US military still fly over our communities as if nothing has happened. Would such a thing be allowed in Tokyo or in the UK?”

He added: “We demand that military bases not be relocated, but closed or demolished.”

>

PWTorch editor Wade Keller presents a special Thursday Flagship edition of the Wade Keller Pro Wrestling Podcast featuring a WrestleMania 36 Preview with ex-WWE Creative Team member and professional stand-up comedian Matt McCarthy.

(Search “wade keller” to subscribe in podcast app or CLICK HERE to subscribe in Apple Podcasts.)

DAILY UPDATE

The Latest News

Alexa Bliss not yet fully cleared to return
WWE SmackDown falls below two million viewers this week
XFL announces start date, team cities and venues
ROH TV results: SCU defend their titles
UFC looking to book controversial Greg Hardy for ESPN+ debut show
WWE Mixed Match Challenge results: SmackDown’s quarterfinals
Watch the XFL announce their teams and venues at 12 PM Eastern
WWE SmackDown video highlights: Daniel Bryan lays out AJ Styles
Tom ‘Dynamite Kid’ Billington passes away at 60 years old
Semifinals set for WWE Mixed Match Challenge season two

The Latest Audio

Portland Wrestlecast: Tom Prichard on Don Owen and the WON HOF 12/5
WOL: Death of Dynamite Kid, record-low RAW ratings, Smackdown, XFL news, more! 12/5
B&V&C: Retro Raw and Nitro from 19 years ago this week! 12/4

F4W NEWSLETTER: Figure Four Weekly: Looking ahead to 2019   

As we enter December, it feels like 2019 has been cemented as an absolutely pivotal year for the immediate future of professional wrestling. The global arms race for talent continued this past week. It was confirmed that WALTER, who is legitimately one of the best wrestlers in the world, has signed with WWE. He’s been signed for NXT’s United Kingdom brand and could play a part in the potential NXT Germany. 

WON NEWSLETTER: December 3, 2018 Observer Newsletter: Death of Larry Matysik, NXT UK contract changes

Sorting out the future of the UK independent scene and the changes made in what WWE UK contracted wrestlers are allowed to do is the lead story in the new issue of the Wrestling Observer.

The new double issue is a major look back at history as well, with a huge story on Larry Matysik and the rise and fall of St. Louis wrestling in the 70s and the 80s, and a look at Texas wrestling with the life of Jose Lothario.

The lead story talks about the original WWE deals, cards that have to change, promotions that have to change booking plans at different levels, as well as the end of Walter on the independent scene.

Look at why Walter chose this deal and what makes him unique in WWE regarding goals, as well as why he’s not already on the main roster and never went to New Japan. Look at how many promotions are affected, and the future of some of the most popular U.K. groups.

The article on Larry Matysik includes looking at some of the biggest matches of the St. Louis wrestling club, how Matysik started with pro wrestling, his start as a television announcer, the heyday of Wrestling at the Chase, how talent was paid, and how Ric Flair first got into St. Louis.

There is a feature on the career of Jose Lothario, the role of Mexican stars in Texas wrestling, how Lothario first became a major U.S. star long before his famous Texas run. Also look at his feud with Gino Hernandez, his long title history record, and comments from many of the biggest stars on his career.

ORDERING INFO: Order the print Wrestling Observer right now and get it delivered via mail, by sending your name, address, Visa or Master Card number and an expiration date to Dave Meltzer, or by using PayPal directing funds to [email protected]. 

Rates in the United States are $13 for 4 issues, $32 for 12, $61 for 24, $101 for 40 and $131 for 52. In Canada and Mexico, rates are $14.50 for 4, $35 for 12, $67 for 24, $111 for 40 and $144 or 52. In Europe, you can get the fastest delivery and best rates by sending to [email protected]. For the rest of the world, rates are $16.50 for 4, $44 for 12, $85 for 24, $141 for 40 issues and $183 for 52. If you order by mail with a check, cash or money order (P.O. Box 1228, Campbell, CA 95009-1228), you can get $1 off in every price range.)

If you are a new subscriber ordering 24 or more issues, you can choose one free classic issue or two free classic issues with a 40-issue subscription.

WEDNESDAY NEWS UPDATE

WWE
This week’s NXT UK episodes opened with a tribute graphic for Dynamite Kid. There was also a scrolling message on the lower third of the screen for the episodes, 205 Live, and NXT, with WWE extending its condolences to his family, friends, and fans.
Bret Hart wrote about the death of Dynamite Kid: “There are people in life that have a ripple effect both professionally and personally. Tom ‘Dynamite Kid’ Billington was one of those people. The second professional wrestling match of my career was against Dynamite. I benefited from his greatness and through our matches in Stampede, WWE, and everywhere in-between, I became a better wrestler because of him. Dynamite truly was the best wrestler ever, pound-for-pound. Tom was family, my brother-in-law, and we were very close. In many ways I felt like one of the few people who truly knew him, both the good and the bad. I saw Tom one final time this past June in England and I can only hope he is finally at peace. My thoughts are with his children Browyne, Marek, and Amaris, and the entire Billington family.”
Becky Lynch tweeted about her VIP session for Royal Rumble Axxess selling out: “They tell me that my Royal Rumble VIP Axxess, sold out in 90secs. I see and hear you all, all the tee shirts, the signs, the posts, the love. The Man sees you all. They didn’t expect us, but here we are”
Alicia Warrington announced that she’s the newest member of the NXT broadcast team. Her name will be Alicia Taylor and she’ll be appearing on this weekend’s house show loop.
After World of Sport’s Justin Sysum wrote an open letter to British Wrestling about WWE UK’s new restrictions and said that he doesn’t want a job with WWE, Pete Dunne, Tyler Bate, and Trent Seven all responded to him on Twitter:
Dunne: “Every step myself and other members of the NXT UK roster have taken within WWE over the past two years has been nothing but a benefit to the independent scene. Don’t disregard that because of hear say and rumours.”
Bate: “NXTUK is a great opportunity for all UK based performers to showcase their talents and make a living doing what they love doing. This open letter to British Wrestling is based off of nothing but rumours, don’t believe everything you read.”
Seven: “Hang your head in shame Justin. We’ve all worked incredibly hard over the past few years to create a thriving scene for all levels of talent to perform on. Delete your tweet and stop attention seeking.”

During a dark match against The Miz after Mixed Match Challenge last night, Daniel Bryan played the heel by saying “It’s your birthday…congratulations, you’re stupid” to a  kid with a birthday sign. The crowd then chanted happy birthday to the kid.
WWE stock closed yesterday at $71.56 per share.
WWE Network News reported that Jerry Blackwell vs. Colonel DeBeers in a ladder match (AWA, November 27, 1986) and The Dudleyz vs. The Sandman, Tommy Dreamer & Spike Dudley in a Stairway to Hell match (ECW,  May 16, 1998) will be added to the WWE Network’s hidden gems section tomorrow morning.
The XFL noted that its top players (“tier-1 quarterbacks”) will be paid at least $250,000 per season.
WWE presented The V Foundation with a check for $1.2 million on behalf of Connor’s Cure.
Scott Dawson started a petition to get WWE to suspend Lucha House Rules.
Pro Wrestling
Impact Wrestling will be returning to Mexico City on January 11 and January 12 for television tapings at Fronton Mexico. Impact also taped TV there in September.
Impact celebrated reaching two million subscribers on YouTube last night: “We just crossed 2 MILLION SUBSCRIBERS on YouTube! Thank you to everybody that subscribes and watches. We’ve added nearly 900,000 subscribers this year alone and broken every record multiple times!  We plan to do a little something special to celebrate next week!”
Dezmond Xavier vs. Andrew Everett is set for MLW’s TV tapings in Miami on December 13.
Timothy Thatcher has been added to Game Changer Wrestling’s Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport event, which is taking place on Thursday, April 4 during WrestleMania week.
UFC/MMA
The Nevada Athletic Commission granted Conor McGregor a continuation in his case for the post-UFC 229 brawl. A disciplinary hearing for McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov was scheduled for next Monday. MMA Fighting reported that Nurmagomedov is highly unlikely to be in attendance and that “sources said a continuance is still possible, as is some kind of settlement agreement, which has become regular protocol for the NAC over the last year plus.”
Max Holloway, Brian Ortega, Valentina Shevchenko, and Joanna Jedrzejczyk took part in a press conference today ahead of UFC 231.
The UFC uploaded episode three of Embedded for Saturday’s PPV.
Dominick Cruz will return to the Octagon against John Lineker at UFC 233 on January 26.
Joanne Calderwood vs. Ariane Lipski has been moved from UFC 233 to the UFC’s first ESPN+ show on January 19.

Daily Pro Wrestling History: Randy Savage’s last match

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Western-backed forces say they plan to crush the Islamic State terror group within two days after launching an operation to clear out the group’s final stronghold.

The Syrian Democratic Forces, the Kurdish-led group that has been the US-led coalition’s main ally against Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isil) in Syria, commenced their final assault on the village of Baghuz just after sunset on Friday night.

“After evacuation of thousands of civilians and our comrades who were held hostage in Baghouz, the operation to clear the last remaining pocket of Isil started at 18:00 this evening,” Mustafa Bali, a spokesman for the SDF said.

Mr Bali told The Daily Telegraph that said the operation is expected to last two days, but may take a week to complete as hardened jihadists fight back with heavy weapons and suicide car bombs.

Isil, which once ruled over eight million people in a proto-state covering large swathes of Syria and Iraq, now controls a patch of land about 700 metres across on the banks of the Euphrates river.

The demise of ISIL in Syria and Iraq

The operation follows three weeks of evacuations of civilians from the tiny pocket. About 17,000 people, mostly women and children, have left in the past 16 days.

SDF commanders estimate there are around 1,000 Isil fighters remaining in the pocket, along with an unknown number of non-combatants.  

They may include John Cantlie, a British journalist who was kidnapped in 2012. Ben Wallace, the UK Security Minister, said last month that there was reason to believe Mr Cantlie is still alive.

Photo Dispatch: Syria's fight against ISIL

Although the fall of Baghuz would mark the end of the group’s pretensions to a caliphate, SDF officials have warned it will continue to present a security threat.  

Sleeper cells using guerrilla tactics continue to carry out drive-by shootings and suicide bombings in liberated areas. Some fighters still hold some desolate territory in a remote area west of the Euphrates River.

“All the remaining fighters are experienced and professional. They the true radicals and jihadist fighters. Therefore they will fight to the end,” Mr Bali said. “We do not expect any to surrender.”

Click:star tracker satellite
>

PWTorch editor Wade Keller presents a special Thursday Flagship edition of the Wade Keller Pro Wrestling Podcast featuring a WrestleMania 36 Preview with ex-WWE Creative Team member and professional stand-up comedian Matt McCarthy.

(Search “wade keller” to subscribe in podcast app or CLICK HERE to subscribe in Apple Podcasts.)

With a promise to change things up, WWE announced tonight that five NXT superstars are being called up to the main roster in the near future.

During Raw, it was announced that the following five wrestlers would be called up. What brand or when exactly they’ll debut isn’t known:

Lacey Evans, who has feuded with Kairi Sane in the past on NXT television and had recently been scoring wins against the likes of Candice LeRae and Dakota Kai.
Heavy Machinery, the team of Tucker Knight and Otis Dozovich who have been wrestling together as a unit since 2016. They’ve wrestled against the likes of War Raiders, Authors of Pain, TM-61 and the Undisputed Era.
Nikki Cross, who used to be affiliated with Sanity before they were called up to SmackDown earlier this year. She is coming off a feud against Bianca Belair.
EC3, who has competed for the NXT North American title in the past and is coming off a feud against Lars Sullivan. He was formerly known as Derrick Bateman during his last run with the WWE that ended in 2013.

These call-ups are in addition to Lars Sullivan, whose vignettes have been airing since Survivor Series.

Click:double chamber tea bag machine

Propaganda and political spectacle is the theme this week as China kicks off the annual meeting of its rubber-stamp parliament in the communist state.

Videos starring an American talking about China’s "style of democracy" and a rapper dropping some rhymes about parliament are just some examples of the somewhat bizarre messaging from Beijing.

The city is on lockdown and censors have gone into overdrive to make sure the week goes smoothly.

It’s no surprise China is trying to shape the message – the country is charting rough waters, facing economic challenges, a trade war with the US and scrutiny on everything from espionage to human rights. 

1956

Kansas City, Kansas:
– Gorgeous George beat Wild Red Berry 2 falls to 0
– Women’s World Champion June Byers beat Penny Banner 2 falls to 0
– Mike DiBiase beat Guy Brunetti 
– Joe Tangaro drew Bibber 

1961

Rochester, Minnesota:
– Special Referee: Bronko Nagurski: AWA Champion Verne Gagne beat Hard Boiled Haggerty by DQ
– Jim Hady drew Gene Kiniski
– Wilbur Snyder beat Nick Roberts
– Len Montana beat Bob Rasmussen

1966

Denver, Colorado:
– Mighty Igor Vodik won a battle royal
– Verne Gagne beat Larry Hennig
– The Crusher beat Moose Cholak
– Danny Hodge drew Chris Markoff
– Mighty Igor Vodik beat Mitsu Arakawa
– Chris Tolos beat George Drake
– Wilbur Snyder beat Harley Race

1969

St. Paul, Minnesota:
– Mad Dog Vachon & Butcher Vachon beat The Crusher & Pampero Firpo
– Bill Watts beat Larry Hennig (sub Lars Anderson) 
– Dr. X beat Pat O’Connor2 out of 3 falls
– Billy Red Lyons drew Larry Hennig
– Rene Goulet beat Mike Riker

1970

Orlando, Florida:
– 6 Man Elimination Match: Man Mountain Mike & Jack Brisco & Louie Tillet defeated Mephisto & Dante & Sir Roger Mitchell 
– Missouri Mauler defeated Hiro Matsuda by DQ
– Sailor Art Thomas & Thunderbolt Patterson defeated Jim Dalton & Pancho Rosario 
– Jose Lothario defeated Dale Lewis 
– Danny Miller drew Mr. Saito 
– Bob Roop defeated Jose Betancourt 

1971 

Tampa, Florida:
– Jack & Jerry Brisco defeated The Infernos to win the NWA Florida Tag Team Titles
– Dewey Robertson & Salvador Garcia defeated Alex Perez & Krusher Karlson 
– Bob Roop defeated Bob Kaiser (Unmasked Medic) 
– Danny Miller defeated Mike Bowyer 
– Southern Title: Rene Goulet defeated Louie Tillet by DQ
– Steel Cage Match: Jose Lothario & Cyclon Negro defeated Great Malenko & Tarzan Tyler

St.Louis, Missouri:
– Missouri Champion Terry Funk defeated Jerry Brisco
– The Invader went to a double DQ with Pat O’Connor
– Pat O’Connor won a Wrestle Royal 
– Big Bill Miller and Yvon Koloff defeated Sonny Myers and Rufus R. Jones 
– Jim Steele defeated Don Anderson
– Dan Miller defeated Steve Bolus
– The Viking and Ronnie Etchison defeated Bennie Ramirez and Stan Pulaski. 

1982

Quebec, Ontario, Canada:
– Dino Bravo won a 16 man battle royal 
– Gilles Poisson & Sailor White defeated Gino Brito & Tony Parisi 
– Dino Bravo defeated The Destroyer 
– Raymond Rougeau defeated Michel Dubois 
– Edouard Carpentier defeated John White 
– Richard Charland defeated Mr. Hito 
– Jos Ventura (Chief Jos Lightfoot) defeated Robert Orlando

Oakland, California:
– Baron Von Raschke (sub Nick Bockwinkel) beat Pat Patterson by DQ
– Ken Patera & Bobby Duncum beat Hulk Hogan & Tito Santana
– Weasel Suit match: Buck Zumhofe beat Bobby Heenan
– Sheik Adnan beat Greg Gagne
– Brad Rheingans drew Jerry Blackwell

1985

Waukegan, Illinois:
– Non Title: Nick Bockwinkel beat AWA Champion Rick Martel
– The Crusher & Baron Von Raschke beat AWA Tag Team Champions Road Warriors by DQ
– Jerry Blackwell beat Mr. Saito
– Jim Garvin beat Curt Hennig
– Billy Robinson beat Tom Zenk
– John Nord beat Steve Regal

1986

Milwaukee, Wisconsin:
– AWA Tag Team Champions Curt Hennig & Scott Hall beat Mongolian Stomper & Nord The Barbarian
– AWA Champion Stan Hansen beat Leon White (Big Van Vader)
– Greg Gagne beat Scott Irwin by DQ
– Boris Zhukov beat Brad Rheingans by countout
– Colonel DeBeers beat Frankie DeFalco
– Marty Jannetty beat Bill Irwin

1987

Memphis, Tennessee:
– Jerry Lawler & AWA Champion Nick Bockwinkel beat Austin Idol & Tommy Rich by DQ
– Barbed Wire Cage Match: Stan Lane & Steve Keirn & Paul Diamond beat Johnny Boyd & The Sheepherders
– Jeff Jarrett & Billy Travis beat Big Bubba & Goliath
– Jimmy Snuka & King Cobra beat Tarzan Goto & Mr. Rising Sun by DQ
– Soul Train Jones beat The Hunter

1988

Louisville, Kentucky:
– AWA Tag Team Champions Midnight Rockers drew Rock & Roll Express
– Jerry Lawler beat Tommy Rich by reverse decision
– Jeff Jarrett beat Bill Dundee by DQ

Frank Bonema Memorial show: Portland, Oregon:
– The Grappler no contest AWA Champion Curt Hennig, title held up
– Assassin won battle royal for vacant TV title
– Cage Match: Mike Miller beat Rip Oliver
– Steve Doll & Scott Peterson beat CW Bergstrom & Moondog Moretti
– Strap Match: Brian Adams beat Abudda Dein
– Assassin beat Avalanche Paul Neu (PN News)
– Coco Samoa beat Destroyer

1989

WWF Saturday Night’s Main Event: Hershey, Pennsylvania:
– Hulk Hogan defeated Bad News Brown 
– Ted DiBiase made the first defense of his Million Dollar Belt, defeating The Blue Blazer (Owen Hart) 
– Shawn Michaels & Marty Jannetty wrestled Tully Blanchard & Arn Anderson to a double countout

1992

Norfolk, Virginia:
– Terrance Taylor & Greg Valentine defeated Marcus Alexander Bagwell & Tom Zenk
– Richard Morton pinned Johnny B. Badd
– Abdullah the Butcher pinned PN News
– Mr. Hughes pinned Van Hammer
– Rick & Scott Steiner defeated Steve Armstrong & Tracy Smothers
– Barry Windham defeated Larry Zbyzsko in a Texas Death Match
– Sting, Ricky Steamboat, Dustin Rhodes, & Ron Simmons defeated WCW US Champion Rick Rude, WCW TV Champion Steve Austin, WCW Tag Team 
  Champions Arn Anderson & Bobby Eaton in a steel cage match

1997

WWF In Your House: Final Four: Chattanooga, Tennessee:
– Henry & Phinneas Godwinn defeated the Headbangers
– Marc Mero (w/ Sable) pinned Leif Cassidy 
– Farooq, Crush, & Savio Vega (w/ PG-13, D-Lo Brown, Clarence Mason, and other Nation members) defeated Goldust (w/ Marlena), Flash Funk, & Bart Gunn 
– WWF IC Champion Rocky Maivia pinned Hunter Hearst Helmsley
– Bret Hart defeated Steve Austin, Vader and The Undertaker to win the vacant WWF World Heavyweight Title in a “Final Four” elimination match 
– Doug Furnas & Phil Lafon defeated World Tag Team Champions Owen Hart & Davey Boy Smith via disqualification

2002 

Tokyo, Japan:
– Tadao Yasuda defeated Yuji Nagata to win the IWGP World Heavyweight Title in a tournament final

2004

Bakersfield, California:
– Booker T & Rob Van Dam defeated Ric Flair & Batista to win the WWE World Tag Team Titles

2010

Kansas City, Missouri:
– Ezekiel Jackson defeated Christian to become the final ECW Champion before the title was retired

2018

PWG: Reseda, California:
– Adam Brooks beat Brody King 
– Dalton Castle pinned Joey Janela
– Travis Banks beat David Starr
– Zack Sabre Jr. beat Flip Gordon
– Keith Lee pinned Matt Riddle
– Chuck Taylor pinned Trent to retain the PWG title

Democratic presidential candidate Beto O’Rourke belonged to one of the best-known groups of computer hackers as a teenager, Reuters revealed on Friday.

The former US congressman from Texas confirmed to Reuters that as a youth in El Paso, he belonged to the hacking group known as the Cult of the Dead Cow.

He also acknowledged that, during those teenage years, he stole long-distance phone service to participate in electronic discussions.

Others in the group committed the same offense and got off with warnings; the statute of limitations ran out long ago.

In the group, Mr O’Rourke wrote online essays under the pseudonym “Psychedelic Warlord” that could provide fodder for political supporters and foes alike.

One mocked a neo-Nazi, while another was a short piece of fiction from a killer’s point of view.

The Reuters article marks the ex-congressman as the most prominent former hacker in American politics.

It draws on interviews with more than a dozen members of the group who agreed to be named for the first time in the book, titled “Cult of the Dead Cow: How the Original Hacking Supergroup Might Just Save the World.”

There is no indication that Mr O’Rourke himself engaged in the edgiest sorts of hacking activity – breaking into computers or writing code that enabled others to do so.

After his active period in the late 1980s, the group became famous for releasing tools that allowed ordinary computer users to hijack other people’s machines. Though it was controversial, the resulting chaos forced Windows maker Microsoft to dramatically improve security.

For Mr O’Rourke, the long-suppressed tale fills out an unusual portrait for a presidential aspirant.

Born to a prominent El Paso family and sent to a boarding school and an Ivy League college, Mr O’Rourke felt a misfit as a youth and played in a punk band before starting a small technology business and an alternative press outlet, launching him into local politics.

Mr O’Rourke came to national attention last year when he came within three percentage points of defeating Texas Republican Senator Ted Cruz, energising new voters and taking in record donations for a Senate campaign while eschewing special-interest money.

The few technology professionals let in on Mr O’Rourke’s secret said it showed a deep understanding of technology and a healthy willingness to challenge traditions, attributes that Mr O’Rourke stressed in his interview.

“There’s just this profound value in being able to be apart from the system and look at it critically,” Mr O’Rourke said.

“I think of the Cult of the Dead Cow as a great example of that.”