Oh certainly, and this has happened numerous times that persons have come forward with information they had.
It's like a foot ball game really. Someone grabs the ball and runs with it. Now if no one is trying to knock his bum to the ground, he doesn't have the real ball!
People used to be killed for the information they tried to leak. Now, with new technologies, internet, and the quick exchange of information. To kill someone with that sort of information would be making a martar of them, making their information that much more believable.
So mostly I see those informants being discredited. Their character challenged. Forums disrupted, and lots of psychological head games played to try and get people to steer away from the informant.
I've seen few times where disinformation agents have gotten on a forum, to try and distill an informant as a hoax.
Having seen it a few times over 5 years now, I can pick it up pretty quickly. I could name former names, but user names change quickly, so it doesn't matter. All the user names I would list, could very well likely be, one single agent. lol.
I have to grin when I see it happen now. Just makes me believe the informant that much more. lol. Plus every so often, I like watching the blackerd get his bum whipped by the white hats! Hooya! lol And as long as our guys don't get their hands tied. As far as I know, they've bested them every time! lol. Course, they probably aren't going to brag about the times they've lost. lol.
I miss the 8 guys. And hey! You said you'd buy dinner! Just because the thread is gone, doesn't mean I've forgotten! Plus, I still have it saved to my computer! Na-na!
