Al-Jazeera websites hacked

Al-Jazeera news network said on Wednesday a number of its websites had been hacked, and Internet users reported that pro-Syrian regime slogans were posted on the broadcaster's pages.

The main Arab satellite news channel said the host company of its websites came under a cyber attack which "caused readers wanting to access Al-Jazeera websites to be diverted to other pages not linked to us."

"The company is working on fixing the problem and has succeeded in restoring Al-Jazeera websites gradually, but completing the job will take some time," a spokesman for the channel said in a statement.

Internet reports said that the websites of the Qatar-owned network appeared with a Syrian flag along with the word "Hack" and a message saying the piracy was in "response to the hostile position of the channel towards Syria, its people and government."

The message also cited Al-Jazeera's "spread of false news."

Al-Jazeera has openly backed most Arab Spring uprisings and is strongly criticised by the regime of President Bashar Al-Assad, which accuses it of pro-rebel bias.

(c) 2012 AFP