Pierluigi Paganini
November 05, 2014
Keighley Cougars rugby team’s website has been hacked by Islamic extremists, ISIS. Users who tried to the website on Sunday were met by a black web page featuring “Hacked By Team System Dz” and “I love you ISIS” slogans.
The motive of the hack is unclear, but experts believe the ISIS extremists were only using the website to broadcast their political frustrations with the US government and not for commercial gain. Some of the anti-America slogans displayed on the website homepage called for “elimination of America and the allies of the infidels”.
“This is a time of Islam and victory,” stated another statement on the site “The alliance of the world against the state of Islam will not succeed and will offer to martyrdom and jihad. Damn America.” A message reportedly sent to all population and governments in the world declared the “state of Islam” was expanding.
“It’s sinister what’s happened and whatever organization, wherever it is in the world, should not be hijacking other people’s media,” the chairman, Gary Fawcett, told the Keighley News. “And I hope police find out who’s done this wherever they are and bring them to account.”
Fawcett was worried the scaring images of injured war casualties and other disturbing pictures displayed on the hacked site would have psychological effect on young web users “
It is a concern that children might see some of those nightmare images.” referring to pictures of wrecked “Muslim homes” and women and children casualties in the ongoing crisis in Syria.
West Yorkshire police department in conjunction with its anti-terrorism unit are currently investigating the breach. “We are aware of this incident and have now passed it to our counter-terrorism unit,” said West Yorkshire’s police spokesman. “We will work with the club in relation to this and are making enquiries.”
The tier two rugby club posted a messages on its tweet feed apologizing for the hacking incident. “Apologies, the website has been hacked. The developers are working on it. Will let you know when it’s back up and running,” stated the club in a tweet.
“While we developed the site, we don’t host it, that’s done by a company in London and they were contacted by one of our directors. It was obviously done on a Sunday night when it would be most difficult for anyone to take quick action. Unfortunately it’s a terrorist statement and I understand West Yorkshire police have passed it on to anti-terrorism police,” stated the club’s Chairman.
Although the Keighley Cougars website hack may seem like an isolated incident, reports from social media indicate the ISIS hacked a host server with over 60 websites broadcasting its ‘global message.’
Meanwhile, the ISIS is yet to publish an official statement taking responsibility for the hack, but the group is known for its ruthlessness and wayward strategies. Circulating online videos show fighters of the ISIS slaughtering war captives including the beheading of Alan Henning- a British aid worker. The radical group has also annexed large territories in western Iraq and war-torn Syria.
Author Bio:
Ali Qamar is an Internet security research enthusiast who enjoys “deep” research to dig out modern discoveries in the security industry. He is the founder and chief editor at SecurityGladiators.com, which is an ultimate source for worldwide security awareness having supreme mission of making the internet more safe, secure, aware and reliable.
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