Opposition group ‘Anonymous’, replaces homepages with interactive maps of Syria showing data on people killed in the government’s crackdown since mid-March.
The sites, all domain names that end with “gov.sy”, were based in the cities of Homs, Aleppo, Latakia, Damascus, Tartous, Deir Ezzor and Palmyra.
The hacked versions of the webpages included a link to a site advising activists on how to maintain anonymity on the internet and prevent government tracking.
At the bottom of each page, the hackers provided “real” information about the city the site belongs to, with many of them including short videos documenting security forces’ crackdowns on protesters. The ‘Anonymous’ logo, a headless man in a suit, was on the foot of each page as well.
Last month Syria’s Defense Ministry website was temporarily shut down after ‘Anonymous’ hackers broke into the site and replaced its content with an anti-government message.
The ministry’s homepage was replaced with still images from amateur anti-government videos and a Syrian flag that stretched across the page’s center carried the ‘Anonymous’ logo.
The hacked homepage also displayed a statement praising peaceful protesters and denouncing Syrian President Bashar Assad.
The statement, addressed to the Syrian people, said «the world stands with you against the brutal regime of Bashar Assad. Know that time and history are on your side – tyrants use violence because they have nothing else, and the more violent they are, the more fragile they become. We salute your determination to be non-violent in the face of the regime’s brutality, and admire your willingness to pursue justice, not mere revenge. All tyrants will fall, and thanks to your bravery Bashar Assad is next.»
An additional statement, intended for the Syrian military, read «you are responsible for protecting the Syrian people, and anyone who orders you to kill women, children, and the elderly deserves to be tried for treason. No outside enemy could do as much damage to Syria as Bashar Assad has done. Defend your country – rise up against the regime! — Anonymous.»
The hackers also posted links to anti-government sites, such as the Facebook-based «The Syrian Revolution 2011.»
The UN estimates about 2,700 Syrians have been killed in clashes between troops and pro-democracy protesters since protests began in March. Hackers take over Syria government websites – Haaretz Daily Newspaper | Israel News.