Jihad hackers attack police, embassy

By CNN's Rose Tang

JAKARTA, Indonesia -- Supporters of an Islamic paramilitary group have hacked into the websites of the Australian Embassy and the Indonesian police over the arrest of their leader.

The hackers divert web site visitors to a separate site posted with a warning to the national police to release Ja'far Umar Thalib, the leader of the radical Laskar Jihad, or Holy War Warriors, the Australian embassy in Jakarta said.

Embassy spokesman Kirk Coningham told CNN that it was the first time the popular embassy site had been hacked into.

"Our website was not interfered with. And the message doesn't mention anything about Australia," Coningham added.

Jakarta Post reported that the excerpts from the Muslim message also warned police "should not try to form a conspiracy with the Jews, the Christians and other enemies of Islam who are not happy with the adoption of Islamic Law".

The Indonesia national police said its web site was hacked by a group called the Indonesian Muslim Hackers Movement, though very little damage was done.

"We were of course shocked by it, but it will not influence our decision regarding him 'Ja'far," National Police spokesman Inspector Gen. Didi Widayadi was quoted in the Post as saying.

The Post reported that police arrested on charges of inciting hatred against a religion and of ordering the murder of one of his followers in riot-torn Maluku islands.

Official police data shows 8,000 people were killed in the last two years of Muslim-Christian conflicts.

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Australian embassy in Jakarta
Indonesian National Police
Jakarta Post

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