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Bruised by Net attack, Al-Jazeera turns to mobiles
4/02/03 | Reuters

Posted on 04/02/2003 7:34:32 AM PST by kattracks

Bruised by Net attack, Al-Jazeera turns to mobiles

LONDON, April 2 (Reuters) - Hacked off the Internet for showing controversial images from the Iraq war, the Arab news channel al-Jazeera said on Wednesday it was launching a new service to send its news to mobile phones.

The Qatar-based satellite television channel will beam news alerts in both Arabic and English to mobile phones around the world, after its Arabic and English-language Web sites were brought down by hackers.

Al-Jazeera, one of the most popular news networks in the Arab world, raised the ire of the United States and Britain last week after showing footage from Iraq of dead and captured American and British soldiers in the initial days of the war.

The network's Arabic-language Web site (www.aljazeera.net) was attacked last week by hackers who filled the site with a message reading: "Hacked by Patriot, Freedom Cyber Force Militia" beneath the logo of a U.S. flag.

Users were also redirected to porn sites. But the site was up and running again on Wednesday.

Its English-language site (http:/english.aljazeera.net), rushed out to coincide with the start of the war, was also brought down by hackers last week. Al-Jazeera said it would launch a reinforced site later this month.

Al-Jazeera called on the United States to come to its aid last week after the problems with its Web sites and after two of its reporters were banned from New York's stock exchange.

It also urged the United States on Wednesday to ensure the safety of its correspondents in Iraq after U.S. artillery hit a hotel where one of its offices is located.

After making its name in the Afghan war with exclusive footage of Osama bin Laden, al-Jazeera has taken the Arab world by storm with its controversial reporting and Western style.

But it has faced an uphill battle in the United States.

An al-Jazeera spokesman said the new mobile service being launched on Wednesday would be available in 130 countries.

Other news organisations such as Reuters, CNN and Britain's ITN also transmit news headlines to mobile users.

04/02/03 10:30 ET


TOPICS: News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: enemypropaganda; hackers; televisedwar; warcorrespondents

1 posted on 04/02/2003 7:34:32 AM PST by kattracks
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To: kattracks
I say they send out free cell phones to Saddam and Sons
2 posted on 04/02/2003 7:36:33 AM PST by freedomlover
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To: kattracks; Poohbah; rdb3
Okay, what's the over/under on the hackers taking this little network down?
3 posted on 04/02/2003 7:37:51 AM PST by hchutch ("But tonight we get EVEN!" - Ice-T)
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To: kattracks

Hmmm... I don't think these are gonna slow down the U.S. Marines.

4 posted on 04/02/2003 7:40:31 AM PST by theDentist (So..... This is Virginia..... where are all the virgins?)
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To: hchutch
The Register have a pretty good account of the possible scenarios: http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/6/29984.html
5 posted on 04/02/2003 7:48:09 AM PST by jerej
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To: freedomlover
Yeah, free complementary mobile service and free phone. First time you use it. Well lets say its so much fun its a bang. A big bang.
6 posted on 04/02/2003 7:51:16 AM PST by ItsTheMediaStupid
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To: jerej
Here's hoping the hackers stay several steps ahead of the FBI.
7 posted on 04/02/2003 7:59:49 AM PST by hchutch ("But tonight we get EVEN!" - Ice-T)
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