International efforts to identify hackers in Qatar

A group of international experts, including investigators from America’s FBI, have been helping Qatar to identify the people responsible for hacking into the computer system at the official Qatar News Agency, Arabs48.com reported on Saturday.

The government in Doha believes that the hackers were behind the publication of statements on the QNA website attributed to the Emir of the Gulf State, Shaikh Tamim Bin Hamad. The false statements have created a lot of tension between Qatar and its neighbours, especially the UAE and Saudi Arabia.

Sources close to the investigations said that Qatar asked for US assistance and an FBI team has been in Doha since Friday working with the interior ministry. Two other countries are known to be helping in the process, but their identities are being kept secret.

The statements in question — the authenticity of which was denied immediately by the Qatar government — called on Saudi Arabia and other Gulf States to change their criticism of Qatar’s relations with Iran. Despite the official denials, a malicious campaign against Qatar is still ongoing across the US, UAE and Saudi media.