The Vatican website was off line Wednesday for a number of hours, allegedly attacked by the Italian branch of the hacker collective Anonymous.
“Anonymous has now decided to lay siege to your site in response to the doctrines, liturgies and the precepts absurd and anachronistic that your organization is for profit (Roman Apostolic Church) propagates and spreads worldwide,” the hackers said in a statement translated by Google from the Italian.
“Every day many of the members of the clergy may be responsible of molesting children, covering them when the facts become public domain.”
Anonymos also protested the doctrines, liturgies and absurd and anachronistic precepts.
The hackers also objected to the Church’s stance against abortion and contraceptives.
“This is NOT intended to attack the Christian religion or against the faithful around the world, but to the corrupt Roman Apostolic Church and all its “emanations”, the statement read.
Associated Press reported earlier yesterday Vatican spokesman, Fr Federico Lombardi SJ confirming the website’s unavailability but declining to comment on the source of the problem.
The action comes just one day after five alleged computer hackers in Britain, Ireland and the United States were charged on Tuesday in high-profile cyber-attacks after a leader of the group became an FBI informant.
Anonymous tried and failed to attach the Vatican website last year.
Sources
- The Networked World
- The Guardian
- Official Blog of Anonymous
- Official Blog of Anonymous – Translated by Google
- Image: International Business Times
News category: World.