HACKERS SWITCHED OFF the website of the Saudi-owned satellite channel Al-Arabiya.

The hackers ran a message which warned that "if attacks on Shiite websites continue, none of your websites will be safe".

Just in case anyone thought that the move was an Israeli plot, the site also displayed a picture of an Israeli flag on fire.

Al-Arabiya said that its website had "come under organised cyber piracy performed by extremists" and it would stick to being "moderate, balanced and objective".

Shiite hackers have been getting grumpier lately after Wahhabi hackers had attacked 300 Shiite websites, including that belonging to Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani. µ

L'Inq
AP