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Some security analysts believe the war on terror is being waged online

Three websites linked to al-Qaeda have disappeared from the web leading experts to conclude that a state-backed cyber-attack has taken place, according to a report from the Guardian newspaper.

The sites – named al-Ekhlas, al-Buraq and al-Firdaws – are all linked to an organisation called al Fajr, which the newspaper describes as ‘the media distribution arm of al-Qaeda’.

The reason why government involvement is suspected is that a fourth similar site, al-Hesbah, remains intact. That site is known to have been infiltrated by Saudi intelligence officers to spy on suspected terrorists.

"I think it's probably being orchestrated by several governments," William McCants, a military security consultant told The Guardian. "Whoever is doing this knows what they are doing. They are being surgically precise."

"I think the Americans are behind this," the report quotes another expert as saying.

Others, however, questioned why the US and its allies would attack the sites now in particular. Some argued it could simply be a technical fault that the organisations behind the site were too embarrassed to admit.

The significance of online media in terrorism is not trivial. Young men and women that might be dissuaded from drastic action by friends and family can find an online community of fellow dissidents who can encourage and support them in acts of terrorism.

Last month, the head of US’ Homeland Security subcommittee told reporters that he country was building a cyber-defence force to combat online national security threats.

“The best defence is a good offence, and an offensive [cyber-war] capability is essential to our national defence,” Jim Langevin said.

Further reading

Cyber assault
The threat to the UK’s critical IT infrastructure from cyber terrorists and activists is growing

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