Bahrain says websites attacked before parliamentary election

Agencies | Manama                

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com  

Bahrain said Saturday hackers targeted websites in the country just hours before a planned parliamentary election.

The Interior Ministry did not identify the websites targeted, but the country's state-run Bahrain News Agency could not be reached online nor could the website for Bahrain's parliament.

“Websites are being targeted to hinder the elections and circulate negative messages in desperate attempts that won’t affect the determination of citizens who will go to the polling stations,” the Interior Ministry said.

Screenshots taken by internet users showed a picture after the hack claiming it was carried out by a previously unknown account called 'Al Toufan', or “The Flood" in Arabic. Social media accounts associated with 'Al Toufan' said the group targeted the parliament's website “due to the persecution carried out by the Bahraini authorities, and in implementation of the popular will to boycott the sham elections.”

The attack happened just hours ahead of parliamentary and municipal elections in Bahrain. Voters will pick the 40 members of the lower house of Bahrain's parliament, the Council of Representatives. The parliament's upper house, the Consultative Council, is appointed by royal decree by His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa.