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Cyber-protesters deface Russian site

Will Knight ZDNet.co.uk

Published: 13 Dec 1999 18:02 GMT

Crackers have defaced the Web site of Russian News agency Itar-Tass in protest of Russian military actions in Chechnya.

The message "We're here to fight evil and our power is growing" was plastered across the front page of the news service's Web site, along with demands for the Russian offensive in Chechnya to stop. Crackers calling themselves "Princes of Darkness" and "Angels of Freedom" claimed responsibility for the action. Itar-Tass has also admitted to receiving threats via email from people claiming to be pro-Chechnya computer hackers.

Itar-Tass, which has been supportive of Russian military action in Chechnya along with most of the media in Russia, has been repeatedly accused of peddling Russian government and military propaganda by Chechnyans.

Other world leaders as well as the press in the West have also questioned Russia's campaign in Chechnya claiming that it has often targeted innocent civilians.

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