The official website of AL Arabiya at http://www.alarabiya.net was defaced and hacked by Shitte Muslims. AL Arabiya is an “Arabic-language television news channel” owned by various sunni investors from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and other gulf states. “AL Arabiya’s internet site was launched as a news website in February 2004 initially in Arabic” and then in English and other languages. The hackers managed to place a note on the home page that mentioned the following: “If attacks on shia Website continue, none of your Website will be safe”.
This is just the beginning of cyber virtual wars between sunni and shiite Muslims. It will be interesting to see if there will be any sort of legal action brought against the hackers either in Saudi Arabia or any other country.
There are currently no specific laws that deal with cyber crimes in the Gulf States except in the United Arabia Emirates which issued the Cyber Crime Law No. 6 for 2006 to combat cyber crimes.
