IRAN: Hamas office declares cyber-war on Israel

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The Tehran office of a Palestinian political group has announced it is offering cash prizes for any intrepid computer whiz who hacks into a ‘Zionist’ website.

For the second year in a row, the representatives of Hamas in the Islamic Republic are holding a contest to encourage techies to break into the websites of hard-line Israeli political organizations such as Shas or Hagana, according to a report published in Tabnak, a Farsi-language news website.

Winners will receive cash prizes equivalent to about $2,000.

Hamas announced the competition at a media expo now underway in Tehran.

Contest organizers describe the hack-Zionist-websites-for-cash competition as a ‘peaceful and non-violent initiative.’

It’s also a bit of tit for tat. A group of Israeli hackers recently boasted of breaking into a Hamas website and uploading the Israeli national anthem onto it.

Hamas accused Israelis of breaking into one of their websites some years ago and diverting traffic to a pornography site, called ‘Hot Motel Horny Sex Sluts.’

Observers noted that the contest gives a chance for Iran’s many under-employed but tech-savvy computer geeks to earn some quick cash with their expertise.

— Ramin Mostaghim in Tehran

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