The Star Newspaper’s website was last night defaced by hackers claiming to be the Al Shabaab. For several minutes, the black flag used by the islamist group replaced the site’s blue and white look.
A message on the screen seemed to send a warning to other media houses, but at the same time congratulated Jicho Pevu’s Mohammed Ali for “Recruiting more mujahedeen and fighting the Kuffar and apostate government of Kenya.”
Mohammed Ali has often been seen as an Al Shabaab sympathiser, but this is the first time the Al Shabaab or their associates/sympathisers have named him.
As of this writing, he had not commented on the issue but Dennis Onsarigo had this to say.
A cowardly act to drag @MohaJichoPevu into unsolicited propaganda; pathetic display of ignorance too.
— Dennis Onsarigo (@Donsarigo) January 21, 2015
The site has since been restored.
If indeed the Al Shabaab are behind the cyber attack, then this may signal changing tactics. They are yet to claim responsibility through their normal channels, and this may as well be the work of an idle university student wanting to make a mark.
