Counter-Terrorism Unit Investigating Rugby League Website Hack

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The Keighley Cougars confirmed that its site was hacked to display support for Isis

Counter-terrorism authorities are looking into the hack of a Rugby League team’s website, which was defaced to display a message supporting terrorist organisation Isis.

The front page of the website of Rugby League team the Keighley Cougars, in Keighley, West Yorkshire, was replaced with a black screen displaying messages including “Hacked By Team System DZ” and “I love you Isis”.

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Site hack

The team’s Twitter feed confirmed that the site had been hacked. “The developers are working on it. Will let you know when it’s back up and running,” the feed stated.

The page also played a recording of music and singing, and proclaimed support for the “State of Islam” in a message addressed “to all the population and the government, especially”. It included images of fighter jets, wrecked homes and people injured in combat.

West Yorkshire Police said it had received complaints about the matter and had referred it to its counter-terrorism unit.

“We will work with the club in relation to this and are making enquiries,” the police department said in a statement.

A message on a social media site claimed that a server hack had resulted in the same page being displayed on 60 other websites, according to the Press Association.

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