Doha, July 17 (QNA) -

Statement of HE Sheikh Saif bin Ahmed Al-Thani

Director, Government Communications Office

State of Qatar

The State of Qatar has long maintained that its government news agency website was hacked on 24 May and fabricated quotes published. The information published in the Washington Post on 16 July 2017, which revealed the involvement of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and senior Emirati officials in the hacking of Qatar News Agency, unequivocally proves that this hacking crime took place.

His Excellency Sheikh Saif bin Ahmad Al-Thani, the Director of the Government Communications Office, stated that it is especially unfortunate that this shameful act of cyber terrorism is being attributed to a fellow member of the Gulf Cooperation Council. This criminal act represents a clear violation and breach of international law and of the bilateral and collective agreements signed between the member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council, as well as collective agreements with the Arab League, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, and the United Nations.

His Excellency further added that the Qatari Public Prosecutions investigation into this crime is on-going. The Public Prosecutor will take all necessary legal measures to bring to justice the perpetrators and instigators of this crime, whether in Qatari courts or relevant international jurisdictions specialising in cybercrimes, as per the statement of His Excellency the Public Prosecutor on 20 June 2017.