RUSSIA-COURT-HACKERS-MINISTRY

Moscow, August 21 (Interfax) – The Russian Interior Ministry’s Department K is ready to investigate the recent hacking attack on the website of the Moscow Khamovnichesky Court, Larisa Zhukova, an official with the department, said.

“Officials from Department K will conduct an appropriate probe if a report of a crime is filed,” Zhukova told Interfax.

Zhukova said that no such report has been filed with the police yet.

According to earlier reports, unknown hackers attacked the website of Moscow’s Khamovnichesky Court, which sentenced three performers of the all-female punk group Pussy Riot to two years in prison each last Friday for their action at the Cathedral of the Christ the Savior, on Tuesday morning.

The hackers replaced the original text on the homepage by slogans calling for freedom for the Pussy Riot members, an Interfax correspondent has reported.

They also posted a music video of a homosexual nature by Bulgaria singer Azis on the court’s website and changed the titles of the website’s sections, adding sneering comments and obscenities to them. One of the Pussy Riot group’s songs automatically started playing as the webpage downloaded.

The well-known hacking community Anonymous has claimed responsibility for the attack, the BBC reported on Tuesday.

[RU EUROPE EEU EMRG POL PRO]

10:56:03 EET-2