Saudi-Qatari Rift: Qatar Says Hackers Post Fake Comments by Emir
Local Editor
As part of the ups and downs in the Saudi-Qatari rift, Qatar claimed on Wednesday its state news agency had been hacked, after it reported remarks purportedly by its ruler criticizing aspects of US foreign policy in the wake of US President Donald Trump's visit to Saudi Arabia.
The comments attributed to Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani continued to be carried by media in some other Gulf Arab states, even after Qatar said the report was fake, suggesting renewed strains between Qatar and some of its Gulf Arab neighbors.
"The Qatar News Agency [QNA] website has been hacked by an unknown entity. A false statement attributed to His Highness has been published," the Gulf Arab state's government communications office said.
"An ongoing investigation will be put in place to look into this matter. The statement published has no basis whatsoever, and the competent authorities in the State of Qatar will hold all those [involved] accountable."
For his part, Deputy of Dubai's Police Chief, Dahi Khalfan, responded to the published news, attacking Qatar in a series of tweets he posted to his Twitter account.
"The Riyadh summit united stances on both Arabic an Islamic levels, but Qatar is splitting the order," Khalfan tweeted.
Ties between Qatar and other Gulf Arab states suffered an eight-month breach in 2014 over Qatar's alleged support for the Muslim Brotherhood.
Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have used their oil and gas revenues to influence events in other Middle Eastern countries, and rifts between them can alter the political environment in Libya, Egypt, Syria, Iraq and Yemen.
The hacked report, which said Sheikh Tamim had spoken at a military graduation ceremony, cited him as being critical of renewed tensions with Gulf Arab adversary Iran.
A government spokesman told Reuters the Emir had attended a graduation ceremony for Qataris doing national service, "however, he did not make any speech or give any statements".
The incident happened four days after Qatar complained publicly that it was the target of "an orchestrated barrage" of criticism by unknown parties in the run-up to Trump's visit alleging the Gulf state supported terrorist groups in the Middle East.
Trump met Sheikh Tamim and other Gulf Cooperation Council [GCC] leaders on his trip to Saudi Arabia on Saturday and Sunday, where he renewed his allegations that Iran was a leading state ‘sponsor of terrorism.'
Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team
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