'Anonymous' hackers hit Jordan PM website over prices

AMMAN - Agence France-Presse

A Bahraini woman wearing a Guy Fawkes mask used by the Anonymous movement flashes the 'V-sign' for victory during an anti-government protest in the village of Jannusan, west of the capital Manama, on September 27, 2013. AFP PHOTO/MOHAMMED AL-SHAIKH

Hackers have attacked the official website of the Jordanian prime minister's office, the information minister said on Sunday, in a protest over rising prices.

"We have restored the website after it was hacked last night for several hours," Mohammad Momani told AFP.

"The authorities have identified the attackers. Legal action will be taken against them," he said without elaborating.

"Anonymous Jordan," who claimed they were members of the global "hacktivist" group Anonymous, defaced the website and left a message in Arabic to Prime Minister Abdullah Nsur.

"Hi uncle, how are you? We are sorry, we hacked your website. Are you upset? We feel much worse when you raise prices. The people know this feeling but you do not," it said.

The government has announced a raft of austerity measures as it battles to reduce a $2 billion deficit this year and rein in a foreign debt that now exceeds $23 billion (17 billion euros).

It has doubled taxes on cellphones and mobile telephone contracts, and plans are under way to raise electricity costs by 15 percent.

It has also raised taxes on imported clothes from five percent to 20 percent.

A government decision in November to raise fuel prices, including household gas, by up to 53 percent, sparked a wave of violent nationwide protests.