The hacking attack on a Dutch internet company that issues security certificates was aimed against Dutch anti-Islam MP Geert Wilders, says a man who has claimed responsibility for the attack.

The hacking attack on DigiNotar has compromised the security of numerous internet sites, including several run by the Dutch government.

The hacker, who calls himself Sun Ich, says he is a 21-year-old Iranian student and acted alone. Earlier he said the attack on the Dutch company was in revenge for the 1995 Srebrenica massacre of some 8,000 Bosnian Muslim boys and men who had sought shelter in a United Nations safe haven protected by Dutch peacekeepers.

The hacker admits he has passed security certificates to “certain people in Iran”, confirming fears the Iranian authorities may have used them to spy on dissidents, something he applauds.

Dutch public broadcaster NOS has been in contact with the hacker for a number of days. On its website the NOS says Sun Ich praises Iran's religious leader Ayatollah Khamenei and is proud of President Mamoud Ahmadinejad. He condemns the Taliban and terrorists in Afghanistan. He calls on the Netherlands to put an end to the harassment of Muslims and warns of grave consequences if it does not.

The broadcaster has received confirmation that the man is under investigation after he placed convincing evidence online that he was involved in hacking Diginotar. 

The man has warned that he "has mighty plans that will shock the world". He says no one knows who he is and he cannot be traced. He also claims to have hacked other security websites.

The NOS says it is difficult to say how seriously the hacker's claims should be taken. It points out that he appeared to have found out more about the Netherlands as time passed and saw an opportunity to get his message across.

(cl/nc)

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