An Internet news site published and then retracted a story that claimed a radical Islamic group was behind a virus-like attack that clogged the Internet.
The site of Computerworldmagazine published on Wednesday an article penned by journalist Mr Dan Verton that he based on an e-mail interview with a person he identified as "Abu Mujahid," a member of Pakistan-based Harkat-ul-Mujahadeen.
Mr Verton wrote that "Mujahid" claimed the group, believed to have links to Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda network, had unleashed the January 25th Internet worm attack.
A staff writer for Computerworldand a former Marine intelligence analyst, Mr Verton wrote a story that said Harkat had acknowledged releasing "the Slammer worm as part of a 'cyber jihad' aimed at creating fear and uncertainty on the Internet".
But "Mujahid" was Mr Brian McWilliams (43), a freelance journalist in New Hampshire, whose employers include Salon.com and Wired News.
Mr McWilliams said he had duped Mr Verton because he wanted to teach reporters "to be more sceptical of people who claim they're involved in cyberterrorism".
Experts have been unable to trace the origin of the so-called Slammer worm and say they have no evidence terrorism was involved.
AP