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Blog Platform Shut Down Because Of Al-Qaeda Material -Host

Last update: 7/20/2010 10:45:54 AM

WASHINGTON (AFP)--An Internet hosting service said Tuesday that it shut down a blogging platform because bomb-making instructions and an al-Qaeda "hit list" had been posted on the site.

BurstNET, a Pennsylvania-based Web hosting service, said that it shut down Blogetery.com earlier this month after U.S. law enforcement officials pointed out the al-Qaeda material on the platform used by some 70,000 bloggers.

In a statement, BurstNET said it was asked by law enforcement officials on July 9 to provide information about the ownership of the server hosting Blogetry.com.

"It was revealed that a link to terrorist material, including bomb-making instructions and an al-Qaeda 'hit list,' had been posted to the site," BurstNET said.

"Upon review, BurstNET determined that the posted material, in addition to potentially inciting dangerous activities, specifically violated" the company's terms of use, BurstNET said. "This policy strictly prohibits the posting of 'terrorist propaganda, racist material, or bomb/weapon instructions,'"

BurstNET said. "Due to this violation and the fact that the site had a history of previous abuse, BurstNET elected to immediately disable the system," it said.

The unidentified operator of Blogetary.com complained in a post on a Web forum that the service had been cut off without explanation.

"After being a BurstNet customer for 7 months our server was terminated without any notification or explanation," the operator said.

(END) Dow Jones Newswires
July 20, 2010 10:45 ET (14:45 GMT)