Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Kuwait recall their ambassadors from Damascus; head of world's oldest Sunni religious establishment calls for end to Syria 'tragedy.'
Hackers attack Syria ministry website with anti-government message -Members of hacking group Anonymous break into Syria Defense Ministry website, post still images from amateur anti-government videos.

By Haaretz, DPA

Two more Gulf states summoned their ambassadors to Syria for "consultation" on Monday, 24 hours after Saudi Arabia recalled its envoy from Damascus, as a besieged Syrian city came under fresh artillery fire.Bahraini Foreign Minister Sheikh Khaled bin Ahmed Al Khalifa said that the kingdom "summoned its ambassador in Syria for consultation."

The renewed violence in the eastern city of Deir el-Zour comes a day after at least 42 people were killed there in an intensifying government crackdown on protesters.Earlier, Kuwait said it has summoned its ambassador to Syria for "consultation," Foreign Minister Mohamed Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah said.

He said that the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) will hold a foreign ministers meeting soon to discuss developments in Syria.The two Gulf states followed Saudi King Abdullah's announcement on Sunday that he would recall the kingdom's envoy for consultations and called on Damascus to implement swift and all-out reforms.The stance of the three Gulf states is part of international and Arab pressure against President Bashar Assad's government after security forces killed hundreds in the past week and defended its crackdown on protesters, who it called "outlaws."Also, the world's oldest Sunni religious establishment, Al-Azhar, called for an end to the "tragedy" in Syria, after the situation had "exceeded all limits."The head of al-Azhar, Ahmed al-Tayeb, said the institution "was patient for a long time and avoided talking about the situation in Syria because of its sensitive nature.""But it has exceeded all limits and there must be an end to this Arab-Islamic tragedy," al-Tayeb added.Syria's government has sought to crush the democracy movement, calling for Assad's ouster, with force, leaving at least 2,059 people dead, including 391 members of the security forces, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.Damascus has been blaming the unrest in Syria since it started in mid March on "armed gangs" whom it said are financed by the west and some Arab countries.Earlier Monday, a Syrian state-owned daily lashed out against Saudi Arabia's decision to recall its envoy to Syria.Al-Watan newspaper said Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdel Aziz's recent statements on the Syrian situation "appeared to be representing a US threat more than a 'brotherly' message."It added that King Abdullah's message "not only surprised the Syrian people but also Riyadh's envoy in Damascus, Abdullah bin Abdel Aziz al-Eifan, who was recalled by his government unexpectedly."

Hackers attack Syria ministry website with anti-government message -

Syria’s Defense Ministry website was temporarily shut down early Monday morning after hackers broke into the site and replaced its content with an anti-government message, according to a CNN report.The hacking was allegedly perpetrated by Anonymous, a collective of hackers that has carried out similar attacks on companies and government agencies, CNN said. The group has claimed responsibility for several online attacks, including denial-of-service attacks on various Egyptian ministries during that country's revolution.

The ministry’s homepage was replaced with still images from amateur anti-government videos and a Syrian flag that stretched across the page’s center carried the ‘Anonymous’ logo, a headless man in a suit.The hacked homepage also displayed a statement praising peaceful protesters and denouncing Syrian President Bashar Assad.The statement, addressed to the Syrian people, said "the world stands with you against the brutal regime of Bashar Assad. Know that time and history are on your side - tyrants use violence because they have nothing else, and the more violent they are, the more fragile they become. We salute your determination to be non-violent in the face of the regime's brutality, and admire your willingness to pursue justice, not mere revenge. All tyrants will fall, and thanks to your bravery Bashar Assad is next."An additional statement, intended for the Syrian military, read "you are responsible for protecting the Syrian people, and anyone who orders you to kill women, children, and the elderly deserves to be tried for treason. No outside enemy could do as much damage to Syria as Bashar Assad has done. Defend your country - rise up against the regime! -- Anonymous."The hackers also posted links to anti-government sites, such as the Facebook-based "The Syrian Revolution 2011."Syrians began protests against the rule of Alawite President Bashar Assad in March of this year, and have been met with violent government crackdowns. World leaders have implored Assad to refrain from brutality, but their calls have largely gone unheeded.
In the most recent crackdown on Sunday, Syrian forces killed at least 60 protesters in clashes.

http://www.haaretz.com/news/middle-east/arab-states-top-sunni-clerical-body-condemn-syria-as-crackdown-mounts-1.377634
http://www.haaretz.com/news/middle-east/hackers-attack-syria-ministry-website-with-anti-government-message-1.377602