A controversial report seemingly published last month by Qatar's state news agency may be fake news planted by Russian hackers who allegedly broke into the agency's system, according to an exclusive CNN report, citing U.S. officials.
The allegedly falsified report, published on May 23, reportedly included fabricated statements – attributed to Qatar's current ruler, Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani – that praised Iran and Israel while maligning U.S. President Donald Trump
Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates all announced this week that they would cut off or downgrade relations with Qatar, accusing the small gulf nation of financing terrorist operations as a key factor. But the report may also contributed to this Middle Eastern diplomatic crisis, which U.S. officials believe benefits Russia by creating rifts among America and its allies, CNN reports.
According to CNN, Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman al-Thani said that the FBI has confirmed the fake news cyberattack, while another official said that U.S. and U.K. authorities are actively investigating the incident.
