Anti-Isis hackers claim BBC website attack

A group of hackers working to target Islamic State online have apparently claimed they were behind an attack which took down the BBC's website and iPlayer for several hours earlier this week.

A group named the New World Hackers said they had carried out the attack on Thursday as a "test" of their abilities, according to messages sent to the corporation's technology correspondent Rory Cellan-Jones.

"It was only a test, we didn't exactly plan to take it down for multiple hours," said the messages, which were posted on Twitter by Mr Cellan-Jones.

"We realise sometimes what we do is not always the right choice, but without cyber hackers ... who is there to fight off online terrorists?"

The hackers took down the website by overwhelming its servers with a flood of requests for information, the BBC said.

A BBC spokeswoman said the broadcaster would not comment on the claim of responsibility made by the group.