Limerick college website ‘hacked by Islamic State’

Investigations are under way into the alleged hacking of a Limerick-based college website by a group that claimed to be Islamic State in Syria.

A message posted on the website of the Central College Limerick on Thursday morning read: "This website has been hacked by the Islamic State in Sysria (ISIS) [sic]. Ireland expect us."

The homepage was taken down after the message was brought to the attention college authorities.

Management are now seeking information about how the message came to be on the website.

A photograph of an Islamic State fighter armed with a machine gun and carrying an Islamic State flag while dressed in black accompanied the text.

The college has so far not been available for comment.

The Central College Limerick is a college of further education providing a range of courses from full-time day courses, part-time evening courses and courses under the Back to Education Initiative.

Last April, the website of Irish Autism Action was also hacked by people claiming to be part of Islamic State.