Hacking group Anonymous are believed to have been behind a cyber attack which shut down the justice and finance department’s websites in the early hours of yesterday morning.

MORE cyber attacks in retaliation for attempts to block the WikiLeaks website are likely in a “data war” to protect internet freedom, a representative of one of the groups involved warned last night.

WIKILEAKS supporters apparently attacked the websites of the Swedish prosecutor and MasterCard in retaliation over moves made by them against Julian Assange, who has published secret US diplomatic cables that have angered and embarrassed Washington.