A letter signed by the Syrian Electronic Army (SEA) appeared on the U.S. Marine Corps recruiting website Monday, calling President Obama a "traitor" and urging officers to refuse orders of attacking Syria.
"We understand your patriotism and love for your country so please understand our love for ours. Obama is a traitor who wants to put your lives in danger to rescue al-Qaeda insurgents," the group supposedly wrote. "Refuse your orders and concentrate on the real reason every soldier joins their military, to defend their homeland. You're more than welcome to fight alongside our army rather than against it."
The party responsible for the redirection of the website could not be confirmed, the Marine Corps Recruiting Command said in a statement published early Tuesday morning. The website, which engages potential prospects to join the Marine Corps, was not "hacked," but redirected for several hours. No personal information was put at risk, the Marine Corps said.
"We can also confirm that the recruiting site is not operating normally and our team is actively monitoring the situation and prepared to mitigate any future issues," the Marine Corps said.
The pro-Syrian government group posted the message as Obama asks Congress to authorize strikes against Syria following evidence of chemical weapons attack by the regime of President Bashar al-Assad that killed more than 1,400 Syrians earlier this month. Al-Assad has threatened "negative repercussions" if the United States launches an attack against his country.
The group's message was accompanied by several photos of men in U.S. military uniforms, their faces hidden by paper signs voicing opposition to strikes in Syria.
"Your officer in charge probably has no qualms about sending you to die against soldiers just like you, fighting a vile common enemy. The Syrian army should be your ally not your enemy," the group said.
SEA recently hacked into the websites of several media organizations, including the New York Times and Washington Post, and Twitter.
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