Terrorists use 5,000 websites : Russian official

Moscow, Apr 9 (UNI) A total of about 5,000 websites are being used by terrorists, Russia's National Counter-terrorist Committee spokesperson Nikolai Sintsov said today.

''Experts believe terrorist organisations actively use about 5,000 websites,'' Interfax news agency quoted Mr Sintsov as saying during a conference held to discuss the anti-terrorist cooperation between law enforcers and the media.

Mr Sintsov said the Counter-Terrorist Committee was drafting proposals to stiffen penalties for terrorist use of the Internet.

'' Firm measures must now be taken to stop the spread of terrorist and extremist ideas on the Internet,'' Mr Sintsov said.

He said the number of websites used by terrorists was only 12 in 1998.

UNI