The al-Qassam cyber fighters group says it has suspended its DDoS campaign against US bank Web sites after a copy of a film mocking the prophet Mohammed disappeared from YouTube.

In October the group began temporarily knocking out the Web sites of financial institutions, including Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase and Wells Fargo, in protest against the appearance online of a trailer for the Innocence of Muslims.



A second wave of attacks began in the run-up to Christmas but the operation has been suspended after a YouTube page featuring the trailer - which had been viewed more than 17 million times - disappeared.



"This is a clear indication of progress and establishment of logic instead of obstinacy. This positive move is a humanitarian effort and in line with paying respect to divine religions which has made billions of people love them; and it's a becoming and proper action," says an al-Qassam statement on Pastebin.



The organisation says it will halt attacks to give the US government and Google time to remove various other copies of the trailer from YouTube.



