SMS news coup alert came from hackers, says Al Watan

CAIRO - 5 April 2017: An SMS news alert saying Egypt is under a military coup led by former presidential candidate Ahmed Shafiq was false and not sent intentionally, Al Watan newspaper Managing Editor Mahmoud al-Barghouti said late Tuesday night.

The SMS service was hacked by an unknown entity, Barghouti said in a press statement, and the message did not come from the newspaper.

Subscribers to Al Watan newspaper’s Short Message Service (SMS) news alerts received a message Tuesday saying a military coup was underway in Egypt, led by Shafiq.

Al Watan SMS news alert sent Tuesday: "News about movement in the army's leadership affiliated with Ahmed Shafiq to implement a military coup.