Bahrain ministry blames virus for 'reappointing' former chief

Bahrain's labor ministry has blamed a computer virus for circulating press releases indicating that its former head had been "reappointed". The press release congratulating former labor minister Dr. Majeed Al Alawi for his reappointment turned out to be six months old, Bahrain news site Gulf Daily News reported Friday. "The computer devices of the (labor ministry's public affairs and media) section were hit by a strong virus, which resulted in the circulation of three old stories concerning the ex-minister," the Gulf Daily News quoted a statement from the Labor Department as saying. According to the report, several "old" e-mails dating back to November 2010 were sent out to newspapers detailing meetings between Dr Al Alawi and different organizations, including the General Federation of Bahrain Trade Unions. In that meeting last November, he was congratulated for being reappointed minister. But last March, Al Alawi — who was also minister of housing — was reported to have quit his post. "The public relations and media section wish to emphasise that the ex-minister is no longer associated with any of the ministry's or its affiliate's activities," Friday's Gulf Daily News report quoted the Labor Ministry as saying. It also quoted sources in the labor ministry as saying the ministry had called in the company in charge of its information technology section to resolve the problem. — TJD, GMA News