WikiLeaks site crashes after cyber attack

The WikiLeaks website crashed on Tuesday in an apparent cyber attack after the accelerated publication of tens of thousands of State Department cables by the anti-secrecy organization raised new concerns about the exposure of confidential US embassy sources, The Associated Press reported.

"WikiLeaks.org is presently under attack," the group said on Twitter late Tuesday. One hour later, the site and the cables posted there were inaccessible.

WikiLeaks updated its Twitter account to say that it was "still under a cyber attack" and directed followers to search for cables on a mirror site or a separate search system, cablegatesearch.net.

The apparent cyber attack comes after current and former American officials said the recently released cables – and concerns over the protection of sources – are creating a fresh source of diplomatic setbacks and embarrassment for the Obama administration. It was not immediately clear who was behind the attack.