China denies hacking Dalai Lama computer

BEIJING, China (AP) -- Responding to accusations that China's government tried to break into the Dalai

Lama's computer network, a government spokeswoman said Wednesday that Beijing opposes all computer hacking.

The

spokeswoman for the Foreign Ministry's press division said she had no details on the accusation by the computer manager for

the Tibet Buddhist leader's government in exile in India.

However, she said, "the Chinese government always opposes

the activities of hackers."

The spokeswoman, contacted by telephone, wouldn't give her name.

Jigme Tsering,

manager of the Tibetan Computer Resource Center in Dharmsala, India, asserted Tuesday that Chinese hackers had designed a

special virus to plug into the network and steal information.

Tsering said activist groups around the world lobbying

on behalf of Tibetans were also targeted by the virus, which was attached to an e-mail designed to look as if it came from

his own office.

Tsering said the e-mail, which could also have taken information off hard disks, had six return

addresses in China, including universities and government institutions.

He claimed hackers sent the virus to the

center at least twice, between late August and September 15.