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Harry Potter hacker 'leaks plot'

21/06/2007

A computer hacker claims to have ended the mystery surrounding the much anticipated ending of the final Harry Potter novel by posting what he claims are key details of the book's plot on the internet.

The hacker, who goes by the name "Gabriel", declares that he found out the ending to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows after breaking into a computer of an employee of the book's publisher, Bloomsbury.

J K Rowling's final tale of witchcraft and wizardry is due for release on July 21st, with fans eagerly waiting to find out what becomes of the book's central character and his friends in the seventh book of the series.

Writing on the website InSecure.org the hacker, who claims to know Potter's secrets, writes: "We make this spoiler to make reading of the upcoming book useless and boring."

Bloomsbury has yet to comment on the claims, but a spokeswoman for the company told the Daily Telegraph that there were "lots and lots" or rumoured versions of the book on the internet.

Whether the hacker has ruined the magic for Potter fans remains to be seen, but if true his actions could cause a big headache for Bloomsbury - which has been at pains to keep plot details of all the wizarding books a secret.

The Potter books have cast their spell on millions of adults and children across the globe and resulted in five blockbuster movies.

But it is not the first time Potter's magic has threatened to be spoiled by others keen to use his secrets for their own ends.

In 2003, a forklift truck driver pleaded guilty to stealing pages of the fifth Potter book from a Suffolk printers and of trying to sell them to a tabloid newspaper.


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