In October the group began temporarily knocking out the Web sites of financial institutions, including Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase and Wells Fargo, in protest against the appearance online of a trailer for the Innocence of Muslims.

A second wave of attacks began in the run-up to Christmas but the operation has been suspended after a YouTube page featuring the trailer - which had been viewed more than 17 million times - disappeared.

"This is a clear indication of progress and establishment of logic instead of obstinacy. This positive move is a humanitarian effort and in line with paying respect to divine religions which has made billions of people love them; and it's a becoming and proper action," says an al-Qassam statement on Pastebin.

The organisation says it will halt attacks to give the US government and Google time to remove various other copies of the trailer from YouTube.