Wikipedia Scanner outs Vatican, CIA

• New Wiki program tracks and shows edits
• CIA made changes to Iran President's entry
• CIA claims "vital mission to protect US"

The CIA has been accused of editing entries on the interactive encyclopedia Wikipedia.

Wikipedia Scanner, an online tool, allegedly shows that workers on the agency's computers edited the page of Iran's president, the BBC reported.

It also purportedly shows that the Vatican has edited entries about Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams and "massaged" entries on several Catholic Saints.

It is believed the Vatican removed a link to newspaper stories alleging Mr Adams's fingerprints and handprints were found on a car used during a double murder in 1971.

On the profile of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the tool indicates a worker on the CIA network reportedly added "Wahhhhhh!" before a section on the leader's plans for his presidency.

Though Wikipedia posted a warning on the profile of the anonymous editor saying: “You have recently vandalized a Wikipedia article, and you are now being asked to stop this type of behavior”, the CIA denied confirming whether the Internet traffic came from any of the agency computers.

“I cannot confirm that the traffic you cite came from agency computers.

"I'd like in any case to underscore a far larger and more significant point that no one should doubt or forget: The CIA has a vital mission in protecting the United States, and the focus of this agency is there, on that decisive work,” an agency spokesman said.

A user at the US Democratic party headquarters was responsible for editing American right-wing radio DJ Rush Limbaugh's entry to describe him as a "racist" and a "bigot", while describing his audience as "legally retarded".

Other, more innocuous, changes include tweaks to celebrities such as Oprah Winfrey.

According to SBS.com, it seems the most widespread changes have been made by the Diebold company, supplier of the infamous voting machines at the centre of the storm surrounding the 2000 US presidential elections.

Wikipedia Scanner shows company employees have removed up to 15 paragraphs of content describing its involvement in the controversial 'hanging chad' votes that were not counted in the poll.

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