Amazon blocks WikiLeaks but denies 'pressure'

NEW YORK - Amazon.com said on Thursday it has stopped hosting the website of WikiLeaks, which published sensitive classified US government information, but it denied it was a result of pressure from lawmakers.

"There have been reports that a government inquiry prompted us not to serve WikiLeaks any longer. That is inaccurate," the company said in a statement.

"There have also been reports that it was prompted by massive DDOS (Distributed Denial of Service) attacks. That too is inaccurate. There were indeed large-scale DDOS attacks, but they were successfully defended against."