The Vatican website has been hacked for the second time in several days, an attack believed to be the work of the amorphous Internet activist group Anonymous.

The group last week claimed to have taken down the Vatican website to protest everything from Catholic doctrine to the sexual abuse of children.

The site, www.vatican.va, has been inaccessible for parts of Monday afternoon.

Vatican officials declined to discuss the breach while the attack was still underway.

Italian media reported that after last week's attack, Anonymous posted online part of the Vatican Radio database, including names, usernames and passwords.