Man behind 'Gay Girl in Damascus' blog banned from using computers at Edinburgh University

THE student who revealed himself to be the hoaxer behind a blog about the political turmoil in Syria has been banned from using computers at Edinburgh University.

Tom MacMaster, a 40-year-old married American, had been writing the Gay Girl in Damascus blog until questions about its authenticity were asked.

A spokeswoman for the university said: "The university will investigate whether the student has breached university computing regulations."

She said the university's principal had recommended that Mr MacMaster's "computing privileges" be suspended pending an investigation.

Defending his actions, Mr MacMaster said: "People should stop focusing on the hoaxer and really be focusing on the most important people, the real people who are suffering in Syria."