The alleged hacker of US Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin's e-mail is, surprisingly or not, the son of a prominent Democratic politician.

FBI agents have recently searched the home of the alleged hacker. His name: David Kernell, the 20-year-old son of state congressman Mike Kernell.

Kernell junior apparently hacked Palin’s Yahoo account and posted online messages from it. The hacker also posted snapshots of Palin’s inbox, address book and of family photos to the Wikileaks site.

Investigators said the hacker tried to cover his tracks by using an Internet anonymity service. However, the service (CTunnel proxy) has been very cooperative with the investigators and helped them get rid of the anonymity and find the hacker.

FBI agents also searched a complex about five blocks from the University of Tennessee campus to look for evidence. Kernell junior is a student at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville.

David Kernell hasn’t talked to the press yet about the issue. His lawyer Wade V. Davies of Knoxville said that he was in a "difficult period".

"The Kernell family wants to do the right thing, and they want what is best for their son," Davies added.

His father, a Democratic member of the Tennessee House of Representatives, also refused to discuss his son alleged involvement in the case.

"I had nothing to do with it, I had no knowledge or anything," Mike Kernell said, The Associated Press reported.

After entering Palin’s e-mail account, the hacker revealed several inconsequential messages the vice president candidate received since she was selected McCain’s running mate. Her Yahoo Inc. account was compromised. Both gov.palin@yahoo.com and gov.sarah@yahoo.com have been deleted.

John McCain’s campaign team condemned the action and described it as a "shocking invasion of the governor's privacy and a violation of law".