Source: Direct Submission Organization: MENO Newsletter Email: Newsletter@MiddleEastWire.com To: msanews@msanews.mynet.net Date: Wed, 05 Sep 2001 18:48:10 1700 Title: Latest News Updates TEXT: Wednesday, September 5th, 2001 Latest News Update From Middle East News Online FBI Raids Muslim Businesses, Charity Organizations By Middle East News Online Reporter Posted Wednesday September 5, 2001 - 06:02:04 PM EDT DALLAS, Texas (MENO) - In another attempt to crack down on Muslims in the United States, the FBI hit again Wednesday, raiding a well-known Muslim Internet Service Provider company in Dallas, Texas. A Dallas area television reported that the raid involved nearly 50 federal agents and was preceded by complete evacuation of the building that hosted the company, Infocom Corporation, among other businesses. No reasons were yet provided for the raid, but Muslim activists in the US fear that the US' backing of Israel is forcing it to become a "police state." The Muslim company hosts over 500 companies including leading Muslim organizations' web sites. Eyewitnesses say that agents from the State Department, US Customs and US Secret Services have also took part of the raid. Infocom is based in Richardson, Texas. Currently, the company's entire records are being confiscated, a process that might take a few days. The host company provides services for well-known organizations such as Council on American Islamic Relations, Islamic Society of North America and Holy Land Foundation. Muslim leaders in the US say that such actions are very alarming, especially as some of these organizations known for their charity works, not only for Palestine, but also worldwide. Bayan Elashi, the owner of Infocom, told reporters "We are just waiting for them (the FBI) to tell us what this is about." MORE HEADLINES Greek FM: European Union A Great Opportunity For Turkish Cypriots Iraq: Saddam's Romance Novel Heads For Stage As Musical Saudi FM Meets Lahoud And Hariri, Accuses Israel Of Escalating Violence Kuwait, Jordan Sign Cultural Accord Israeli Forces on High Alert Poll Shows American Voters Favor Palestinian Statehood Israel Decides To Create "Buffer Zone" With Palestinian Territories Arafat-Peres Meeting Seen Possible Truce Efforts Pick Up King Abdullah, Solana Urge Implementation Of Mitchell's Recommendation COVERING THE WORLD CONFERENCE ON RACISM Durban Gathering Mulling South Africa Text On Middle East Conflict Moussa: US' Withdrawal From World Conference Against Racism Flagrant Bias Most Israelis Approve of UN Racism Conference Pullout 'Voices of Victims' at Durban Racism Conference Kuwait Bar Union Plays Big Role In Durban U.S. Withdrawal From UN Conference Criticised BUSINESS NEWS UPDATE 'Oman, Arab World Net Bandwidth Starved' By Conrad Prabhu Posted Wednesday September 5, 2001 - 10:18:38 AM EDT Muscat - Studies conducted by a strategic research company indicate that the Sultanate, along with a number of countries in the Arab world, will remain Internet bandwidth starved for several more years before improvements are forthcoming. According to the Arab Advisors Group (AAG), a Jordan-based specialised research and consulting company, the estimated 740,000-odd Internet subscribers in eight Arab countries share a grand total of Internet bandwidth of no more than 777 mbps. The combined Internet bandwidth of the Sultanate, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Jordan, Morocco, Syria and the United Arab Emirates pales in comparison to what Internet users have in Europe and the United States. The combined bandwidth of these eight Arab markets is equal to what 518 cable modem subscribers in the US have, the study concluded. The group's findings explain why the total Internet bandwidth in Oman and the Arab world is very low compared to that of other countries. It compares the Internet bandwidth among the Arab countries by using the group's 'Regional Bandwidth Index'. "In looking at what the AAG refers to as the 'Regional Bandwidth Index', we note that Internet users in Oman, Morocco, Egypt and Jordan have better bandwidth availability than those in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon and Syria," said Jawad Abbassi, AAG's president. "Syria is the most bandwidth deprived of the countries with a score of 0.19. Egypt topped the rankings with a score of 2.11." The AAG calculated the Regional Bandwidth Index by dividing each country's share of the total Internet bandwidth available by its share of the total subscribers' base. A score of more than one indicates a better than regional bandwidth per subscriber. The higher the index the better the bandwidth situation in the country compared to the region. The research group tied the intra-regional variance to the different dynamics of competition and liberalisation in the Arab countries. However, the overall low Internet bandwidth in all of the countries is a direct result of high costs, it pointed out. "Overall, Internet bandwidth costs in the region remain at much higher rates than those in the US or even Europe. Being small operators on the global scene, the ISPs/operators still lack any 'peering' arrangements with international backbone operators. As such they continue to pay the complete cost of full-circuit connections to the International Internet backbone operators. Add to this, the existence of cross subsidisation (local rates by international rates) by monopoly operators and the cost becomes even higher," Abbassi explained. "The statistics in this research note are based on extensive and painstaking primary research in all of the markets analysed," Abbassi noted. "AAG's team of analysts are based in the region and periodically travel to the countries they cover to meet with operators, regulators and vendors as well as to cement their relationship with AAG's in-country researchers. The strong emphasis on primary research stems from AAG's commitment to providing the most reliable research, analysis and forecasts of Arab communications and Internet markets," he added. With liberalisation and privatisation steps gathering momentum across the region (five of the markets already have plans to introduce competition in international service by 2005), the AAG predicts an easing of the situation as international bandwidth rates in these markets come down and ISPs expand their international bandwidth without extra costs. The AAG's team of analysts produce a subscription only Strategic Research Service that provides its clients with country by country projections and landscape analysis report covering the Internet, telecommunication, and technology industries in the Arab world. The service also includes trend reports that analyse major trends and outlines best practices and strategies in Internet, telecommunication, and technology in the Arab world, and periodic Research Notes analysing major events and developments. MORE BUSINESS HEADLINES Venezuela Says OPEC Still Wants Higher Oil Prices Money Laundering Problem Totals 1 Trillion Amman Stock Exchange Trading Maintains Upward Trend National Bank Of Oman Launches Privilege Banking In Egypt Alcatel To Start Rehabilitation Of Iraq's Phone Network Jordan's Trade deficit goes up 15.3 % 'Oman, Arab World Net Bandwidth Starved' Yemen Approved To Partially Privatize Top Bank Tourism Industry In Palestine Suffering From Israeli Blockade ---------------------------------- For your comments and opinions please feel free to visit our Readers Forum to submit your opinion for possible publication. To be removed from future mailings, please click here or hit reply with REMOVE in the subject line. 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