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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
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