FBI Raids Muslim (ISP) Businesses, Charity Organizations

[Matthew Gaylor]

Source: Direct Submission
Organization: MENO Newsletter
Email: Newsletter at MiddleEastWire.com
To: msanews at 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."

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    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.

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    Jordan's Trade deficit goes up 15.3 %
    'Oman, Arab World Net Bandwidth Starved'
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    Tourism Industry In Palestine Suffering From Israeli Blockade

    ----------------------------------

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    Copyright )2001 Middle East News Service, Inc. All rights reserved.

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