Syria Blocks Facebook - Claims Israelis have Infiltrated
DAMASCUS, Syria: Syrian authorities have blocked Facebook, the popular Internet hangout, over what seems to be fears of Israeli “infiltration” of Syrian social networks on the Net, according to residents and media reports.
Residents of Damascus said that they have not been able to enter Facebook for more than two weeks. An Associated Press reporter got a blank page when he tried to open Facebook’s home page Friday from the Syrian capital.
Syrian officials were not available for comment Friday because of the Muslim weekend, but some reports have suggested that the ban was intended to prevent Israeli users from infiltrating Syrian social networks.
Lebanon’s daily As-Safir reported that Facebook was blocked on Nov. 18. It said the authorities took the step because Israelis have been entering Syria-based groups.
Human rights groups have regularly criticized Syrian authorities for blocking opposition sites and Internet sites critical of President Bashar Assad’s government.
Former President Hafez Assad’s death in 2000 after three decades of authoritarian rule raised hopes of a freer society under his British-educated son and successor.
But the younger Assad cracked down on political opponents and human rights activists, putting many of them in jail.
(IHT)
Be respectful of others and their opinions. Inflammatory remarks and inane leftist drivel will be deleted. It ain’t about free speech, remember you’re in a private domain. My website, my prerogative.
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Yeah, sure, close Facebook, good move, but keep the jihadist lines wide open! Sounds eerily like the Saudis’ solution to the whahabbi and salafist (also the Qutb-ist) problem; shut out the rest of the world, but fuel their internal combustion engines to serve other ends. Protect yourself for the moment, but in the process damage everyone else later, to include yourself. Oh yeah, then blame it all on Israel and America!
December 8th, 2007 at 12:25 amIs that someone’s daily ride parked in front of the establishment?
December 8th, 2007 at 6:30 amCurse those sneaky, zionist devils!
December 8th, 2007 at 7:43 am