Taliban Threaten To Blow Up Mobile Phone Companies So U.S. Can’t Track Them
KABUL, Feb. 25 (AP) - (Kyodo)—Taliban militants warned Afghan mobile phone operators on Monday that their towers and offices will be blown up if the companies do not halt phone signals for 10 hours at night.
The militants’ purported spokesman, Zabiullah Mujahid, said the U.S. and NATO military forces were using mobile signals to track down Taliban fighters and then launch attacks against their hideouts.
“If the companies don’t stop their signals from 5 p.m. to 3 a.m. in our areas, we will destroy their towers,” Mujahid told Kyodo News by phone from an undisclosed location, reading a statement issued by the Taliban’s leadership council.
He said the militants have given the companies a three-day deadline to comply with the demand, or else face attacks on their towers, offices and staffs.
There are four mobile phone companies in Afghanistan, providing services to nearly all parts of the poverty-stricken country. They have more than 3 million subscribers.
The companies are the most profitable foreign investment since the fall of the Taliban in 2001.
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.
If you can't handle using your real email address, don't bother posting a comment.
Don’t knuckle under to these savages.
February 25th, 2008 at 3:51 amUm, are these people really this stupid?
Hey, Abdumbass. If you don’t want to be found, turn off YOUR phone.
February 25th, 2008 at 5:08 amThey must be too dumb to realize all they need do is turn them off.
February 25th, 2008 at 5:30 amBut that cuts both ways….when they blow up the cell sites, they won’t be able to set off their IEDs anymore with cellphones. They also won’t be able to communicate………….
Let’s shoot ourselves in the foot, shall we?
February 25th, 2008 at 6:08 amActually, simply turning off most modern cell phones won’t make them unfindable, especially if anyone in the leadership has any type of blackberry or smartphone (highly unlikely but still possible). Most cell phones have a “wake on remote” type feature where even when shut down, if the company sends a signal directly to that ESN# the phone still responds. That’s how when your phone is off, the cell company knows to send a call directly to voice mail.
Personally, I agree with DC that our guys should be telling the companies to shut down just before they execute a raid and keep the networks shutdown for the duration. Of course, they’d have to use this tactic sparingly as it would be a big tip-off if they did it every time.
February 25th, 2008 at 7:01 amEven if the Islamotards didn’t know that it’s possible to track a phone that’s been turned off, if they are so concerned, they could just remove the batteries. That’s a “fer shure” method of not being tracked.
February 25th, 2008 at 8:33 am