By: Ahmed M. EL NAHAS – Montopoli February 15th 2012.
The biggest, largest and most important International gathering in the world, took place last Saturday and lasted for three whole days at the “Dubai Marriott” . It’s known as “Intelligent Support Systems Middle-East & Africa”!
For those who innocently think it is another routine IT Technology Fair the truth will be disappointing. It is the rendez-vous of the world’s leading companies operating in the fields of “Electronic Surveillance” along with their potential clients, together behind guarded closed doors. Just like an exclusive private party where the hosts are offered a large banquet of a multitude of “Open Buffets” full of attractive varieties from every shape, taste and colour; but the main dish to be savoured is named “Privacy”.
In poor words it is a place where those working to develop the latest communications interception gadgets and tapping toys, as well as the newest electronic investigations and web detection techniques and software; could meet in complete discretion with their invited potential clients, like the giants of the telephone industries, Police Forces top officials, Private Security firms, and of course the Secret Services cannot miss the occasion, all deriving from every angle of the globe.
The participants will present, demonstrate and eventually train the shoppers on the technical and practical aspects of the new inventions and their applications in various areas such as: “Monitor & Control of the Social Networks like Facebook and Twitter, Mass Cell phones Surveillance, Interception & Localisation, Information Acquisition & Analysis, Encrypted Traffic Monitoring, Investigative Products, Monitoring Mass Data Technology, Analysis and Training”, and of course the ever present, the unfailing money maker, the unbeatable “Technical Assistance” must prevail.
Among the major sponsors of the event we can identify:
Ø Area S.p.a from Italy, well known for its relations with the Syrian Régime.
Ø Gamma Int’l, which supplied Mubarak’s Régime and the original contract of its supplies was found at the “Intelligence Palace” in Heliopolis after the January 2011 revolution.
Ø Amesys, of the Bull Group, who supplied Geddafi until his fall.
Ø Hacking Team and IPS, belonging to the Italian Group Resi of Aprilia.
Ø RCS Lawful Interception Solution.
Ø Ultimaco and Trovicor from Germany.
Ø Vupen from France.
Ø Ztesec from China.
The 2012 next appointments of the event will be taking place on:
· June 5/7 in Prague,
· July 24/26 in Basel,
· October 10/12 in Washington DC, and
· December 11/13 in Kuala Lumpur.
Needless to say that the entire area designated for the activities of the event was well air-tight sealed against local and international press!! Understandable.. Don’t you think?
And who’s the sole organiser of the event? The American “Telestrategies”, which claims that such gatherings are very important to “contrast the spreading of terrorism and criminality in the world”! True but it doesn’t explain the violent, offensive and oppressive official practices seen throughout the “Arab Spring” uprisings and revolutions in Egypt, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Jordan, Sudan and Yemen that have proven otherwise. Such technology has actually offered these governments the effective means to monitor, localize and intercept the citizens and crush the opposition.
However the real problem, and may I say paradox, is the absence of any kind of rules regulating or controlling the selling such technology. While arms sales are controlled and regulated, to a certain extent; the “Spy Software” is an increasingly flourishing business, completely free of any sort of barriers or funnels; in a globalised world embracing democracy and preaching human rights.
The same human rights signed by all members of the United Nations, that one can read on that famous “relic” lying dead inside a glass box at the entrance of a tall Glass Building in New York city. A document used to be known as “The Universal Declaration Of Human Rights”, whose Article 12 reads:
“No one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with his privacy, family, home or correspondence, nor to attacks upon his honour and reputation. Everyone has the right to the protection of the law against such interference or attacks”.
May you rest in peace dear George Orwell, your "Big Brother" is alive and well!
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