Ships did not cut internet cables: Egypt

ABC News ^ | February 3, 2008

[NCjim]

Ships are not responsible for damaging undersea internet cables in the Mediterranean, Egypt's Government says.

Two cables were damaged earlier this week in the Mediterranean sea and another off the coast of Dubai, causing widespread disruption to internet and international telephone services in Egypt, Gulf Arab states and South Asia.

A fourth cable linking Qatar to the United Arab Emirates was damaged on Sunday causing yet more disruptions, telecommunication provider Qtel said.

Egypt's transport ministry said footage recorded by onshore video cameras of the location of the cables showed no maritime traffic in the area when the cables were damaged.

"The ministry's maritime transport committee reviewed footage covering the period of 12 hours before and 12 hours after the cables were cut and no ships sailed the area," a statement said.

"The area is also marked on maps as a no-go zone and it is therefore ruled out that the damage to the cables was caused by ships."

Earlier reports said that the damage had been caused by ships that had been diverted off their usual route because of bad weather.

A repair ship is expected to begin work to fix the two Mediterranean cables on Tuesday.

[NCjim]

Things that make you go hmmm...

[2banana]

Wonder if any American companies that outsourced are having some second thoughts?

[the invisib1e hand]

wow. imagine...it all gets down to who has the best pair of scissors.

[Terpfen]

This is a case for Scooby-Doo. Or Flipper.

[Cindy]

Do we outsource to Iran?

[tophat9000]

The outages where on “FLAG” and “SEA-ME-WE 4” ... I work tel-com it’s been a bear getting alt bandwidth for reroute on this outage

[2banana]

Do we outsource to Iran?

The cut cables affected the whole middle east - including India.

[TWohlford]

I wonder if Al-Quada has a submarine now? I know that the US used submarines to tap into Soviet phone lines back in the ‘day.

[kalee]

ping

[NonValueAdded]

Yes, and how many times
must a cable get cut
before we see there's a plan ...

[davisfh]

Doesn’t take a genius to arrive at the conclusion that this disruption of service was contrived.

[Finalapproach29er]

Navy SEALS making a trial run so when war erupts in the Middle East, we will shut down communications.

The Middle East is getting close to a Berlin Wall 1989 moment. I give it about two more years.

[ANGGAPO]

What is the water depth at those locations?

[Wally_Kalbacken]

Uh-huh - now what was it that Egypt’s government said about Egypt Air flight 990?

[Cindy]

Well, my husband wonders if swordfish might be responsible.

[upchuck]

Submarine.

[Vinnie]

After the first reported cable incident I thought Iranian Sub. Intentional.

Still do.

[NCjim]

[wildbill]

There are coincidences that cannot be accounted for by rational minds—but not in the areas of security.

[dufekin]

The Middle East is getting close to a Berlin Wall 1989 moment. I give it about two more years.

What does that mean? What would a "Berlin Wall 1989 moment" in the Middle East resemble? Who would win? Who would fall? What leads you to this conclusion?