Iran 'jams' US-based satellite channels after clashes

The Sunday Telegraph (U.K.) ^ | 06/15/03 | Damien McElroy

[Pokey78]

Iran's cleric-run government has declared war on satellite television and allegedly begun jamming American-based channels, blaming them for inciting the wave of student-led protests which have brought bloody clashes to Teheran's streets.

The move came as mobs controlled by Iran's hardline Revolutionary Guards intervened in the fourth consecutive night of protests about the slow pace of reform, using clubs and iron bars to break up the crowds.

Stick-wielding thugs, mostly unemployed, attacked protesters, riding up to their lines on motorcycles. Women were dragged from their cars and beaten. Dozens fled bearing the marks of chains slashed across their faces, and there were reports of automatic weapons fire.

Students rallied to chants of "freedom" and "democracy" and called for the death of Ayatollah Khamenei, Iran's supreme leader, before scattering as riot police fired a barrage of tear gas.

Elsewhere in Teheran, dozens of vigilantes stormed at least two student hostels early yesterday, beating up students in their beds and detaining several.

Mojtaba Najafi, a student at Allameh Tabatabai University, said: "We were sleeping in our beds. Suddenly we heard windows being smashed. Fists and kicks by hard-line vigilantes woke up some of the students held up in their rooms."

More than 50 students were injured and taken to hospital while others had "disappeared" since the attack, he said.

Ayatollah Khamenei last week blamed America for stirring up protests by "mercenaries" as Donald Rumsfeld, the United States defence secretary, said Iran was secretly attempting to build nuclear weapons.

Many of those who took to the streets first learnt of the protests from Persian-language satellite channels, run by American-based exile groups. They include National Iranian Television, which is run by Reza Pahlavi, the son of the last Shah.

The satellite broadcasts, which mix popular and political programmes, are one of the few diversions openly available to Iranian youth, a welcome relief from the religious fare offered on state-run channels.

Last week viewers complained that it had become almost impossible to watch their favourite programmes. "The television screen is all waves and noisy interference," said Ellie, 28, an unemployed graduate in Persian literature. "I can't watch anything at all. It's so frustrating here without it."

Although it has long been illegal to buy or install satellite dishes, the devices cling to the sides of practically every building in the middle-class northern Teheran suburbs and are a common sight across the city.

Large circular white boxes installed in the grounds of government barracks and bases are believed to be jamming devices. Government ministers, however, denied that they had any knowledge of the attempt to jam the satellite signals.

[tet68]

And the mullahs thought the people were pissed before?
Hah!

Just like Arafat, they never miss a chance to miss a chance.
They are so pre July9. Say tata mullahs, TaTa!

[goldstategop]

People in Iran have been watching too much FOX NEWS CHANNEL! :)

[tet68]

Oh yeah before I forget, "stick wielding" THUGS FOR ALLAH!
bump.

[Pukin Dog]

Greasing the skids towards Democracy. Jamming signals (badly) is only a sign of desperation.

[goldstategop]

Apparently the Mullahs have taken a page out of Comcast. Out with the damned satellite dishes! ;-)

[PoorMuttly]

Time to jam the jamming.

[liberalnot]

concerning your title, are quotes used in the original?

[DoctorMichael]

Beam in more Baywatch and VIP.

[BunnySlippers]

A special on this about 2 hours ago on CNN. The Iranian channels jammed are beamed from my very own hometown ... Terhrangeles. AKA ... Los Angeles. :)

[goldstategop]

It will take LOTS of jam to interrupt all those connections. :) Ahhh.... now the Great Satan is broadcasting from the sky!

[Pokey78]

Yes.

[gcruse]

It must be jamming, 'cause jelly won't do that.

[Hinoki Cypress]

"Stick-wielding thugs, mostly unemployed, attacked protesters, riding up to their lines on motorcycles. Women were dragged from their cars and beaten. Dozens fled bearing the marks of chains slashed across their faces, and there were reports of automatic weapons fire."

They run from US Warriors, but can fearlessly assault and beat-up women and children. Chickensh!t Islam at work.

Islamics and Muslims are cowardly, deviant scum.

[blam]

"concerning your title, are quotes used in the original?"

Just click on the name of the newspaper and you can view the original article.

[Porterville]

Can they do that to CNN here in America????

[Steel Wolf]

Why would they bother, does anyone watch it anymore?

This is an interesting story, however. If they are trying ineffectively to disrupt television coverage, it doesn't speak highly of the governments intentions OR their competence. More fuel for the fire.

[Libertarianize the GOP]

http://www.freerepublic.com/perl/bump-list

[yooper]

I bet that the "Spice Channel" survived...

[night reader]

Iran's cleric-run government has declared war on satellite television and allegedly begun jamming American-based channels
=================================
Didn't think it was feasible to jam a satellite receiver. The receiving dish has an extremely tight beam, and we can be certain the mad mullahs dont have a bird in the vicinity of the transmitting satellite.