Internet in a Suitcase
Encyclopedia
‘Internet in a suitcase’ is a program reportedly developed or spearheaded by the US Department of State to provide Internet
and mobile phone
service to dissidents that can bypass government censorship or shut down of telecommunications in countries such as the Islamic Republic of Iran
, Syria
and Libya
. The plan reportedly involves utilizing common hardware components "into a package that could easily" be smuggled "into a repressive country and quickly assembled to deliver wireless service across a wide area to maintain crucial communications between legitimately protesting citizens". Part of the operation includes a prototype “Internet in a suitcase” being developed by a "group of young entrepreneurs" led by Sascha Meinrath
on a fifth-floor shop on L Street in Washington, financed with a $2 million from the State Department. Other projects employ tools "that have already been created by hackers in a so-called liberation-technology movement sweeping the globe," and stealth wireless networks.
Heidar Moslehi, the intelligence minister of Iran and Reza Taghipour
, the telecommunications minister
, have stated that the Iranian government has found a way to block the program, which they described as part of a “cultural invasion” by Iran’s enemies. During the anti-government protests following disputed June 2009 presidential elections, the Iranian government greatly slowed Internet connections and shut down cell phone services to block communication between protesters.
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
and mobile phone
Mobile phone
A mobile phone is a device which can make and receive telephone calls over a radio link whilst moving around a wide geographic area. It does so by connecting to a cellular network provided by a mobile network operator...
service to dissidents that can bypass government censorship or shut down of telecommunications in countries such as the Islamic Republic of Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
, Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
and Libya
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
. The plan reportedly involves utilizing common hardware components "into a package that could easily" be smuggled "into a repressive country and quickly assembled to deliver wireless service across a wide area to maintain crucial communications between legitimately protesting citizens". Part of the operation includes a prototype “Internet in a suitcase” being developed by a "group of young entrepreneurs" led by Sascha Meinrath
Sascha Meinrath
Sascha Meinrath is the Director of the New America Foundation's "Open Technology Initiative" and heads the "Internet in a Suitcase" effort to create ad-hoc mesh wireless technologies...
on a fifth-floor shop on L Street in Washington, financed with a $2 million from the State Department. Other projects employ tools "that have already been created by hackers in a so-called liberation-technology movement sweeping the globe," and stealth wireless networks.
Heidar Moslehi, the intelligence minister of Iran and Reza Taghipour
Reza Taghipour
Reza Taghipour is the head of Ministry of Information and Communications Technology .-Executive Records:*Deputy of the Minister of ICT and head of Iran Space Agency since 2008....
, the telecommunications minister
Ministry of Information and Communications Technology (Iran)
The Ministry of Information and Communication Technology established in 1908, is the Ministry of Information and Communication of the Islamic Republic of Iran...
, have stated that the Iranian government has found a way to block the program, which they described as part of a “cultural invasion” by Iran’s enemies. During the anti-government protests following disputed June 2009 presidential elections, the Iranian government greatly slowed Internet connections and shut down cell phone services to block communication between protesters.