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Etisalat hackers fined

FUJAIRAH — Fujairah Court of Appeal yesterday upheld the lower court's verdict slapping a fine of Dh6,000 each on two Arab expatriates for hacking into the Emirates Telecommunications Corporation (Etisalat) network and making international phone calls with banned devices.

The two convicts, one tried in absentia and identified as Osama Essam, a Jordanian, and the other Radwan Madahi, an Algerian, were found guilty of using banned devices and trespassing.

According to the court records, Etisalat had lodged a complaint with police saying that the corporation's network had been hacked and international phone calls were made. The perpetrators, the Etisalat said, had used banned devices from a net cafe in the town of Murbih.

Police investigated the matter and proved the Etisalat information was correct.

On May 2 an undercover agent was sent to the net cafe. The agent asked if it was possible to make a phone call to an Asian country for less money. As soon as he put down the receiver, the policemen raided the place where Radwan Madahi was arrested and a number of devices used in hacking into the network were recovered.

On interrogation, it was discovered that Madahi's accomplice Osama Essam, who is at large, was the one who installed the banned equipment.

The court found them guilty and fined them. It also ordered the confiscation of the seized equipment. The Algerian convict challenged the verdict in the Appeal court which turned down his plea and upheld the lower court's ruling.