Gov't approves proposal declaring pirate radio 'aerial terror' - Haaretz

Subscribe to Print Edition

Mon., December 17, 2007 Tevet 8, 5768

Israel Time: 14:23 (EST+7)

web haaretz.com

Back to Homepage

Rosner's Domain

Diplomacy

Defense

Jewish World

Opinion

National

Print Edition

Advertising

Books

Arts & Leisure

Business

Real Estate

Easy Start

Travel

Week's End

Anglo File

Hanukkah



		The air control tower at Ben Gurion Airport. (Nir Keidar)

del.icio.us

Digg It! new

Last update - 18:14 16/12/2007

Gov't approves proposal declaring pirate radio 'aerial terror'

By Zohar Blumenkrantz, Haaretz Correspondent

Tags: pirate radio, Shaul Mofaz

The government approved on Sunday a proposal declaring pirate radio a threat that constitutes "aerial terror" and endangers the peace and security of passengers flying over Israeli skies.

The approval of the proposal, initiated by Transportation Minister Shaul Mofaz, means that the government will increase its activities against illegal broadcasting. For the first time, a pirate radio offense will be termed an "economic crime," and will be enforced as such.

The enforcement plan includes adding five police teams to deal with locating and dealing with pirate radio infrastructure, and placing two prosecutors with the economics crime division of the police to work on the legal end.

	Advertisement

The tax authority will also be involved, by hunting advertisers, financers and broadcasters. The government will recommend that the attorney general prepare a punishment policy suited to the gravity of the offense.

Mofaz will oversee the implementation of the plan and will report to the government on its progress one every six months.

Mofaz said that since the government was recruited to act against the phenomenon, "there has been a drastic drop in disturbances to the [radio] connection at the Ben Gurion Airport control tower." For example, there were 14 incidents of disturbances in September 2006, and only three this past September.

The transportation minister added that "our aim is to dismantle the pirate radio infrastructure. It will be treated by focusing on people, not offices. We will act to deter by harming the entire circle that deals in the field ? from the broadcaster, to the director of the station and down to the advertiser. If we carry out the plan, within two years, we will be able to destroy the criminal infrastructure."

Related articles:

Pirate radio, IDF crowd Israel's airwaves with broadcasts

Radio disruptions at B-G airport caused by W. Bank pirate station

After near-disaster at B-G, cabinet goes to war on pirate radio stations

Departures resume after pirate radio disrupts takeoffs from airport

Bookmark to del.icio.us


	No rights
	The gov't won't grant rights to Palestinians west of fence, according to a report.


	Right to a child
	The Welfare Min. is launching a policy that would allow single-sex families to adopt.




1.	piracy is a crime	20:26	\|	rm	16/12/07

2.	The new terror threat	21:06	\|	Anton	16/12/07

3.	State Supresses Freedom of Speech	23:07	\|	Ben Israel	16/12/07

4.	Stop the propoganda, encourage free speech	23:59	\|	fred	16/12/07

5.	And what will be said if	01:55	\|	Mark Lincoln	17/12/07

6.	#3 Ben Chamor	03:01	\|	* BEN JABO	17/12/07

7.	#4 Fred - Holon	03:05	\|	* BEN JABO	17/12/07

8.	Let`s call this kind of over the top behaviour State-Terror	14:18	\|	John	17/12/07

Today Online


	Ron Breiman: Greater Israel - Not Peace Now but Zionism Now
	Responses: 38


	Moshe Arens: The IDF must move into Gaza to curb Qassams
	Responses: 25


	Editorial: Replacing Beilin, brave weakling who shifted the map
	Responses: 13


	Cabinet okay for controversial Temple Mount excavation
	Responses: 21


	U.S. weighs helping Egypt block arms smuggling to Gaza
	Responses: 34


	Israeli study - one of year's 50 top scientific breakthroughs
	Responses: 32

Rosner's Domain

Without the Reform movement in Israel, there's no Reform movement

Guest: Americans say there's no need nor point in creating Palestinian state

So, Should American Jews have a voice in shaping Israel's policies?

Fewer Israelis say peace personally important (What to Read)

More Headlines
14:21 FM: Israel is committed to creating Palestinian state


13:29 Hamas: Advanced defense plan ready for when IDF enters Gaza


13:35 'Hava Nagila' enters race for Christmas No. 1 in Britain


11:31 U.S. weighs plan to help Egypt block arms smuggling to Gaza


13:24 Russia sends first shipment of nuclear fuel to Iran power plant


13:03 IDF soldier arrested for dealing drugs to hundreds of Haifa teens


10:06 Jihad: Shalit looked wounded when abducted, witness says


07:22 Top yeshivas sever ties with Jewish Agency program MASA


09:44 Israeli research among '50 most significant scientific breakthroughs in 2007'


11:24 Ministers okay bill to compensate families of murder victims