Sunday, February 20, 2005
DEATH THREAT AGAINST CHRISTIAN WRITER REMAINS ON LINE
ISP Owner Claims Collaboration with Law Enforcement
NEWS RELEASE
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (ANS) -- A radical Islamic web site containing a death threat
against New Mexico based Christian writer and ANS Correspondent Jeremy Reynalds
(http://haganah.org.il/harchives/003608.html) remains on line at its Chicago
based Internet service provider – at least for now.
In a Friday phone call from Alex Korneyev, the owner of Host for Web (www.hostforweb.com),
Reynalds said he understood him to say the site will be taken off line shortly.
In a follow-up e-mail Korneyev said the reason the site has remained available
is “because we were working with ... law enforcement agencies.”
However, in the same e-mail Korneyev emphasized, “I did not say that it
was FBI that requested the site to be left running.”
A woman answering the telephone at the Chicago FBI on Saturday said there were
no agents available. When Reynalds requested that she contact an agent, she
said that someone would contact him Saturday. Despite that statement, Reynalds
said, the call was not immediately returned.
The death threat’s posting has caused an outpouring of concern because
of the radical nature of those who post to the bulletin board section of the
Al-Ansar site.
According to the Internet Haganah’s Aaron Weisburd (http://haganah.org.il/harchives/001538.html),
“Al-Ansar is a web site of the Saudi Salafi-Jihadi trend of global Jihad.
Most of the writings on this site support al Qaeda and its global struggle,
and strongly oppose the Saudi regime, according to the most radical doctrines
of the Saudi clerics and scholars that back the activities of al Qaeda. It supports
the most radical interpretations of Jihad in our times. This site is known to
be actively involved in gathering and distributing military intelligence for
al Qaeda to assist them in their war against the United States.”
However, the Ansarnet.ws address is not the only terror address being hosted
by www.hostforweb.com. Reynalds’ research research found that the
company is also home to several other Ansar sites, all of which appear to be
copies of www.ansarnet.ws
Every Internet address is also identified by a number. In this case the number
assigned to www.ansarnet.ws is 66.225.215.139. That same number also identifies
a site called www.Web4host.biz, and registered to “tony 1" supposedly
of 456 New Day Street in Sayfon, Zambia.
The same numerical sequence houses a site titled www.Alansarnet.info and
registered to “Rachid R” of the Al-Ansar organization with an address
of 2305 N Hertfordshire in London.
Another address, www.Ansarvb.net (also with the same numerical Internet
home)is also registered to “Rachid R” with the same London address
as the one given above.
And www.ansarnet.ws is also registered to “Rachid R” with
the same London address as the one given above. The e-mail addresses listed
for contact were ansar4ansar@hotmail.com and alansar_net@hotmail.com.
An e-mail to the first address requesting comment was not immediately returned,
and an e-mail to the second address was returned undelivered with the words
“mailbox unavailable.”
Reynalds said he received conflicting information from Host for Web as to whether
these additional Ansarnet sites will be removed.
An e-mail from Host for Web’s “Max J,” who identified himself
as a company vice-president, read “(the) entire account will be removed
... once we have approval from FBI.”
However, Korneyev wrote in a separate e-mail to Reynalds. “Regarding any
other website that you have an issue with, as I mentioned on the phone, you
need to send me a legal document, something like an affidavit that is signed
by you or your lawyer(s), notarized and explicitly stating what the issue is.
All necessary links, wording (in English, I don't speak or write or read Arabic)
that prove your case. I cannot act on something as vague as ‘xyz has threatened
my life.’”
Korneyev added, “As an ISP I will not get in the middle of a dispute between
private parties. However, once I have an above document, then I can (take) necessary
steps.
HOST FOR WEB
The numerical Internet address assigned to www.hostforweb.com is 66.225.229.175.
That location also houses a number of other sites which all redirect to www.hostforweb.com.
They are www.forthemusic.net,www.hfw.us,www.hostforweb.com,www.hostforweb.net
and www.katanaclub.com
For the Music and Katana Club are registered to Alex Korneyev, with a Chicago
street address.
On Feb. 23 2004 Host for Web.com was registered to Alex Korneyev but this time
providing a P. O. Box in Chicago. On Feb. 24 Korneyev switched to using an Internet
privacy protection service (an increasingly common practice) with a Bellevue
WA address.
On Feb. 23 2004 hostforweb.net was listed to a Boris Kofman and G.E.O.S. Corporation
of Arlington Heights Ill. He changed that listing to a private one between that
date and March 5 2005.
HFW is also registered to a Boris Kofman and G.E.O.S. Corporation. A number
listed for Kofman was not working.
There is additional information available on line about Korneyev and his company
at www.hostsearch.com/interview/hostforwebcom_interview.asp and
http://findmyhost.com/interviews/hostforweb.asp