Death Threat Against Christian Writer Remains On Line
By Jeremy Reynalds (02/21/05)
A radical Islamic web site containing a death threat against me (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), I 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 I requested that she contact an agent, she said that someone would contact me Saturday. Despite that statement 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, Ansarnet.ws is not the only terror address being hosted by www.hostforweb.com. My 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."
I received conflicting information from Host for Web officials 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, "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 the public 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
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