MobiTel Named in Leaked Australian Phone Tap Document
When one of Australia’s top intelligence agencies in 2009 presented staff with a slideshow detailing their attempts to intercept mobile telephone calls by Indonesia’s president, first lady and top officials, it also revealed other possible spying targets—including one of Cambodia’s largest mobile operators, MobiTel, according to a document leaked by U.S. National Security Agency whistle-blower Edward Snowden. Listed as top secret by the Australian Defense Signals Directorate (DSD), now known as the Australian Signals Directorate, the document, a slideshow dated November 2009 and first obtained by The Guardian earlier this week, loosely details the interception of mobile phone calls of Indonesia’s leaders as 3G technology was introduced in Southeast Asia. … One of the target networks for Australia was Cambodia’s locally-owned MobiTel as well as the now-defunct operator Shinawatra, later known as Mfone, according to the slides. MobiTel is Cambodia’s largest operator in terms of revenue and is owned by Royal Group, whose chairman and CEO is Kith Meng. Mfone was owned by Thaicom, whose holding company, Shin Corporation, was founded by former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. … MobiTel CEO Ian Watson said that he was unaware of his company’s inclusion on the leaked Australian government document and declined comment. Khay Khun Heng, secretary of state at the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications, declined to comment, adding: “I believe that no officials can answer about this case immediately.” Council of Ministers spokesman Phay Siphan said that while the government was aware of such spying allegations, they did not damage Cambodia’s relations with other countries. …
Joshua Wilwohl
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/business/mobitel-named-in-leaked-australian-phone-tap-documents-47672/
