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Texas Company's Legal Troubles Hold .iq In Limbo

Posted by timothy on from the snafu-global-infrastructure-style dept.

aducore writes "According to The Inquirer, the (American) company running the Iraqi .iq domain name .iq is under criminal indictment and cannot transfer control. So no Iraqi organization can get a .iq domain name, including the government. Iraq's National Communications and Media Commission and the U.S. administrator in Iraq are trying to get ICANN to free up the domain."

9 of 337 comments (clear)

  1. huh by Joceyln+Parfitt · · Score: 4, Interesting

    why is an american company running the iraqi tld?

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    1. Re:huh by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

      The interesting thing that could happen is if Iraq were handed control of the .iq TLD, they could simply wipe out all existing entries and decide to start fresh.

      What existing entries? The .iq TLD was deactivated some time ago, and currently doesn't appear to exist at all except on paper.

  2. The question has to be asked... by Joff_NZ · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Why was a Texan company managing the .iq domains anyhow? Shouldn't have this been in the control of at least some kind of Iraqi authority in the first place?

    --
    The revolution will not be televised. It won't be on a friggin blog either
    1. Re:The question has to be asked... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

      That would make sense, except InfoCom had control of the domain prior to the US takeover, which would also mean prior to the the privatization taking place in Iraq. In fact, in the article it says InfoCom was only given the go-ahead to take the domain because at the time Saddam Hussein was in power, and his government in essence said "we don't want it" because internet access was blocked.

    2. Re:The question has to be asked... by BiggerIsBetter · · Score: 4, Interesting

      So why can't they just take it back? ICANN should just forget InfoCom exists and pass the TLD to the Iraqi Goverment to do whatever they want with. Why is it even an issue? Oh right, because it's suddenly worth something now the country is free of Saddam and finally under it's own Government.

      --
      Forget thrust, drag, lift and weight. Airplanes fly because of money.
  3. Texas means trouble... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Interesting

    ...at least for Iraq.

  4. But surely... by Polkyb · · Score: 5, Interesting

    If ICANN can remove control from Saddam and grant it to InfoCom, it can take it back as well..?

    It's not as though they would have got permission to take it in the first place, so, why would they need it this time?

    --
    I've never shoed a horse, but I once told a donkey to piss off!
  5. yes.. and let's not forget why this happened.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Firstly, they were indicted shortly after 9/11... whether it was based on the fact that the US were targetting every possible arab owned company because of terrorist scares or whether they indeed committed crimes that included, (quote) "charges that they exported computer equipment to Libya and Syria and funneled money to a member of the Islamic extremist group Hamas. ", is a decision I leave up to you.. since there has been no progress or update on the case..

    Second, "to a member of the Islamic extremist group Hamas" draws doubt to me. Ok, they were sending computer parts to Libya and Syria.. (oh no.. embargo.. and for, *GASP*, computer parts!) How is InfoCom supposed to know their customers background? How many customer(s) were involved in Hamas and how were they connected to InfoCom (if the money was funneled, why haven't we heard of any sort of medium or who/what the money was funneled through).. I mean.. an IT company based in Texas.. only just after 9/11 convicted of funding terrorists?

    And why why why does the media never tell us the entire story? etc..

    Again.. just my 2 cents.. and no.. i'm not unpatriotic.. I speak based on what I observe..

  6. Why does criminal investigation prohibit transfer? by MadRocketScientist · · Score: 2, Interesting

    It seems to me that investigators could subpoena whatever hardware is necessary to make their case, while Iraq can start using the .iq legitimately. It's not as if someone's going to walk into court with a plastic bag labeled "Exhibit A" with the letters ".iq" in it, right?