Lee Ashurst, the Briton accused of hacking into Etisalat's Internet system, pleaded not guilty during the first court hearing on Sunday, reported Gulf News. Ashurst, a 21-year-old computer engineer, had allegedly confessed during police and prosecutor interrogation to hacking into the UAE’s state-run telecom company’s system.
At the hearing Ashurst claimed that he did not realize that what he was doing was illegal. The case was suspended until March 11 after Ashurst's lawyer, Habib Al Mulla, asked the court for a copy of the case file against him in order to prepare his defense.
The prosecution bases its accusations on a Police Criminal Laboratory report, an Etisalat technical report and Ashurst's confession, said the paper.
Etisalat claims that on June 21, Ashurst misused the Internet service for illegal purposes using two hacking program, "Saint" and "Jack the Ripper.” They enabled him to decipher the passwords of some Etisalat employees and enter sites off-limits to network users.
It was also alleged that he had copied the password file of Etisalat's managers as well as the e-mail files of some employees. Ashurst is also accused of opening some employee e-mail messages and copying them.
Later the same day, the daily reported, Dubai Police raided Ashurst's home and confiscated his personal computer and some books on how to hack into computers. According to the prosecution, the items seized included program and files related to hacking, scanning Internet networks, deciphering passwords and user names.
The Briton's lawyer claimed late December that the prosecution had failed to produce a case.
"Until now, the Etisalat has not submitted any documents to the prosecution" in the emirate of Dubai.
"I will be asking for the case to be proceeded with immediately, or dropped altogether following the Eid holidays." – Albawaba.com
© 2001 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
