The following report is now a complimentary offering from MEMRI's Jihad and Terrorism Threat Monitor (JTTM). For JTTM subscription information, click here.
Earlier in November 2023, MEMRI JTTM identified a server in Germany that hosts files for Lebanese Hizbullah's Al-Manar, despite U.S. sanctions against the television channel as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) entity.[1]
Following MEMRI JTTM's report, German public broadcaster ARD reported that the Hizbullah-run television channel had moved its servers to France.[2]
However, subsequent research by MEMRI JTTM has identified the presence of Al-Manar servers in New York. In March 2006, Al-Manar was designated a "Specially Designated Global Terrorist entity" by the United States, which declared it "owned or controlled by the Iran-funded Hizbullah terrorist network."[3]
Pinpointing The Location: New York Servers
Pinging the web address "almanar.com.lb" identifies the site's IPv4 address as 162.244.82.184.
Conducting a lookup of that address indicates that the servers for that IPv4 address are maintained by a company called Server Room.
Conducting a corporate registry look up of Data Room Inc, the incorporated name of the firm, indicates that the company was incorporated in 2004 and is located in Queens County, New York.
Records from the state of New York list the company's CEO as Stefan Botez. His address in West Hempstead, New York, appears as both his address and the firm's corporate address.
This information is consistent with information listed on the website for Server Room, which states that the company hosts cloud servers and was founded in Long Island City (in Queens, New York) in 2004. [4]
International Links
According to the company, its servers host international websites, including several Pakistan-based news sites and a Kuwaiti radio station.
The company also appears to have ties to Romania. These connections include CEO Stefan Botez, whose LinkedIn page indicates that he speaks fluent Romanian. The company also maintains servers in Bucharest, Romania.
[1] See MEMRI JTTM Report: German Companies Hosting Sanctioned Hizbullah Al-Manar TV-Websites, November 1, 2023.
[2] Tagesschau.de/investigativ/report-muenchen/islamisten-hetze-libanon-deutschland-100.html, November 28, 2023.
[3] Home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/js4134, last accessed on November 30, 2023.
[4] serverroom.net/
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