Subject: [NEXTEL-1] Arrest made in Cote d’Ivoire mobile network raid

From: [email-masked]
Date: Thu, 06 Nov 2003 08:44:39 -0500

Arrest made in Cote d’Ivoire mobile network raid
November 05 13:33:00, 2003

WASHINGTON—The man suspected of raiding the offices of the U.S.-owned
mobile-phone carrier in Cote d’Ivoire and
forcing the network to shut down was taken into custody by authorities
over the weekend, according to an embassy
spokesman.

“He was arrested on charges of having raided Cora de Comstar,” said
Mamadou Bamba, a spokesman for the Embassy
of Cote d’Ivoire.

Cora de Comstar, a GSM wireless carrier controlled by Western Wireless
Corp. and U.S.-based Modern Africa Fund,
closed down Oct. 12 after repeated strong-arm tactics—some at gun
point—allegedly by a man who claimed ownership
in the cell-phone business. Western Wireless and U.S. officials suspect
Alexandre Galley, who they say is an
international felon, was assisted by some in the Cote d’Ivoire
government.

Bamba denies the charge, albeit with a caveat.

“No one in the government close to the president helped Galley,” said
Bamba. “This government is taking drastic
measures to find a solution to the problem.”

Western Wireless and Modern Africa Fund, which have invested more than
$40 million in Cora de Comstar, is filing an
expropriation claim with the Cote d’Ivoire government to request
compensation for their losses.

Rep. Jennifer Dunn (R-Wash.) has asked the Bush administration to press
Cote d’Ivoire officials to make amends for the
forced closure of Core de Comstar.
http://rcrnews.com/cgi-bin/news.pl?newsId=15803

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