Saudi company says told to ban BlackBerry services

JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia — A Saudi telecoms company said on Monday that the kingdom's regulatory authority ordered it to suspend key BlackBerry services, after a similar move in the United Arab Emirates."We have received a memorandum from the Communications and Information Technology Commission (CITC) to suspend some BlackBerry services in August," an official at one of the three Saudi telecoms companies told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity and asking that his company not be identified.The services of BlackBerry in the ultra-conservative monarchy were however still functioning normally on Monday, several users told AFP.On Sunday, another company official had told AFP an order was "expected" from CITC to suspend BlackBerry's popular messenger service in Saudi Arabia.CITC officials were not immediately available on Monday for comment.In March, the Saudi newspaper Al-Watan said authorities in the conservative kingdom want to control BlackBerry's messenger service and that the government could even shut it down. The report was never confirmed.At the time BlackBerry's makers -- Research in Motion Ltd. (RIM) -- said it was investigating the case.Neighbouring United Arab Emirates said on Sunday it will suspend key BlackBerry services from October 11 as they breach laws and raise security concerns in the Gulf business hub.The UAE's Telecommunications Regulatory Authority said the decision was taken "after failing to make progress in repeated attempts to make BlackBerry services compatible" with the Gulf state's legislation.These services could "allow individuals to commit violations without being subject to legal accountability, which would lead to dangerous implications on the social, judicial and national security."Paris-based media watchdog Reporters without Borders accused the UAE on Thursday of "harassing and arresting users of BlackBerry Messenger who allegedly tried to organise a protest" against an increase in petrol prices.In July last year, RIM charged that an update issued by UAE's largest telecoms

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