Bashar al-Assad leads campaign to spread the Internet in Syria

Bashar al-Assad, son of Syrian President Hafez al-Assad, started the executive steps to spread the Internet in Syria in his plan to convey advanced technology to his country, as the number of Internet subscribers in Syria is nearly 2,000 while the population is 17 million citizens.

The low number is due to governmental restrictions imposed on participation in the Internet, therefore many Syrians participate in the Internet services through Lebanon, but a lack of international phone lines obstructs the existence of this network in Damascus.

A statement issued by the Syrian computer association headed by al-Assad said that "there is a plan for modernizing the basic structure of the Internet and allowing private companies to present the Internet and electronic data services."