[wpResize]

The Jeddah Police have opened up an exclusive digital laboratory as part of a comprehensive plan to combat cybercrimes, which have gained precedence in the Kingdom as an increasing number of people use the new media and social networking sites to communicate their ideas and opinions.

Maj. Gen. Abdullah Qaitani, chief of Jeddah Police inaugurated the lab on behalf of Makkah Regional Police Abdulaziz Al-Asoli. Ahmed bin Zayed Al-Asiri, director general of Criminal Investigation Department, Ahmed Al-Faqih, director of Forensic and Information Technology also attended the inaugural function, according to Jeddah Police.

“This section deals exclusively with cybercrime and its technical aspects, said Lt. Aati Al-Quraish, spokesperson of police on Saturday.

The Anti-Cybercrime Law was approved by a Royal decree on March 26, 2007. The law aims at combating cybercrimes by identifying such crimes and determining their punishments to ensure information security, protection of rights pertaining to the legitimate use of computers and information networks, protection of public interest, morals, common values and protection of the national economy.

Cybercrime is on the rise across the Middle East and in Saudi Arabia, and protecting against cyber threats is an ongoing management challenge for organizations in the country.

Consumer cybercrime cost the Kingdom SR2.6 billion in the previous year, according to a survey by Symantec, one of the world’s largest consumer cybercrime studies.

A wide section of Saudi society has been calling for initiating criminal action against personal insults on social networking websites.

[wpResize]