The danger of e-crimes is not limited to individuals. These crimes threaten the fabric of social stability and State security, experts say. "Cyber-crimes constitute the most modern international crimes; they go beyond any geographical or political borders. Rapidly escalating technological developments have led to an increase in cyber crimes, and the law is not even remotely in a position to catch up with them," said Ahmed Kamal Ahmed, a criminal law professor at Egypt's National Centre for Social and Criminological Research (NCSCR). "There are many types of crimes in cyberspace, such as fraud and swindle. One of the most dangerous crimes is the promotion of violence by terrorist organisations. Anybody with Internet access can find information on how to make bombs with even the most common materials. These terror groups don't respect the law and use the virtual networks for illegal purposes," Ahmed stressed. Many young Egyptians benefited from electronic development, particularly from social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter, when they planned and instigated the January 25 Revolution, which forced President Hosni Mubarak to step down. "Cyber crime rates have doubled after the revolution. In 2011, complaints increased by 100 per cent compared to 2010. They were mainly about abuse, defamation and slander," said Roshdi Qamri, the head of the Interior Ministry's General Administration for Information and Documentation (GAID). "Cyber criminals have extensive technological knowledge, and the scene of their crimes is virtual. The criminals don't leave any evidence behind." Hackers sometimes infiltrate web pages owned by individuals and steal or alter their intellectual property. "Hackers don't respect intellectual property rights. The NCSCR is a victim of cyber crimes. An electronic centre with two branches in Egypt and Lebanon stole NCSCR programmes and publications and sold them illegally to customers. After uncovering the crime, the NCSCR filed a suit against the hackers," Ahmed said. Some criminals simply spread rumours and false information. "The media started this trend; some TV channels only disseminate rumours and create sedition. The prosecutors must investigate such crimes," Ahmed insisted. A military expert revealed that cyber crimes had become more dangerous than conventional ones. “Hackers not only invaded bank accounts but also State security. Intelligence and security agencies must work together to fight these new ways of threatening a country. They must implement strict measures, such as increasing the penalties," suggested Abdel-Moneim Kato, a strategic expert. Ahmed, the criminal law professor criticised the police for being too lax in apprehending cyber criminals. "Prior to the revolution, GAID chased anti-Mubarak elements on social networking sites and online forums. The Internet police is much too sluggish in catching the criminals and doesn't apply the law strictly enough," Ahmed said. A judicial source stressed that cyber crimes have increased because the law is not sufficiently enforced. "After restoring safety and security in the streets, a cyber crime law must be implemented and enforced. The Ministries of Communications and Interior must urgently work together to catch cyber criminals," Judge Ezzat el-Sayyed, an assistant of the Justice Minister, told the Freedom and Justice newspaper. "Cyber crimes constitute a great danger for the country's security. Some organisations and groups spend huge funds on cyber crimes, which can extend to spying. But it is difficult to catch cyber criminals; they can easily escape and set up shop elsewhere," said Mohamed el-Gawadi, a writer specialised in issues of state Security .
