Thai satellite company THAICOM has begun broadcasting the Hizbullah-run TV station Al-Manar. Israeli terrorism experts called THAICOM’s decision to broadcast the channel “an outrage,” saying Hizbullah would be able to spread its propaganda far more effectively with THAICOM’s help. Al-Manar is currently broadcast by two Arab stations and reaches most of the Middle East and some of Europe, while THAICOM reaches viewers in Australia, Africa, most of Europe, and Asia.
European satellites dropped al-Manar in 2004 because of its connection to terrorism. THAICOM officials said the decision to add Al-Manar was a “purely business decision.”