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The source confirmed that the accounts of Makhlouf's Al-Boustan Charity had been 'taken over' even though it's still operating as normal. However, he denied he was under 'house arrest' and said that both his MTN and shares in SyriaTel were "safe... so far"
Months ago, the source had told me about the 'unquestioned authority's' plan to become Syria's 'New Makhlouf'. To that end, a 'Syrian Ritz Carlton' needed to be carried out, he told me, in reference to MBS lockup of Saudi’s wealthy princes and stripping their fortunes away.
For years, this high-ranking authority has been silently monopolising sectors of the economy through the 4th Div control of trade corridors with rebel areas and official border crossings, such as Qalaat al-Madiq, Mourek and Abu Al-Zindein (near Al-Bab).
Khodr Taher, aka Abu Ali Khodr, a businessman & war profiteer, is his financial ‘sledgehammer’, with businesses in construction & tourism. His most prominent project is Al-Qal’aa Protection Services, one of the biggest, if not the biggest of >70 licensed private security firms 
Khodr is also renown in #Syria as the 'kingping' of trade between regime & rebel areas. In an interview, Aleppo MP Fares Al-Shahabi accused him of ‘protection rackets’ & ‘trading with terrorists’. His interview was inexplicably, but promptly, removed from official websites.
Back in July 2018, AFP ran an article on war profiteers explaining how such a cottage industry worked. For example, a certain businessman (usually the frontman) would pay $1 million, every few months, for the exclusive trade rights between regime and rebel areas.
The following will further demonstrate the extent of Abu Ali Khodr’s above-the-law clout.
In late February, the Syrian interior minister issued a decree banishing him from official workplaces and police stations. He also banned his underlings from even contacting him.
In late February, the Syrian interior minister issued a decree banishing him from official workplaces and police stations. He also banned his underlings from even contacting him.
However, 2 weeks later, the same minister issued another decree reversing his own decision without offering any explanation.
"The aforementioned decree is hereby cancelled," his note simply mentioned.
"The aforementioned decree is hereby cancelled," his note simply mentioned.
Around that same week, on 24 Feb, Khodr inaugurated Emma Tel, a mega chain specialising in selling mobile handsets. Khodr was now moving into the lucrative Syria telecom retail market which had long been dominated, perhaps even monopolised, by Rami Makhlouf.
By May, Emma Tel had opened 3 “mega malls” offering the latest android and Iphone devices. However, Syrians on FB soon noticed that some government decrees were being manipulated to serve Abu Ali Khodr’s latest business foray.
On 1 April, #Syria Telecom Ministry ratified 'registration fees'. Devices were now split into 4 categories, up from 2, with the highest category paying nearly $145, x3 the previous highest. The proceeds mainly go to state coffers but both operators and sellers share a percentage
The most glaring manipulation came in July.
In May 2019, Syrian Whatsapp & FB users started 2 complain about the weak connection only affecting those 2 services. For months, Telecom officials blamed the American servers for “throttling” among the scepticism of Syrians.
In May 2019, Syrian Whatsapp & FB users started 2 complain about the weak connection only affecting those 2 services. For months, Telecom officials blamed the American servers for “throttling” among the scepticism of Syrians.
The issue became so bad that 2 MPs discussed it in one of the parliament’s sessions calling for the throttling practice to stop because it was benefiting “private telecom companies” and asking the Syrian President to hold the country’s war profiteers accountable.
That scepticism became justified when, in July 2019, Emma Tel announced “prepaid VPN cards” to resolve the issue. Syrians went bezerk accusing both the Telecom Ministry & Emma Tel of "collusion". EmmaTel retracted its offer after only a few hours labeling it a “misunderstanding”
The throttling worsened. For example, a 120Kb jpg sent to a Syria FB messenger could take up to 30 seconds 2 load. Syrians were resorting to free VPNs.
However, the Syrian Telecom Ministry issued an advisory against using "free" VPNs citing privacy & hacking issues. Concidence?
However, the Syrian Telecom Ministry issued an advisory against using "free" VPNs citing privacy & hacking issues. Concidence?
This is not where it ends for Khodr, however. He recently registered Emma Tel Plus, a B2B mobile and electronics company, designed to compete for official and commercial tenders.
The level of clout and protection afforded to Abu Ali Khodr will allow him to wholy digest yet another lucrative sector of the economy. Other frontmen are on the move.
By all means, Rami Makhlouf isn’t down yet but he should be worried.
By all means, Rami Makhlouf isn’t down yet but he should be worried.
