State "disappointed" by Mideast Blackberry ban

"Blackberry data is immediately exported off-shore, where it is managed by a foreign, commercial organization. Blackberry data services are currently the only data services operating in the UAE where this is the case. Today’s decision is based on the fact that, in their current form, certain Blackberry services allow users to act without any legal accountability, causing judicial, social and national security concerns for the UAE."

Ontario-based Research In Motion, which manufactures the Blackberry, avoided discussing the ban directly in a statement but reaffirmed its commitment to providing users with secure messaging capabilities. The company's stock (RIMM) fell more than 2 percent in morning trading before recovering in the afternoon; at the time of this posting it was down 23 cents or 0.4 percent.

“RIM respects both the regulatory requirements of government and the security and privacy needs of corporations and consumers. RIM does not disclose confidential regulatory discussions that take place with any government however RIM assures its customers that it is committed to continue delivering highly secure and innovative products that satisfy the needs of both customers and governments.”