RUSSIA’S security service, the FSB, has demanded tighter control of the internet, threatening to stifle the country’s only remaining medium for independent information and open discussion.

Dmitry Frolov, a representative of the FSB’s information security centre, told the Upper House of parliament that new regulations were needed to stop the spread of extremist ideas. He said there was a danger that political groups could use the internet “to mobilise the political forces against the authorities of their state”, citing the recent revolutions in Ukraine and Georgia.

“It is necessary to expand substantially the authority of the Russian special services for control over the communication systems and internet traffic,” he said.

Many Russian officials regard the upheavals in Georgia and Ukraine as Western-backed coups designed to erode Moscow’s sphere of influence. The FSB — the KGB’s successor — fears that activists will use the same tactics to stir copycat movements elsewhere in the former Soviet Union, including Russia.

President Putin has cut off his critics’ access to traditional media by reasserting central controls over national television, radio and the press but he has left the internet largely unregulated.

Sasha Petrov, of Human Rights Watch’s Moscow office, said: “This is one of the few remaining outlets for open discussion about society, the direction of the country, the Government. If these measures are imposed, they will have a very chilling effect.

“Such proposals might be a good idea in the West, where civil society is strong, but they could be a catastrophe here.”

The FSB’s proposals go beyond closing down subversive websites. Mr Fralov said the FSB should get access to telephone companies’ databases and information on sites accessed by their subscribers.

He also said it was necessary to introduce obligatory registration for all mobile phone users.

• Mr Putin offered yesterday to supply helicopters, equipment and training to the Palestinians to help to rebuild their infrastructure (Stephen Farrell writes).

  Mr Putin also renewed his offer to host a peace conference after talks with Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president, on the last stage of a three-day tour of the Middle East.

  “We will provide the Palestinians with technological help and hardware and with training. In the first stage, we will deliver aviation technology, helicopters,” Mr Putin said in Ramallah after laying a wreath at Yassir Arafat’s tomb.

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