U.S. Army warns of twittering terrorists
The introduction to an Army intelligence report on "Potential for Terrorist Use of Twitter."
(Credit: FSA.org)The U.S. intelligence community is concerned that terrorists might use micro-blogging tool Twitter to coordinate attacks, according to a purported draft Army intelligence report posted on the Web.
The report--present by the 304th Military Intelligence Battalion and posted to the Federation of American Scientists Web site--examines the possible ways terrorists could use mobile and Web technologies such as the Global Positioning System, digital maps, and Twitter mashups to plan and execute terrorist attacks.
The report (PDF), which appears to have been first presented earlier this month, was reported Friday by Wired magazine's Noah Shachtman. A chapter titled "Potential for Terrorist Use of Twitter," presents general, introductory information on Twitter and how it works, and describes how the service was used to report details of a recent earthquake in Los Angeles and by activists at the Republican National Convention.
"Twitter has also become a social activism tool for socialists, human rights groups, communists, vegetarians, anarchists, religious communities, atheists, political enthusiasts, hacktivists and others to communicate with each other and to send messages to broader audiences," the report said.
The report goes on to say:
Twitter is already used by some members to post and/or support extremist ideologies and perspectives. Extremist and terrorist use of Twitter could evolve over time to reflect tactics that are already evolving in use by hacktivists and activists for surveillance. This could theoretically be combined with targeting.
The report describes hacktivists as politically motivated hackers.
The report also described scenarios in which terrorists could leverage "potential adversarial use of Twitter," such as planning ambushes or detonating explosives:
Scenario 1: Terrorist operative "A" uses Twitter with (or without) a cell phone camera/video function to send back messages, and to receive messages, from the rest of his cell. Operative "A" also has a Google Maps Twitter Mash Up of where he is under a code word for other members of his cell (if they need more in-depth directions) posted on the WWW that can be viewed from their mobiles. Other members of his cell receive near real time updates (similar to the movement updates that were sent by activists at the RNC) on how, where, and the number of troops that are moving in order to conduct an ambush.Scenario 2: Terrorist operative "A" has a mobile phone for Tweet messaging and for taking images. Operative "A" also has a separate mobile phone that is actually an explosive device and/or a suicide vest for remote detonation. Terrorist operative "B" has the detonator and a mobile to view "A's" Tweets and images. This may allow "B" to select the precise moment of remote detonation based on near real time movement and imagery that is being sent by "A."
Scenario 3: Cyber Terrorist operative "A" finds U.S. [soldier] Smith's Twitter account. Operative "A" joins Smith's Tweets and begins to elicit information from Smith. This information is then used for a targeting package (targeting in this sense could be identity theft, hacking, and/or physical.) This scenario is not new and has already been discussed for other social networking sites, such as My Space and/or Face Book.
However, the overview notes that the research used to generate the report was gathered from open source intelligence and not compared with information in classified venues.
Steven Musil is the night news editor at CNET News. Before joining CNET News in 2000, Steven spent 10 years at various Bay Area newspapers. E-mail Steven. 
I didn't bother reading the rest of the article after reading that first sentence and the first comment.
OMG, twitter could be the kink in our armour! Never mind encrypted handheld walkie-talkies I can buy at Target for $89.95, or, heaven forbid...cell phones!
Twitter will be the downfall of this country!
"Twitter has also become a social activism tool for socialists, human rights groups, communists, vegetarians, anarchists, religious communities, atheists, political enthusiasts, hacktivists and others to communicate with each other and to send messages to broader audiences," the report said."
I am vegetarian because I have high cholesterol and high triglycerides and instead of gulping pills I found a philosophical way to low those two health threatening facts in my body. I am not a terrorist at all. On the contrary I find terrorism a very coward way to impose whatever.
I think to fund some ideas without being honest is a sheer shame!
Shame on you!
Lovemydiet
America doesn't suck, just our current form of government
BTW you live in a "supposed" Republic not a Democracy or didnt anyone ever explain the difference?
Egads man. Dust off your old government books. The USSR was socialist by the book. It never made it to communist. The bailout isn't socialist...though it's leaning that way. Creating Fannie May and Freddie Mack (or however you spell those) was far more socialist. That said German, and other European countries are more socialist than the USA. For the most part I see those governments doing a better job advocating for their citizens than the USA which seems to advocate for corporations. (I'm not sure the old government text covered government by corporationsa and business though I imagine they should start thinking up something).
God bless 'em I wish they would be satisfied by setting themselves on fire so they can personally feel the degree of terror and negative energy they are unleashing in the universe. What if....what if....what if!!!!!
Exactly.
Look, the fact is that we control very little in our lives, they are brief at best, during which, people can choose to focus on whatever aspect of life, suffering, joy, greed, etc. they will. People that continually try to evoke fear in another person is a terrorist. I'd like to jerk a knot in them, as my mother use to say.
I'm just glad that the military is "with it" enough that twitter, et al is on their radar...
Good point. Those in the business of monitoring communications for threats do need to know what all to monitor. I've never used Twitter, don't know what it does, don't know how it works and don't care. But if it was my job...then I better learn.
Matthew 19:21-24 (New International Version)
21Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
22When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.
23Then Jesus said to his disciples, "I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.
24Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."
I'm not saying that US should necessarily be a Christian nation, but there seem to be plenty of people that think Christianity and the free market are somehow related...they aren't.
This is what these guys get paid to do. I could have told you that.
Instead of reducing the amount of people that become terrorists SOMEHOW, we come up with this.
Your mom could be used by a terrorist, how about that?
Scenario 1. Your mom falls in love with the night manager at the local gas station. He is a sleeper terrorist planted here years ago and she has no clue! He asks her to bring a package to cousin of his for a wedding. He has been secretly developing this package for some time now and she only believes his package is something benign. She delivers it and then returns to Rafiki's house.
Act 2. Rafiki says his number is changed and she should call him as soon as she gets off the train. He knows the train arrives exactly at 4:20 everyday. It is also when the train station is most packed. She also did'nt notice the suicide vest he put on her and rigged to that very number.
Scene 3. She dials Rafiki although she forgot to buy more minutes on her phone and the call does not go through. She gets out of the train station and figures she will go see Rafiki. She approaches his gas station where he lives and the last thing she hears is a phone going off, then BOOM! SOmeone misdialed and blew her up.
My report on your mom will be fowarded to the authorities.
Sounds like last ditch efforts of the Republican Party before the Democrats take over. Hold on to your hats, we aint out of the Republican S-Storm yet. (Editors' note: some offensive content has been removed.)
Right wing nutcases are not mentioned. It's all aimed at liberals. Why? My father used to be in US counterintelligence. He would not recognize the right-wing ideologues who run it now. Thanks Bush. Another legacy of your crony-loving incompetent administration.
If they really felt Twitter was a threat, they would not be making a bunch of noise about it right now. But since they think that scaring people will make them vote for McCain, you can probably expect to see such scar tactics until the election next week.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/11/AR2008101101427.html
then there is the use of domestic police power to stifle protest, the labeling of dissent in a time of "manufactured" war as treason, the theft of a presidential election (or two , maybe it will be three)
we are well on our way to becoming a fascist state
1.) Powerful and Continuing Nationalism:
2.) Disdain for the Recognition of Human Rights:
3.) Identification of Enemies/Scapegoats as a Unifying Cause:
4.) Supremacy of the Military:
5.) Rampant Sexism: (Shifted largely to homophobia)
6.) Controlled Mass Media:
7.) Obsession with National Security: Fear is used as a motivational tool by the government over the masses
8.) Religion and Government are Intertwined:
9.) Corporate Power is Protected:
10.) Labor Power is Suppressed:
11.) Disdain for Intellectuals and the Arts:
12.) Obsession with Crime and Punishment:
13.) Rampant Cronyism and Corruption:
14. Fraudulent Elections
I also thought it a stretch for this article to say "The U.S. intelligence community is concerned that terrorists might use micro-blogging tool Twitter..." based on one paper from a military intelligence battalion Red Team. OK, someone's thought about it. But that it's become a concern for the entire US intelligence community? gimme a break.
Woa!!!!
yeah, and I saw terrorists passing notes, so we should get rid of that pencil and paper technology too!
Interesting to note that the Obama campaign makes heavy use of twitter to coordinate their field operations, it is not secure and anyone can follow anyone.
We are moving quickly towards a facist police state and it should be here before November. These people are not going to relinquish their power and control. In order to accomplish that, all communication must be digital and all communication must be monitored. Be prepared to have the web to go offline here in North America. It will come back up, but it will no longer be an information tool that can be used by the masses.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/22/AR2008102202646.html
It won't be long before The Government "needs" the personal info and usage data from ISPs to protect America from terrorism. It's all about controlling the population and it's not right.
Big Brother is gaining strength, please prepare to have your thoughts monitored and you will be penalized for thinking things that Big Brother doesn't want you to think about.
This article was the stupidest thing that I have heard about in a long time, and that includes all the talk during the presidential campaigning.
In tzar Peter The Great times, writing behind locked doors was a state crime.
- by slimfender October 26, 2008 9:06 PM PDT
- AHAHAHAHAHA. And that's all that needs to be said.
- Like this Reply to this comment
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- by WayneSMT October 27, 2008 4:10 AM PDT
- Yup, that about does it. Ok, unofficial forum poll.
- Like this
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Showing 1 of 2 pages (48 Comments)The other dumb thing I heard yesterday was that the Los Angeles police chief made an announcement saying that his department was preparing for a terrorist attack on financial institutions in the greater Los Angeles area.
Is he trying to tell me that "terrorists" actually want to destroy a target that they have already destroyed by baiting us into a unsustainable conflict, on their turf, by using the same tactics that we trained them to use on the Soviet in the 80s on us?
ok, here is the question.
Do you think that we will have martial law before November 4th as the result of a contrived situation thereby putting the entire election in limbo?
Interesting to note that the exercise at Fort Hood ends on the same day that Barack gives his little half hour paid infomercial on primetime. I wonder how many people will be glued to the TV that night and then for hours afterward as all the talking bobbleheads comment on the presentation. Might want to put the TV in the front yard, that way you can watch Barack and the sky at the same time.