Slashdot Mirror
Stolen Enigma Machine Held For Ransom
AaronLane writes: "The BBC has a story on the robbery, and ransom of one of the only three German Enigma encryption machines from World War Two. The people holding the machine say they bought it unknowingly, and want to be compensated before giving it back, or they will destroy it. The Bletchley Park musuem, from which the machine was stolen, is offering 25,000 pounds." [timothy butts in --] Here's a link to the slashdot story posted when the machine was stolen.
The criminal mind and stupidity more than often go together. The in-duh-vidual that lifted the machine is almost certainly the idiot who is trying to extort GBP25K from a charitable organisation that looks after Bletchley Park.
Three were stolen, of wich the two first were done by the Brits, and the third by the Yanks.
People replying to my sig annoy me. That's why I change it all the time.
The Spanish also used other Nazi sourced hardware for a long time. Their airforce was flying locally built Mescherschmitt Bf 109s (although with Rolls Royce Merlin engines) until the late 1960s.
I'm not either, but what counts is 'intent'. If I have no idea something is stolen, and buy it in good faith for a reasonable price, it's mine.. even if it was stolen. This is how it works in the netherlands, and probably in the entire EU. ofcourse.. if you buy an original enigma, that in itself is enough reason to at least suspect it was stolen... which is enough for the law.
//rdj
No one can understand the truth until he drinks of coffee's frothy goodness.
--Sheikh Abd-Al-Kadir, 1587
If I were the Basque separatists, I'd just stop bombing people. If I were the Taliban, I'd just end my rule and instate a secular government. If I were Microsoft, I'd just divide myself into three separate companies and stop any predatory business practices....
No emoticon smiley will save you from your abject absurdity.
-- Anne Marie
read "the code book" by simon singh for the details of the enigma machine and who contributed to its decipherment. basically, a german spy gave the poles the instruction books on the enigma and they eventually cracked it. later, the germans increased the number of scramblers and wires on the enigma machine and that proved to be too much. before poland was invaded, they gave the documentation to the allies and bletchley park was born. a bloke named alan turing built machines called bombes to decipher the new and improved enigma cipher and unknowingly paved way for today's computer. excellent book.
Nothing is ever so clear-cut.
:)
The intelligence was provided by the Polish (who were breaking some German Army Enigma before the war, and got some of this info, including an Army Enigma, to the British) the French (why had a German spy giving them Enigma codebooks) and the British and Canadians (who captured enigma wheels and codebooks on *several* raids on sinking U-boats and German weather ships). The British (Alan Turing) were the ones who were working on the codebreaking efforts during the critical years of the war.
It wasn't the Enigma machine itself that was so valuable (they knew how it worked before the war) but instead the wheels (especially when a wheel was added) and also the codebooks that contained the wheel and plugboard settings.
The Americans provided additional bombes (mechanical computers used to brute-force Enigma settings) to the effort later in the war. The Americans were also busy breaking the Japanese Naval cypher as well (entirely different).
Everyone contributed - there is lots of national pride to go around.
Do you even know anything about perl? -- AC Replying to Tom Christiansen post.
In addition, I really must point out to you jolly chaps that this particular Enigma machine was a rather splendid version given to Bletchly Park as a gift from the Germans, after all that unpleasant war business was well and truly over. Tally ho!
Rich...
Ignore Alien Orders
Why do you want to invade anywhere? Isn't it a bit backwards to try and think up reasons why you shouldn't invade somewhere, rather than why you should?
This post wasn't Funny, it's informative! Geez!
--
Chief Frog Inspector
A feeling of having made the same mistake before: Deja Foobar
Or better yet, you feed it a barcode input from a CueCat scanner and it will tell you where to download the DeCSS source MP3 via Napster.
--
Wooden armaments to battle your imaginary foes!
This machine was stolen. A widely publicized fact due to the massive attention the media placed on it. What doesn't make sense to me is this: If you are purchasing an Enigma machine (and this is mysteriously available right after one is stolen from Bletchley) you are not the 'average antique collector' in the first place and should have more wits about you than to make this type of 'mistake'. This type of collector is much smarter than the average bear and I am not buying into thier story, they would know the difference between the various models of the Enigma (2, 3 and 4 wheel). The fact that they are threatening to destroy this tangible piece of history also points to this party not being a real collector either. A real collector would not threaten to do this as true collectors view it as a privelge to be in posession of a part of history for the time that they have it. I think that this party is more than likely the ones who stole the machine. The ransom notes are (imho) obviously from the people who stole the damn thing. They couldn't find someone to purchase thier prize and in an act of desparation are trying to quadruple the reward for returning the machine to its rightful owners via extortion. /. $authors)
Note to self: IF s/N ratio>=facts(old news +
Prospecting Stinks. Stop Wasting Time on Cold Calling.
Poor spelling and grammar skills? They must be a slashdotter!
"You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
"They are wanting recompense for something they bought in goodwill - they want their money back. We are hoping this person will get in touch."
Goodwill? The British cops sound like they will be grateful for this person(who for all they know is the real thief). So I'd like to know - would they give this person the ransom and congratulate him for his goodwill? This definitely wouldn't happen in America, and I find it hard to believe it would happen in Britain. Here there would be no question - the person would go to jail for a long time if the cops got to him.
I watch the sea.
I saw it on TV.
No, Thursday's out. How about never - is never good for you?
Are you the Anne Marie I recently read about on Salon? I saw your username and the possibility that you are who I think you are came to mind.
If you are not her, I apologize. If you are, don't be concerned. I am only curious.
Cheers,
--
The facts expressed here belong to all, the opinions to me. The distinction between fact and opinion is yours to decide.
That's exactly the kind of thing Englishman would say! You burn down a church full of children and expect us to believe your lies!
--
Wasn't the first one stolen by the Polish? Or plans for it or something.
No they bought it. The german military adapted an existing commercial product. Maybe doing this is a bad idea...
I'm not up on my English law, but in the Colonies across the Atlantic, when you purchase stolen property, irregardless of whether or not you knew it was stolen, you are required to return it and eat what you paid for the property as a loss.
No compensation, no ransom, just pure honesty.
Only deal with honest people, and you don't get hurt. Always be honest, and you increase the chances of other people always dealing with honest folks.
It's like encryption. Only take emails from trusted sources. Encourage your friends and family to go the same. Eventually, everyone uses encryption and you can grow the keys on your chain.
A host is a host from coast to coast, but no one uses a host that's close
gonna go and throw myself out the window onto a sharp pointy thing right now indeed.
Hi Ho
Ho Hum
So it goes....
~ppppppppö
You should probably go re-read your naval history. The naval enigma machine that the story in U-571 is based on was, in fact, captured by the RN in 1941. That much is correct. However, in 1944, the USS Guadalcanal battle group captured the U-505, including its code books and naval enigma. The U-505 is currently on display in front of the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry. Not sure where the U-505's engima wound up, but if I had to guess, it's probably at the NSA museum.
IIRC, it's right in front of the exit of the Sub, on the left, in the museum.
Simon
Coming soon - pyrogyra
Police want the author of the ransom letters to contact Detective Chief Inspector Simon Chesterman, of Milton Keynes CID, on 01908 686000 and quote reference number 86519900, to negotiate the exchange.
This news just in.. Here is a transcript of an anonymous call just placed into the police on the possible return of the enigma machine
Inspector Simon Chesterman: Hello?
Anonymous caller: Hello Inspector Chesterman, I calling about the stolen enigma machine that I have in my possesion and would like to negotiate return of the item.
Ispector: What item are you calling about now?
caller: The enigma machine
Inspector: The enigma machine, let's see here what was that about now?
caller: Someone stole it from a museum, I bought it in good faith, and now would like to negotiate its safe return.
Insepctor: Sorry not ringing a bell. Do you have a case reference number?
Caller: A what?
Inspector: A case reference number. I can't lookup the case without the number.
Caller: I'm sorry I don't have it.
Inspector: Then I'm sorry, can't help ya
Caller: Look I'm sure that you have the case file sitting right on top of your desk. Or just ask anyone else, I'm sure they will know what I am talking about.
Inspector: I'm sorry we are extrodinarily busy today so no one is free to ask.
Caller: It's very simple. This device is a high ticket and newsworthy item. Just take my info. I'm sure that you will get a call from the museum soon asking if anyone has called, and will have my info handy.
Inspector: Well I would like to accomodate but I can't file your info without the case file, which I can't find without the reference number.
Caller: Oh bloody hell. {hangs up}
Inspector: {to himself} If only people would be prepared before they call...
you mean the ransom note looks like a Micosoft product key?...hehe
Except that the DMCA is a US law and the Bletchley Park Museum is in the UK. Can't quite force our way on the Brits, now, can we?
Which is located in Woolsley Itch Underhamptstead Oldbury Cottenginton Westbloodyhammersmith.
--
Chief Frog Inspector
A feeling of having made the same mistake before: Deja Foobar
Now THAT is a cool sig!
"There's no secret. You just press the accelerator to the floor and keep turning left." -- Bill Vukovich
Well, maybe they can get them under the RIP bill, if they won't turn over the encryption keys?
General Relativity: Space-time tells matter where to go; Matter tells space-time what shape to be.
Yes it is extortion, yes it's illegal and, yes again, if Inspector Knacker gets his hands on them they are in seven shades of trouble for extortion, handling stolen goods and all the rest of it ....
:)
But.
They have the machine. They've basically said that they've paid money for it and that if they're going to be out of pocket on the deal then they're willing to have some fun destroying the thing first.
No-one's said it's not illegal, just that it's the situation.
What I love though is all this talk of the machine being in the hands of "The Master" - the news sounds more like Doctor Who every day
--
"I do not speak for my employers, though they are controlled from my Teddy's huge pulsating brain."
Besides developing their own nuclear arsenal, you mean? That tends to *mostly* deter the US :)
Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from a rigged demo
--Andy Finkel (J. Klass?)
I think they were just really, really ticked that the film "U-571" was so terribly bad...
Unknowingly, indeed!
TWW
"Encyclopedia" is to "Wikipedia" what "Library" is to "Some people at a bus stop"
--
Here's a link to a slashdot review of the Code Book by Simon Singh, which covers this stuff :-)
(It's by Jon Katz BTW, so you might not want to read it....)
I'm sure it doesn't work like that in the UK. If you buy stolen goods, you're fucked. Of course, there might be some exceptions, but that's the general rule. But, like you say, how many enigma machines are floating around the world market?
I think the geezers who are ransoming it are the ones that nicked it, and the coppers know it. If they pay the ransom, I'll be very surprised.
---
I think you forgot that the Anti-DeCSS people wanted to use it to encrypt the cue::cat so that it can not be used in linux, resulting in the contiued world domination of M$.
/. theams covered let me know what i left out)
It was also used to stuff ballot boxes in the Yugoslavia elections for the current president, knowing full well that when the roiting is over M$ would own the country.
In the next few weeks it wil be used to turn the vatican into the largest ever p0rn site & cause natile whats-her-name form the phantom menace to die in a grits accsident.......
The whole thing is being ploted by ELVIS (Gates is just a pawn here folks)
(I think thats all the
Yes I can not spell...Wait....for a second there I almost cared.
Based upon the Magna Carta? (Coincidentally, I just got a letter with a 5 Magna Carta stamp on it) Looks like it's in there, sort of...
--
Chief Frog Inspector
A feeling of having made the same mistake before: Deja Foobar
See spot. See spot run.
See Slobodon. See Slobodon run.
www.ridiculopathy.com
If anyone ever gets the chance to visit Washington D.C. and has some spare time, definitely go visit the Information Age section of the American History Museum. They show how World War II brought us the information age, not the nuclear age. They go from Morse code, early mechanical computing machines, early T.V, they have a old cross bar switch, Enigma, pieces of the ENIAC, pieces of the UNIVAC, the original apple computer in its wood burned box, and some early TI and Zilog microprocessors. A lot of history in a small space.
I'm fairly sure you are right about being allowed to keep the goods if you truly buy stolen without realising. Here in the UK I have certainly heard of cases where people have their motorcycle stolen, and like a year later the police find it when they pull someone over for a traffic crime, but the new owner gets to keep it. But then this guy just couldn't possibly fail to have known that there was a stolen Enigma machine about at the time, because it was on the national TV news (if he is from the UK too, which seems likely) for several days after the theft, which was only what, three months ago?
As said before, there are many Army Enigma arounds, however Naval and SS Enimga's are very rare. The Enimga stolen from bletchley was one used by the SS inner circle, i.e. used to communicate with hitler.
it must be a yank then
Can't quite force our way on the Brits, now, can we?
;-)
Nope. Only the EU is allowed to do that.
Steven E. Ehrbar
----
To whom should we make the check payable. Thank you. Hello, Scotland Yard? I need a job on . . . that's right, no prisoners. Jolly good. Bye now.
~~~
its just the "nice'n'nasty" routine the cops use a lot, they *seem* all nice then once they got yer its a bloody good kicking you'll get in the cells and then you get sent down to do some hard bird. i bet they plant some class A drugs on 'em too
The fools! Instead of stealing the Enigma machine, they could instead sue Bletchley Park for bypassing the Enigma machine's access protection device! By suing under the DMCA, they could bankrupt Bletchley Park and seize all their assets, including the Enigma machine!
Silly robbers. Don't they understand the way to commit crimes these days is to use the law?
--
What happens when you outlaw guns
Play Firearms Half-Life! http://firearmsmod.com - D-Ranged
"I am a warrior, and information is my weapon..."
CYGQ RTTY FAPRRG QYIDH GBNV XCM SKAF LPQFRPLS!! or the machine gets it...
---
---
Is this the MPAA? Is this the RIAA? Is this the DMCA? I thought it was the USA!
A short description of how the machine worked.
An Enigma simulation and some good links.
Some cool stuff!
----
Josh
Hmmm .. sad .. but I actually have seen that enigma machine (when it was on display in the Royal Armory in London) .. now .. if only I could get that person to 'aquire' me the Tiger III they have on display there .. then I could have one of THOSE :)
Or maybe the V2 .. that should be easy to smuggle out under an overcoat.
--Ne auderis delere orbem rigidum meum, non erravi pernicose!
for a Janet Reno-esque invade and reclaim project... kinda like that Southpark espisode - "Just give us the Enigma!"
--
"It's tough to be bilingual when you get hit in the head."
The yanks stole it from the Germans originally, so really the Germans should get it back, not the Brits :-)
Uhm....
I saw one at the Natl Crypto Museum and one at the MIT flea market last year (wish I had the $7500 he wanted..).
If an Enigma shows up at MIT, you know there's more than three in the world.
-- Ever notice that fast-burning fuse looks exactly the same as slow-burning fuse? I didn't... (Edgar Montrose)
Did these exist? As in the Channel 4 documentory (not the current one on general codebreaking, the one from a couple of years ago on the Enigma / Bletchly Park only) only refered to 3 (they even showed one working, so they can't be that rare, unless it was a replica) and 4 rortor enigmas.
Channel 4: Showing Angel at 6:00pm vicously cut (why can't they show it agian later like the BBC does with Buffy the Vampire slayer? Is a reepeat of Countdown that important?
-- This is not a sig. But I'm a liar.
I think they should use the other enigma to write where the money will be deposited, then have them decrypt it. Just for the fun of it.
But then, when they try to pick up the money and the cops get them we could hear funny stuff like from scooby doo.
Ex: "I would have gotten away with it if it wasn't for you darned americans decrypting my code!"
I'm sure that there are more than 3 surviving Enigma machines. It is more likely that there are only 3 of this particular model, which IIRC has one more encoding wheel than the standard model. Abount 15 years ago I saw an Enigma in a museum of occupation in Jersey, the Channel Islands. Left over from when the islands were liberated. I can't recall how many wheels this one had.
Let's call it cs_enigma. No hostages, but the counter-terrorists have to storm into the blokes' apartment and recover the machine. The enigma itself will probably be an add-on (item_enigma), so when a CT picks it up, he has to evacuate the premises and run for the main street! "Counter-Terrorists Win!"
"Ancillary does not mean you get to rule the world." --U.S. Circuit Judge Harry Edwards, speaking to the FCC's lawyer
The German military adopted a modified version, during the 1930s and 1940s there were several important changes to the design and operation of the machine.
A trio of brilliant Polish codebreakers, including Rejewski, developed some techniques which enabled them to work out the encryption keys used by some of the German communications networks. Just prior to the invasion of Poland, changes in German operating procedures eventually rendered these techniques ineffective. The Poles did not have the resources to overcome these difficulties.
Changes included:
The Enigma was never broken completely once and for all. The British had to start afresh every day in order to work out the day-code and message-codes for each German network.
Several times, changes in German procedures meant that existing codebreaking techniques no longer worked and new techniques had to be developed.
--
--
I can't see you, therefore you can't see me.
If the original owners give in, they're just gonna end up encouraging more fuckers. I wanna see the SAS in action! Yeah baby...
*ahem*
And why ransom it? How fucked up are these people that they know what the enigma machine is but they've never heard of ebay?
--
Peace,
Lord Omlette
ICQ# 77863057
[o]_O
Okay, so the buyer happened to be interested enough in cryptography to buy an Enigma. He bought it through channels that must have been different from the normal channels. He must have been aware that one of these machines was stolen since the word Enigma would stand out to a someone interested in codes in much the same way that Linux would in a typical newspaper article to most /. readers. He still bought it "in good faith"
Also, isn't it illegal to hold stolen property?
Is there a period after which holding stolen property is legal?
If I was them, I'd of just given it back.
:)
What's with people not doing good deeds anymore, do good deeds only exist in the linux world, or something?
I need that machine. I'm going to use it to devise a new encryption scheme for the output of my :Cue:Cat :barcode :scanner. ::::.
:
Ñ'
I dunno. See, in the US they could be charged with posession of stolen property, under that should they destroy it, they would be elligble for criminal and civil damages. Not exactly the smartest bunch if their identity is known.
I'd like to hear what any brits feel their law covers in these terms.
--
Chief Frog Inspector
A feeling of having made the same mistake before: Deja Foobar
Kuro5hin is running an article/A& gt; about a geek that did the same thing and he is getting sympathy....
"Do you think we could wipe out world hunger forever if scientists figured out how to make AOL's Free CD's edible?"-
Oh, sure -- why, just the other day I was at a yard sale and saw an Enigma machine, one of the propellers from the plane Admiral Yamamoto was shot down in, and the original V2 plans signed by Wehrer von Braun.
/.
/. If the government wants us to respect the law, it should set a better example.
Is it just me or is what this guy is doing not the brightest thing. It would seem to me that pissing off the British intelligence community by threatening to destroy an important piece of their history if they aren't paid would tend to anger them a bit. They tend to have a very long memory. I hope this guy isn't fooling himself that he can hide from them either. They tend to be pretty good at finding people. I would think that he would have been better off helping them catch the person that stole it. I would think that if he cooperated a little bit they would be much more willing to reimburse him.
This is a job for 007! Now that Milosevic is out of the way, what else could Bond do?
R could come up with all kinds of devlishly clever gadgets and weapons, including a £200,000 BMW (which Bond would wreck in the first 10 minutes). Bond could destroy streets, buildings, parked cars, and maybe do a crop circle or two, all with lots of shooting and huge orange fireballs. That'd show those mangy bastards that they can't extort Bletchly Park Museum out of £25,000!
--
Chief Frog Inspector
A feeling of having made the same mistake before: Deja Foobar
There is a four wheel naval enigma included in the U-505 exhibit at the Chicago Museum of Science and Technology.
(This was originally named YAFSWW2GEM, but cybersquatters had already registered that name with all the available TLDs.)
Anonymous Kev
Yes, I'd mind, but I wouldn't advocate spending a fortune to stop you.
-- He's fantastic, made of plastic....
Greenoch strikes again!
But something struck me, as I've been reading quite a bit of information about early computing and code breaking concerning the enigma. The only thing they ever mention is that it was "German Built".
Which German built it?
How many other early computing concepts have simply been atrributed to anonymous "Germans"? I know a bit about Zuse, but were there others?
Are there no records of this?
I ask only in the interests of computing history, though I guess I run the risk of my intentions being misinterpreted.
-- kwashiorkor --
Leaps in Logic
should not be confused with
-- kwashiorkor --
Leaps in Logic
should not be confused with
Jumping to Conclusions.
Oh, you mean they didn't know it was stolen, not that they didn't know they'd handed over some cash.
There goes my get-rich-quick scheme for today.
On the other hand I do have a warehouse full of these but they are self-assembly.
Who'll give me $99?
I was about to link to that auction as well. Yes, there are a number of Enigmas around, if you are willing to pay the price (the one linked to on ebay above is currently holding at $10,000 American, and hasn't met the reserve price yet).
However, note that the one you can buy for yourself is a 3 rotor *Army/Air Force* model, not the highly sought-after and very rare Naval versions.
That kinda sucks... even though the Allies cracked the code (I think) before the machine was stolen the first time it's kind of a shame that a Brit is willing to destroy one of the artifacts that prob saved his way of life from being wiped off the face of the earth. I mean, if Enigma wouldn't have been cracked (or stolen) the UK would have been pushed closer to the brink of destruction then it was.
Message to Enigma Owner: Have some respect for what your parents fought for and give the friggin thing back!
BOSTON SUCKS!
As far as I know, there's two types of Enigma, the 3 wheel Naval enigma, and the 4 wheel one introduced later in the war. Does anyone know if there are any Lorenz machines in a museum? This was the cipher used by the German high command from '43 onwards, much more complex than the regular Enigma. a large part of Colussus II's code-breaking time went into cracking Lorenz, not Engima.
Honestly, how much good faith could these people have? "Give us some money or we'll destroy this priceless piece of our nation's history" is not something that would come out of a regular joe who's accidentally bought a hot item.
You should probably go re-read your naval history. The naval enigma machine that the story in U-571 is based on was, in fact, captured by the RN in 1941. That much is correct. However, in 1944, the USS Guadalcanal battle group captured the U-505, including its code books and naval enigma. The U-505 is currently on display in front of the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry. Not sure where the U-505's engima wound up, but if I had to guess, it's probably at the NSA museum.
Too bad there are only three of them or you could imagine a Beowu[CHOKE-GAGGGG]
NO CARRIER
--
"Open source is good." - Steve Jobs
"Open source is evil." - Microsoft
They would have to go after the people who sold it to them for perpetrating a fraud or something. So for them to say that they won't return it without compensation is to hold the wrong people responsible. And it could be considered blackmail.
never mind jail terms if britain has laws against destruction of national treasures, historical artifacts, etc.
This sound suspiciously like something the original crooks would do, but that is pure speculation on my part.
- - - - - - - -
"Never apply a Star Trek solution to a Babylon 5 problem."
"It is a greater offense to steal men's labor, than their clothes"
Does anyone actually believe there is someone who "bought it without knowing what it is" then let some asshole who uses threats of destruction negotiate with the museum for them?
Here's my take on what happened. Some jerk stole the machine. Then personality B comes into play and this jerk starts sending off letters to the museum demanding ransom. This jerk says he's acting on behalf of, oh... some innocent party who bought it at a rummage sale. Yea that's the ticket! Now I can harass them and demand a ton of money under my assumed name, then deliver it in person and they won't arrest the delivery boy because he "bought it without knowing what it was"
Yes, I'm sure the British authorities will believe this. It happens all the time.
Steven
-- I have marked myself unwilling to moderate-- I don't have other accounts to artificially inflate the karma of
I'm sorry, but I really must but in here with the truth, I hope the moderators will not be harsh on me.
Ok, to start with, the US Navy had nothing to do with the capture of the Enigma machine, sadly it seems you have subscribed to history dictated by Hollywood. The U571 movie was nothing but fiction; the Enigma machine was actually captured by the Royal Navy in 1941 before the US was in the war. So America never actually had their hands on this particular machine, I think there is a edition of the rare version of this Enigma in the NSA museum though.
But Please do not believe everything you see at the movies!
Andrew.
Now if he had this thing in the 40s and held it for ransom, it may have been worth something!
--- Speaking only for myself,
Call up Tom Baker! Only the Dr. and his trusty companion K-9 can deal with the evils of "The Master"!
No, I wasn't impressed with the historical accuracy of The Patriot either. It seems
like it was a low year for history in Hollywood.
Didn't Tony Blair say more or less the same thing about the NHS, when he was justifying fuel duties/taxes?
Presumably the U505 incident wasn't exciting enough to warrant actually basing the film on it.
After all the Batlle of the Atlantic was pretty much won by 1944.
Is it naive to think that the story would have been just as exciting if the protagonists had been
British?
..but I have grown up around law enforcement.(In the States) I am assuming British law is fairly similar to US. This being said, what these people are doing is extortion, and it is going to end badly for them(read prison time). Regardless of whether or not they knew it was stolen, the are the owners of stolen property and must return it to the rightful owner. If they paid for it, well SUCKS FOR THEM. As for thier charge that they will "destroy it", this is where the extortion comes in. To hold a threat over someone for an action or money is the basic premis for extortion, so it's not looking good for them. Scotland Yard is gonna own their ass.
Spazdot-1 in 10 insightfull articles, and 1 in 10,000 insightfull comments ain't bad.
They stole it in an effort to encrypt MP3 files so they cannot be mass distributed without due charges. In fact they are responsible for the sinking of the Kursk as they heard somewhere that submarines are the place to find them. Having disabled and boarded the Kursk they realised there was no enigma machine so they sank the sub to cover their tracks.
So they went to a museum following a tip-off by someone on IRC.
Stole the ENIGMA machine.
Hired a bunch of hackers to figure out how to utilise the ENIGMA technology.
Having realised that it is impossible to encrypt MP3 files successfully they are ransoming the device back to the museum to recover the bills of the contractors.
The truth is out there. You won't find it here.
I'm just picking a regionally derisive term for the perpetrators of this crime. They're demanding money for returning a piece of history, and both my grandfathers fought in World War II (one an engineer in the Normandy to Belgium run, the other in the North African campaign), so it's only natural to take this personally.
"Ancillary does not mean you get to rule the world." --U.S. Circuit Judge Harry Edwards, speaking to the FCC's lawyer
After it has been recovered the Gov should make replicas and sell them. Nothing reduces the value of somethng as a flood of replicas. Plus this could cover the cost of beafing up their lax security.
Then they should put the real one in a vault and put a replica on display.
I believe there is a rumor that that is exactly what they have done with the crown jewels in the Tower of London museum.
Wovon man nicht sprechen kann, darueber muss man schweigen. Ludwig Wittgenstein