Videogame Character Threatens National Security?

Watchful Babbler writes "Apparently, 'the lead item on the government's daily threat matrix one day last April' was clear and definite: a reclusive millionaire had formed a terrorist group with the intent of launching chemical weapons attacks on Western cities. The White House was notified and the Director of the FBI briefed as the government raced to find information. But then, according to USNews.com, a White House staffer decided to Google for information on suspected threat Don Emilio Fulci and found him -- in a video game - Sega's action title Headhunter. No word on exactly which sources and methods came up with this gem, but word in the E Ring is that Fulci had issued the cryptic warning, 'You have no chance to survive make your time'."

Comments

Hmmm

[Neil Blender]

Sounds like the government was trolled.

Re:Hmmm

[Bobdoer]

With their history of it, I can't say I'm surprised.

Re:Hmmm

[Anonymous Coward]

Of course, the Goatse Guy *is* in fact a threat to National Security. He is clearly demonstrating a viable way to smuggle WMD's across the border.

Amazing

[DiscordOfFive]

Wow. At least we know their intel gathering stuff works.... It just can't tell reality from fantasy.

Is it me....

[WarlockD]

... or is terrorism winning?

It certainly feels like evey time we get a false positive we panic.

Re:Is it me....

[stratjakt]

The poster says the lead item on the government's daily threat matrix, in quotes as though he was quoting the article, which says no such thing.

Keep in mind the nature of the source, sort of a tongue-in-cheek political gossip column as well.

Some guy phoned in a tip, some low-level FBI grunt kicked it up the chain - as is his job. It was later found to be a hoax and thrown out. There was no panic or mayhem.

This happens all the time, everyone from assholes to crazies phone in to report bad guys from movies, etc. I remember reading an article about the rash of calls law enforcement got after Silence of the Lambs came out - people actually thought Hannibal Lecter was a real guy.

I also hear...

[decipher_saint]

...that the Princess has been captured again. Good thing Google is up to date on terrorist kidnappings too.

Re:I also hear...

[MisterFancypants]

Sorry, Dubya, but the WMDs are in another bunker !!!!!

FBI Tipster revealed to be drunken frat boy

[stratjakt]

When asked for a name, he responded "I. P. Freely".

This links comes from what amounts to a trashy "dc insider" gossip column. Though, this sort of stuff happens all the time. People phone in bogus tips all the time. If they sound legit, they get investigated.

I also object to the articles description of Headhunter as "popular".

Almost unbelievable...

[stefanlasiewski]

The story is so silly it's almost unbelievable.

But then Powell used a Graduate Student's Thesis to justify a war against Iraq in front of the entire world.

Re:Almost unbelievable...

[cheezedawg]

The story is so silly it's almost unbelievable.

Its a freaking rumor. It probably has little truth behind it.

But then Powell used a Graduate Student's Thesis to justify a war against Iraq in front of the entire world.

No he didn't. Here is the text of Powell's UN address. He didn't mention anything from the UK dossier.

Aha!

[sterno]

That would explain the missing WMD's quite nicely :)

Cover for real terrorists

[HermesHuang]

Once this story gets out someone's going to realize that they can disguise an underground movement by naming it after a video game's bad guys. Then the FBI will think it's just a video game clan.

Re:relax, it's just an abhorrence

[Tackhead]

> They probably got this from some data mining software that processes internet traffic. I'm not surprised that a program would pick this up and not realize that it's a fictional character.

Which reminds me, never mind this Fulci guy, it's been over 20 years and they still haven't found Carmen Sandiego! Where in the world is she?

Re:Notice how the date is in April?

[Anonymous Coward]

Could it be that you are all being had? Did anyone here bother to cross-examine the validity of this story or do any research? I guess when Slashdotters take things on faith they *must* be right because, well, that's just how the world works. Facts are facts because they fulfill our wildest fantasies.

*sigh*

In other news...

[HaloZero]

Law enforcement agencies all across the United States are searching for Tommy Vercetti. He is wanted for a string of felonies including (but not limited to) murder, assualt, battery, weapons sales, grand larceny, and above all else Grand Theft Auto.

All your Iraq are belong to U.S.

[macshune]

While I won't say whether I agree with the war or not, a spontaneous parody is definitely in order.

In A.D. 2003
War was beginning.

Saddam: What happen?
Mechanic: Somebody set up us the bomb.
Operator: We get signal
Saddam: What!
Operator: Main screen turn on.
Captain: It's you! We met in the '80s!
RUMSFELD: How are you gentlemen!!
RUMSFELD: All your Iraq are belong to U.S.
RUMSFELD: We are on the way to your weapons of mass destruction.
Saddam: What you say!!
RUMSFELD: You have no chance to survive make your time.
RUMSFELD: Ha Ha Ha Ha...

National Security Threats

[commodoresloat]

Come on folks, don't be naive. Just because this guy is a video game character does not make him any less a threat to national security. Do we really need another 9/11-style attack before we wake up? Remember after 9/11 when it turned out that the Sesame Street character Bert (of Ernie and Bert) was working closely with Osama bin Laden? Now I don't know a lot about this Don Emilio guy but I will feel much safer when he is locked away in Guantanamo, or at least huddling in a cave in Pakistan somewhere taunting us with audio tapes while American bombs explode nearby....

Et tu, Steve?

[MiceHead]

Steve Jackson Games' venerable story on how the US Secret Service raided them (and was subsequently forced to pay damages) is a good read, for those who've heard of the case, but are not familiar with the details.

On March 1 1990, the offices of Steve Jackson Games, in Austin, Texas, were raided by the U.S. Secret Service as part of a nationwide investigation of data piracy... More than three years later, a federal court awarded damages and attorneys' fees to the game company...

The EFF also has a Top Ten most mis-reported elements of the case:

10. Steve Jackson Games is a computer game company.
9. GURPS Cyberpunk is a computer game.
8. We're out of business.
7. We were raided by the FBI.
6. Some of our staff members were arrested by the Secret Service and charged with hacking.
5. This was part of Operation Sun Devil.
4. The raid was after GURPS Cyberpunk.
3. There was a hacker threat to sabotage the 911 system.
2. We have an employee named Lloyd Blankenship.
1. Steve Jackson Games is the second largest game company in the USA.

This instance with Sega's fictional character, though embarassing for the FBI, is certainly preferable to the above.
_________________________
I long for the day when Google stops asking me, "Did you mean: inigo rage"

Re:"says no such thing" ?!?

[AndroidCat]

Meanwhile, the real Don Emilio Fulci is laughing his ass off in his secret lair. "All it took was a few million dollars in bribes at Sega to have myself added to a video game, then a careful leak to the FBI. Now no US government agent will dare to say that he suspects Emilio Fulci. BWAHAHAHA!" :^)