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FBI May Have Datamined Grocery Stores With Help From Credit Companies
An anonymous reader writes "Recent media reports indicate that in 2005-06, the FBI went trawling through grocery store records in order to track down Iranian terror cells. They hoped to locate 'Middle-Eastern terrorists' through the purchase of specific food items. Many of these items, though, are not sold through big-box supermarket chains, and the majority of mom and pop ethnic markets do not have the detailed computer purchase histories that Safeway or Whole Foods have. What the FBI seems to have done is instead put together a list of everyone who shopped at a Middle Eastern food market. All signs point to the credit card companies providing this data, and not the individual stores. If so, this could be the tip of a (potentially illegal) data-mining iceberg."
Falafil Inc. sues the FBI for defamation of character and loss of business.
My poetry site welcomes the unusual.
because, non-middle easterners might like the food.
:-( It's just that the food is so yummy.
And thus, even though not ME, they must be terrorists too!
*sigh* I didn't realize I was a terrorist
Self proclaimed typo king, and inventor of the bear destroying coffee table (patent not pending).
I'm patiently waiting for the FBI to knock on my door and arrest me for all the ingredients I used (digested) in my attempts to create the perfect stink bomb.
Seriously. Shawarma with saffron rice FTW.
I guess I am a bad American for liking terrorist food...hummus...Hamas...same thing, right?
Ketchup. They're seeing who isn't buying enough.
Ketchup has natural mellowing agents that help to keep you satisfied with our government and able to accept what happens to you.
-- A message from the Ketchup Advisory Board
(This is well documented. See here and here, for example.)
Comment forecast: Bits of genius surrounded by a sea of mediocrity.