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Tracking the Terrorists Online

Posted by kdawson on from the lurking-with-intent dept.

Anti-Globalism points out a story at the German magazine Spiegel profiling two small US companies that monitor terrorist networks online — IntelCenter and SITE Intelgroup. "[Founders of the two companies] Venzke and Devon are two of the most prominent 'terror trackers' worldwide. In the United States, and increasingly in other countries, the term refers to a community of people who spend their days analyzing traces that al-Qaida and affiliated organizations leave behind, especially on the Internet. The two Americans are essentially digital trackers in the age of globalized terrorism. IntelCenter and SITE Intelgroup are the companies that Venzke and Devon, respectively, have founded. They enjoy a strong reputation within the relatively small community of terrorism experts. Beyond that, though, they are virtually unknown ..."

18 of 135 comments (clear)

  1. Quote: "Beyond that, though ..." by Jane+Q.+Public · · Score: 1, Insightful

    " they are virtually unknown..."

    Exactly as it should be.

    Imagine a large, popular website that listed people who did some little thing that might fit a "terrorist profile".

    Can you say "pandemonium and vigilantism"? Sure. I knew you could.

    1. Re:Quote: "Beyond that, though ..." by Darkness404 · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Can you say "pandemonium and vigilantism"? Sure. I knew you could.

      Can you say sued for libel and slander? The government can do practically the same thing by having its secret list and stopping 6 year olds from getting on a plane because they have the same name of an alleged "terrorist".

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    2. Re:Quote: "Beyond that, though ..." by MrNaz · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Can you say sued for libel and slander?

      Can you say "protected by government that fabricates need a for security and claims it is more important than the long term health of a free society"?

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      I hate printers.
    3. Re:Quote: "Beyond that, though ..." by Dan541 · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Imagine a large, popular website that listed people who did some little thing that might fit a "terrorist profile".

      By some peoples arguments, I MUST be a Terrorist.

      --
      An SQL query goes to a bar, walks up to a table and asks, "Mind if I join you?"
  2. This makes me sick... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Insightful

    when the definition of terrorist expands every day.

    1. Re:This makes me sick... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I know what you mean. Especially when the real terrorists are those in the government.

    2. Re:This makes me sick... by v1 · · Score: 5, Insightful

      seeing as how the most popular method of government control has always been to make the people afraid of something so they'll do whatever you want them to, I'd say calling the government the terrorists is extremely insightful. They're the ones inciting and magnifying the terror.

      That being said, there'd be a lot less terror if we could take back control of the government. Now if only the sheep would realize this...

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      I work for the Department of Redundancy Department.
    3. Re:This makes me sick... by Darkness404 · · Score: 4, Insightful

      What we really need is a congress, court system and president that follows the constitution. You know, it wouldn't really matter if they were right wing or left wing so long as they followed it, but it seems that the right wing is always pushing for warrantless arrests for "terrorists" and the left wing is always pushing for the abolishment of the second and parts of the first amendment. And we all know that at this time no third party candidate stands a chance.

      --
      Taxation is legalized theft, no more, no less.
  3. Part of Bush's "terror" industry... by Anik315 · · Score: 1, Insightful

    These organizations have not contributed to the prevention of single terrorist act and exist mainly to monitor people on an arbitrary basis. Who pays for this crap?

  4. Re:Government Aid by pxlmusic · · Score: 3, Insightful

    or maybe they're allowed to do what the government cannot?

    --
    "If for any reason you're not satisfied with our service, I hate you."
  5. Problems... by Darkness404 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    The problem is, what counts as a terrorist? Sure, we all think it means the people who put anthrax in the mail, blow up buildings and plant bombs. But it seems that lately (as in after 9/11) we count anything that doesn't agree with current US politics as terrorist. Not to mention on how we limit our constitutional rights to go after these "terrorists".

    --
    Taxation is legalized theft, no more, no less.
    1. Re:Problems... by DeadDecoy · · Score: 2, Insightful

      And if we harass and torture people, that seems to count as prevention nowadays, thus "justifying" our actions.

  6. Experts? by SuperBanana · · Score: 4, Insightful

    They enjoy a strong reputation within the relatively small community of terrorism experts

    Would those be the experts that have many failures, few successes, and been largely reactionary?

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  7. Re:Government Aid by Darkness404 · · Score: 2, Insightful

    ...And what can the government not do to track down "terrorists"? They use the word terrorist and congress will pay them millions of dollars to do track down these "terrorists", they don't need to get warrants, they can tap phones, etc. The government can and has shredded the constitution and burned it to ashes. There is no limited government when they say the word terrorist.

    --
    Taxation is legalized theft, no more, no less.
  8. election time! by toby · · Score: 2, Insightful

    make the people afraid of something so they'll do whatever you want them to,

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    you had me at #!
  9. memo to pro-Bush by toby · · Score: 4, Insightful

    May you choke on your beloved waterboarding, spying, illegally kidnapping, profiteering, lying administration.

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    you had me at #!
    1. Re:memo to pro-Bush by janrinok · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I don't love the waterboarding, but I don't think, it is a big deal.

      And that is the problem. If you now believe that, as a nation, it is entirely normal to torture people, then you you are no longer the nation that you once were, no longer the nation that you think you are, and you are no longer the nation that will be respected elsewhere. Of course, if that is not 'a big deal' then your argument is lost.

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    2. Re:memo to pro-Bush by janrinok · · Score: 2, Insightful

      not even the harshest of their critics doubts the guilt of the "victims"

      I strongly disagree - that might be your view but it is by no means universal. However, being captured in Afghanistan is not, of itself, a crime. You might be correct in what you allege someone is guilty of but, if you are so sure, why not give those individuals their day in court? I believe it is because, without torture, you haven't got a case that would pass legal scrutiny anywhere in the world. And even with torture you haven't got a case but at least you can claim you have information. If you are so sure of your cause, why does the USA have to use rendition flights to hide its activities? Why does it conduct its interrogations outside of the USA but also outside of the theatre in which the individuals were captured? Tell me how many others have been captured in the USA as a result of that information that has been gathered by torture? If it is nothing more than a handful (and I think it is none at all!) then I cannot accept your argument that the torture is justified. It is NOT saving American lives. I suspect that you have lost far more American lives in Afghanistan and Iraq than you could ever hope to save by gaining information by torture. It looks increasingly like an act of revenge by a country that didn't realise until 9/11 that it was as vulnerable to terrorists as any other, an act that is now being justified by 'protecting American lives'. Terrorism is not new in Europe but we have learned to deal with it, and to continue our lives without our Governments collapsing into a fear-induced panic.

      Incidentally, what was your stance when the IRA were murdering and bombing on the British mainland for nigh on 30 years? Did you doubt their guilt, or did you, like many Americans, choose to support the terrorist with funds or arms? Did you campaign like some of your countrymen that the Irish terrorist could not receive a fair trial in the UK? You have suffered a single attack and now the President believes that it justifies any crime. How does it make the USA better than any other third rate nation who uses similar tactics?

      And in case you feel the need to accuse me of being an armchair warrior, I have served in uniform at the sharp end in 3 conflicts but I have never felt the need to use tactics or procedures that did not have the full backing of the law, or which did not comply with the relevant international treaties and obligations.

      OK, I'm ready. Let the flames begin....

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