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Indian GPS Cartographers Charged As Terrorists
chrb writes "Following on from the discussion about Apple disabling GPS in Egyptian iPhones, we have a new case of the conflict between the traditional secrecy of government, and the widening availability of cheap, accurate GPS devices around the world. On 5th December, two software engineers employed by Biond Software in India were arrested for mapping highways using vehicle based GPS devices. Further evidence against the pair emerged when it was found that a laptop they had been using in the car contained some photos of the local airforce base. The company claims they had been commissioned by Nokia Navigator to create maps of local roads and terrain. Following an investigation by the Anti Terrorist Squad of Gujarat the cartographers have now been charged with violating the Official
Secrets Act and will remain in custody."
The most dangerous thing in the world is a second lieutenant with a map and a compass.
"You are in violation of the Official Secrets Act, you are under arrest."
"The official secrets act? What's that?"
"An official secret. Now put your hands behind your back. You have the right to remain ignorant of your crimes. You have the right to a low quality attorney. And you have the right to not ask any more stupid questions..."
GPS information is an official secret?
"Where am I?"
"You have no right to know that."
Oh, say does that Star-Spangled Banner entwine / The myrtle of Venus with Bacchus's vine?
Governments spend billions of dollars and many years building up their credibility. Every time the justice system fails, that credit is lost. In time, if corrective measures aren't taken, the justice department finds itself bankrupt - people have zero respect for the law (because it is corrupt), and much contempt for the law. Society becomes lawless.
And not just for the commoner - government workers break the law as well, and for the same reason. Lack of respect.
I posit that debiting the "justice account" by making examples of people, we (regardless of which country) fundamentally damage society and lay burden on those who will follow. It is immoral, and must be stopped.
A government is a body of people notably ungoverned - AC
You're kidding, right? I realize that Guantanamo isn't a resort, but I'd feel much safer there than in an Indian jail. Especially with the spot-light shining on it so brightly.
Of course, this pair has only gone 3 days being held without an official charge...
He's getting rather old, but he's a good mouse.
How about Google Maps having photos of same roads already for *years*. Made by flying holy cow.
839*929
Oops. I actually read the first linked article and jumped the gun (at that point they'd been held 3 days and not charged). TFS clearly indicates that they're facing charges for photographing the Air Force base.
Of course, you can be detained for doing that in the US too. Not sure what exactly they charge you with.
He's getting rather old, but he's a good mouse.
The Times of India article claims that the two are being held and charged more for having film of an airport and an air force base, than they are for collecting GPS data. Using a DUI for an analogy, the poor lane control would be the GPS dish, and the film of the air facilities the half-empty beer bottle.
According to TFA they were arrested for "snooping around Jamnagar" which according to Wikipedia "has shot to prominence as Reliance Industries, India's largest private company, established the world's largest [oil] refinery near Moti Khavdi village."
So very basically, this seems akin so someone driving in a car, decked out with electronics, around say, a nuclear power plant in the U.S. Not saying the charges are or aren't appropriate and there's no information as to how close to said refinery they actually were, but given the area through which they were traveling they should have expected some attention.
Wikipedia Article
Registered Linux User #423733
The convoy was supposed to detour around the town and instead turned directly into it, eventually running into an ambush. The ambush was unlikely to have been set up in advance, because the Iraqis did not know which course the convoy would take. The navigational error has never been properly explained, because the soldiers had GPS receivers and maps
My buddy revealed that it was common knowledge in the sandbox that the Officer in charge of the convoy, Capt. Troy Kent King, was the one who was responsible for making the wrong turns. According to google searches, the report is classified Secret and so the official cause is still "unknown".
So that's what happens when LT's with a map and compass go on to become captains.
I'm an Indian. Buildings and installations covered under official secrets act have a clear sign that says "photography is prohibited and you can be charged under the act for violation".
So if they did photograph the air force base then they basically broke the law and have been charged. What's the problem?
Try taking photos of a secret Army, Air Force installation in US and see what happens ... guarantee the same result.
There is nothing to see here ... move on.
Governments have to understand cartography can no longer be restricted to military or other officials.
GPS, camera, satellites are ubiquitous, and we can see the result with things like Google Earth or wiki-like mapping. You can no longer make imprecise or secret maps. You can no longer forbid photos of any place you can see from a public location. You can no longer base your security on obscurity.
After all, the bad guys probably already have all this information. You have to assume they have it, or your doomed to failure. Just make officially all those things public, and find new ways to implement security for your important places, for people, for the country...
Of course, you can be detained for doing that in the US too. Not sure what exactly they charge you with.
Really? I wonder what happened to the Google employees who took these photos?
My blog
Actually I know of two things more dangerous:
1) A programmer with a screwdriver
2) A salesman with an install disc
So, in order to keep the air force base data out of the GPS system wouldn't they need to know where it was?
Under the influence of Post-Cyberpunk Gonzo Journalism
Why would cartographers be taking pictures of airforce bases, in addition to their more expected mapping out of GPS routes? Does sound just a tad suspicious. Can't blame India for wanting to ask them a few questions--the first question being "Are you a Pakistani spy or a terrorist?"
SJW: Someone who has run out of real oppression, and has to fake it.
This is India. They couldn't possibly arrest a flying holy cow.
I never spellcheck and I freely admit it. Save your karma for more worthwhile "lol erorrs" replies
Why is this article title red?
*Sigh* This question keeps getting asked, so I feel duty-bound to inform you of the true answer.
:)
It's a test of your sexuality; only people who enjoy performing sexual acts with four-legged mammals of various equine species see it as red- it looks green to the rest of us.
There- now I don't expect to see anyone asking that question again.
P.S. If there's anyone out there who sees it as purple with yellow stripes, please contact me *immediately*.
Actually, to stay out of trouble, they'd be safer knowing every location that it is NOT at, and extrapolating from there.
Tongue, cheek, and all that.
Right. No, your other right. No, the other other right.
Well isn't it obvious? He followed Google Map's road lay out and drove right into the fence.
So if they did photograph the air force base then they basically broke the law and have been charged. What's the problem?
The law does almost nothing to prevent terrorism while throwing innocent people in jail for doing things a free person would normally do.
That's the problem.
We could have a really safe society by placing everybody under house arrest, unless they were being transported by the government to their work centers. Official delivery people could provide rations and perhaps emergency services personnel could use the roads as well. Then we just arrest anybody else traveling illegally and execute them for attempted terrorism.
I'll take some risk with my freedom, thanks.
My God, it's Full of Source!
OUTSIDE_IP=$(dig +short my.ip @outsideip.net)
Standoff enters day 11,834. It's a powder-keg. For sure. They could totally nuke each other any second.
Now that I think about it, I'm pretty sure everything I just said is completely wrong.
For some reason this reminds me of telemarketers' Do Not Call list.
Or the "opt out" link on spam, whereby one can click to say, "Yes, I'm here and I read my spam, so please stop sending it."
As copyright owner of this comment, I authorize everyone to defeat any technological measure which limits access to it.
Old military lore.
Fresh officers (boots, butterbars, third-butter-cutter, all sorts of names for them) out of officer school are all hot to show their Stuff. Typically, within weeks of commissioning they were given a platoon of men to lead. As the head cheese, it is their responsibility to get the platoon where it needs to go.
These guys are around 22 years old. In this platoon, you are sure to have one old salt, and a couple on their way. The unwritten rule is to make sure the butterbar has adult supervision in the form of a senior non-com. This senior non-com goes out of his way _not_ to make decisions. So, you will hear plenty of stories about how a platoon gets hopelessly lost while the non-coms who could have 'prevented' the tragedy do nothing. The officers learn from their mistakes with the benefit of senior non-coms as training wheels.
In modern times, the officers go through some OJT as an exec. or something in addition to the more extensive field training currently in the system.
Photographing military installations is a crime in many countries, as is publishing maps of areas that include those installations.
Not to say that is right, but their employment by a GPS company was probably peripheral to the arrests.
-- Slashdot: When Public Access TV Says "No"
If you think 1923 is old, check out the complete IPL (Indian Penal Code - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Penal_Code). There are still many laws from 1860s.
Back on topic, as an Indian, I can tell you that it's nowhere clear what you can take pictures of and what you can not. In India, its very easy to break laws not knowing what is legal and what isn't, and you would not know until you are caught - either by a cheap street cop looking for some quick money or by completely incompetent higher ups who have no idea about technology or reality, or simply, common sense.
The Blue Force Tracker system is an OK navigation system. The daggers, military hand held GPS sytems, are total and complete shit. Your lucky if you can find your own ass with one of those things.
When I first got into Iraq, we where told we didn't need strip maps because our convoy commander had a GPS and and "had driven the route dozens of times." We took several wrong turns in Baghdad and were lost for over an hour. We ran into a EOD cordon around an IED, and they pointed us in the right direction. On the up side, we missed 2 IED's along our planned route.
For the record, hoods + shackles are a hell of a lot more preferable to tuberculosis, malnutrition, and unsafe water.
I would snap up a chance to do time at Gitmo vs. just about any jail/prison outside of the 1st world.
And I would snap up a chance to do time in any Western European prison instead of being tortured at Gitmo or anal raped in a mainland US prison. You guys aren't treating your prisoners right.