Slashdot Mirror
WoW Gamer Earns Federal Investigation Achievement
barnyjr writes "A teenager could face federal charges after investigators say he made online threats to kill Americans on a plane from Indianapolis to Chicago. According to investigators, a monitor of the online interactive game World of Warcraft saw the alleged threats in an on-line chat and called Johnson County authorities. She told investigators the chatter didn't seem like a game."
I'm not sure who's crazier, this guy or the guy who just became the first World of Warcraft player to rack up 10,000 achievement points.
I know in your world they should've probably taken him from his home, maybe tortured him with some waterboarding a bit, coerced a confession and then sent him to Guantanamo.
But in the civilised world that's not how things are done, at best the security services should've sent someone to observe him. If he really and truly was a threat they'd have wanted to catch him with equipment that can make a bomb, or worst case on the way to the airport with a bomb or whatever so that they could secure a conviction without trouble.
Instead they've wasted more resources and time going after the kid, who made some throw away comments, they're going to go through legal process anyway because they have to now or risk being sued for harassment, they now have to pretend they had good reason to investigate, but will eventually have to drop the investigation.
The issues here are:
- Even if he was a terrorist, the response was an idiotic one
- The fact he isn't a terrorist could've been confirmed in a much more tactful manner
- More tax payers cash was wasted than need be
- Further respect was lost for US security services, it's a boy who cried wolf scenario that they keep repeating. When they really need help and really need to be listened to no one will care.
He's not old enough to drink alcool yet. Also eighTEEN means he's a teenager, not an adult.
"Not to mention all the idiots who use words like boxen."
Anonymous Coward on Monday August 04, @06:49PM
Damn straight!!!! Mod parent up +10.
Hope is the currency of fools
Fine, I won't tell you about the right to privacy.
But don't you tell me about your right to Do-Over.
For Christ Sake, its a firkkin game! Who do you call for do-over when you accidentally drop your wallet on the way to work?
Oh, wait, you don't work do you... You play a game in your parents basement.
Sig Battery depleted. Reverting to safe mode.