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Pentagon Workers Tied To Child Porn
finalcutmonstar tips a Boston Globe report on details released today of Operation Flicker (PDF), an investigation of subscribers to child porn websites, which seems to have implicated a number of government employees in sensitive positions. Quoting:
"Federal investigators have identified several dozen Pentagon officials and contractors with high-level security clearances who allegedly purchased and downloaded child pornography, including an undisclosed number who used their government computers to obtain the illegal material, according to investigative reports. The investigations have included employees of the National Security Agency, the National Reconnaissance Office, and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency — which deal with some of the most sensitive work in intelligence and defense — among other organizations within the Defense Department. The number of offenders is a small percentage of the thousands of people working for sensitive Pentagon-related agencies. But the fact that offenders include people with access to government secrets puts national security agencies 'at risk of blackmail, bribery, and threats, especially since these individuals typically have access to military installations,' according to one report by the Defense Criminal Investigative Service from late 2009."
an investigation of (1)subscribers to child porn websites [...] officials and (2) contractors with high-level security clearances who (3) allegedly purchased and downloaded child pornography, including an undisclosed number who used (4) their government computers to obtain the illegal material
Emphasis and selective cutting my own - but I don't think I really took anything too out of context.
1) So they were silly enough to subscribe to child porn website - create a paper trail for something they know is illegal. Instead of persuing attempts to acquire it without purchasing it - which would be a lot easier to deny. If you're credit card is on a statement, that'd difficult to deny. So already, I think these people are idiots.
2) The next thing - is Contractors with high level security. I know they meant officials included in that, but why on Earth would you give a Contractor high level security clearance? I wouldn't trust them further than broom closet.
3) Couldn't help but notice the word Allegedly. Just pointing it out, make of that what you will.
4) Seriously? On your work or government supplied computer you would partake in those activities?
Seriously the lack of common sense either completely astounds me - or smells fishy. I haven't yet decided if I want to put on my tin foil hat. (Never attribute to malice blah blah blah)