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Windows Into Al Qaeda Online Still Open, Say Experts
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ShareOctober 09, 2007 2:48 PM
Private contractors working with the U.S. government to monitor and track al Qaeda Internet communications say their windows into the various operations are not closed, despite two published media reports to the contrary.
"The sources, methods and techniques utilized by IntelCenter to collect terrorist video material remain intact," said Ben Venzke, the CEO of IntelCenter, a private contractor providing counterterrorism support work to the intelligence community.
A front-page article in today's Washington Post featured an interview with Rita Katz, the founder of the SITE Intelligence Group, a small firm that monitors terrorist Web sites and propaganda video releases.
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Katz told the Post she had obtained an early copy of the latest Osama bin Laden video last month, the first to be released in three years. Katz says she sent the link to the video to the White House under the condition that they not release it until al Qaeda's media wing officially released the video, but that insiders leaked the transcript and video to various media outlets. Katz claims this leak revealed to al Qaeda how Katz was able to obtain an early copy.
"Techniques that took years to develop are now ineffective and worthless," Katz told the Post.
Others, however, say that in order to monitor these communication networks effectively, they are constantly adapting and modifying their techniques.
Like Katz, Laura Mansfield, a pseudonym she uses for security reasons, also monitors extreme Islamist forums and Internet traffic looking for propaganda videos that are often released by al Qaeda's media wing, As Sahab and others. Mansfield says that despite the recent video leak, she still has access to the material.
"It's a cat-and-mouse game," said Mansfield. "They know we're watching them so they move around. I'm reprogramming my search tools at least once a week."
Rita Katz declined to comment to ABCNews.com.
Do you have a tip for Brian Ross and the Investigative Team?
October 9, 2007 | Permalink | User Comments (23)
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Often time people live their whole lives inside cyber space and lose touch with reality. Sites like this are like bait to people who, in cyber world, can say ridiculous things, have ridiculous personas and they never have to see anyone. Many posters are just crazy and thats a shame but if you hope to learn anything online you really have to sort things carefully. I am hoping to have a Dem President this time but I can see that the radical left will drive millions toward a moderate Republican again and I think really that is their point.
Posted by: Tom | Oct 10, 2007 11:28:48 AM
SITE did NOT leak the video, nor did anyone remotely related to the White House or the government for that matter. Ironically enough, one of the people they got to make a quote for this very article is however the leaker
Thanks so much Laura Mansfield and I mean that in the most tactful, diplomatic, yet sarcastic ways possible. All of us who do this for the greater good, don't sell the intel, stay behind the scenes, and aren't interested in the spotlight do not appreciate your efforts to sabotage it for the rest of us so you can enjoy your 15 minutes of fame.
We're all sure AQ and the rest of the jihadists are singing your praises however now that thanks to you they got wind we (the good guys/gals) were on to one of their various cyber methods of spreading and promoting their terrorist propoganda!
For those who say well it was to be released on 9/11 anyway, yes that is true, but it would have been released on the date the terrorists had it planned so again they'd have had no clue the good guys had zoned in on one of their methods or web locations where they house the videos until they choose to release them.
So, YES it did make a difference that Laura Mansfield released it to the press as she fully admitted to doing in her various interviews. It also makes a difference because it was done for selfish reasons and personal gain as opposed to doing the right thing by turning it over to authorities and controlling herself from posting it on her website and sending it to her paid email subscription list in an effort to personally profit from it before it was FORMALLY released.
Posted by: BlueCollarBlonde | Oct 10, 2007 7:45:27 PM
Why on earth are people blocking Al-Qaeda from having an online pressence. Allowing them to keep and run known websites and known forums would give a great tool for identifying and locating some of them. If they want to broadcast their pressence, let them. Better a visible enemy than an invisible one and when it comes to technology, we have the upper edge, by far.
Posted by: John | May 21, 2008 1:35:37 AM
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