Heroes or Nettlesome Hacks? (Internet "Vigilantes" Patrol the Web)

MSNBC/Newsweek ^ | July 13, 2005 | Brad Stone

[Airborne1986]

WEB EXCLUSIVE By Brad Stone Newsweek Updated: 9:51 a.m. ET July 13, 2005

Freelance counterterrorist Aaron Weisburd is not an employee of any of the three-letter federal agencies. He works alone in his attic in Carbondale, Ill., far from the hotbeds of terrorist activity. Yet for the last three years, the 41-year-old computer programmer has been obsessively monitoring dark corners of the Internet such as Qal3ah.org, the Web site where, last week, a group called the Secret Organization for Al Qaeda’s Jihad in Europe placed a dubious claim of responsibility for the London bombings that took at least 52 lives....

When terrorists emerge on the Web with beheading videos, propaganda or recruitment pitches, Weisburd--or any of his dozen, virtual colleagues around the country--move quickly to get them booted out of cyberspace. ...

Since he started his voluntary mission shortly after the September 11 attacks, Weisburd claims to have knocked 718 Islamic extremist sites off the Web.

[Airborne1986]

This article reminds me of the conventional wisdom mocking the bloggers that exposed the bogus Rather/Texas National Guard memos. I am not sure what, if anything these guys are accomplishing, but at least they are not sitting on their asses. I love the idea of some Islamofacist punk pulling out his hair as his anti-American web site crashes.

[Alexander Rubin]

I agree. This guy rocks, even if he is accomplishing nothiing. At least he's trying to do something.

[TBarnett34]

Gee, I wonder if we can guess Newsweak's stance on this!

[angkor]

This guy rocks, even if he is accomplishing nothiing.

He's accomplishing something. He's also a source. 'Nuff said.

[RedStateRocker]

I think it's better to track the designers of such sites and drag them off to a little vacation at Gitmo. As much as I generally approve of vigilantism he may be interfering with the serious work of finding the perps and making sure their last words are the names of their accomplices.

[TBarnett34]

Nah. If we send these morons to Gitmo, they'll get to dine on veal and rice pilaf while receiving back massages.

OTOH, with individuals constantly tracking and shutting down their operations outside of the scope of the US government, the 'Rats in Congress can't do anything about it to help their terrorist allies feel comfortable.

[Ultra Sonic 007]

ANYTHING that deals a blow against the enemy is something. Deriving them of their messenger (i.e: their websites) is exactly that.

[Fiddlstix]

This article reminds me of the conventional wisdom mocking the bloggers that exposed the bogus Rather/Texas National Guard memos. I am not sure what, if anything these guys are accomplishing, but at least they are not sitting on their asses. I love the idea of some Islamofacist punk pulling out his hair as his anti-American web site crashes.

Well Said!
Bears repeating
&
Ditto

[Airborne1986]

"ANYTHING that deals a blow against the enemy is something."

Your point is well-taken. Even if some of these anti-American sites are not being used to traffic terrorist messages, they are progoganda and recruiting organs and these cyber-patriots should be applauded for taking them down.

[ClaireSolt]

We are supposed to trust the government experts to take care of us, even when we see that they don't. Nice try.

[Fiddlstix]

We are supposed to trust the government experts to take care of us,.........

There, there now.......
Take your meds and try to get some rest.......
We'll talk later when you are feeling better.....
J

</ROTFLMAO>