MMORPG and Terrorism

[Alram]

On my way home from work today I was listening to Fresh Air on NPR. A NY Times reporter named Eric Schmitt, coauthor of the book COUNTERSTRIKE The Untold Story of America's Secret Campaign Against al Qaeda, was being interviewed. He said that some terrorists are now using chat in MMORPG to communicate. It is hard for intelligence services to monitor; gamers are always talking about planning attacks and blowing stuff up.

[DeeBye]

Clearly the solution is to shut down the internet.

[kandrathe]

Clearly the solution is to shut down the internet.

Not out of the realm of possibility.

[Lissa]

On my way home from work today I was listening to Fresh Air on NPR. A NY Times reporter named Eric Schmitt, coauthor of the book COUNTERSTRIKE The Untold Story of America's Secret Campaign Against al Qaeda, was being interviewed. He said that some terrorists are now using chat in MMORPG to communicate. It is hard for intelligence services to monitor; gamers are always talking about planning attacks and blowing stuff up.

Except all MMORPGs monitor all chat logs. Blizzard has been doing so for several years now. So while possible, if all MMORPGs are monitoring and saving chat information, it won't take long to get the information from the various MMORPG makers and find the people involved.

[kandrathe]

Except all MMORPGs monitor all chat logs. Blizzard has been doing so for several years now. So while possible, if all MMORPGs are monitoring and saving chat information, it won't take long to get the information from the various MMORPG makers and find the people involved.

Yeah, it sounded sensationalistic to me. Either that, or Big Brother needs to crack down on network gaming so they march out the big fear.

Contrary to popular misconception... many people understand Arabic enough to thwart that kind of amateurish plot.

OBL relied on only trusted couriers, because he knew that all networked traffic could be, and would be traced back to him. So, they pretty much know that the only way to stay hidden is to recruit unblemished newbs to execute the missions, to be patient and to stay off the grid.

[Jester]

So, they pretty much know that the only way to stay hidden is to recruit unblemished newbs to execute the missions, to be patient and to stay off the grid.

Then the free world is safe, so long as Al Qaeda doesn't find an unlimited source of newbs...

Oh, god, they found WoW, we're all going to die!

-Jester

[kandrathe]

Then the free world is safe, so long as Al Qaeda doesn't find an unlimited source of newbs...

Oh, god, they found WoW, we're all going to die!

-Jester

"It's a super secret cow mission... Take this fertilizer... "

[Rhydderch Hael]

And what happens when Leeroy Jenkins shows up to one of these meetings?

[Ruvanal]

And what happens when Leeroy Jenkins shows up to one of these meetings?

Shhhh.... You do not want to break Leeroy's deep undercover mission. Its bad enough that one of his training missions was leaked on the internet.

[Taem]

This is interesting because way, way back when I first tried Everquest, around it's 4th or 5th expansion, these guys were talking outloud in the game and it looked mostly like gibberish to me, but I vaguely remember asking someone in the game what they were talking about and he said they were discussing bad things, but did not elaborate. Obviously, this could be nothing, but I find it interesting in regards to this story. Could such operatives have been using MMORPG's to communicate 10-15 years ago, but just barely caught on recently? Food for thought for sure.

[kandrathe]

This is interesting because way, way back when I first tried Everquest, around it's 4th or 5th expansion, these guys were talking outloud in the game and it looked mostly like gibberish to me, but I vaguely remember asking someone in the game what they were talking about and he said they were discussing bad things, but did not elaborate. Obviously, this could be nothing, but I find it interesting in regards to this story. Could such operatives have been using MMORPG's to communicate 10-15 years ago, but just barely caught on recently? Food for thought for sure.

Or, just early sexting.

[Wiccan]

Then the free world is safe, so long as Al Qaeda doesn't find an unlimited source of newbs...

Oh, god, they found WoW, we're all going to die!

-Jester

"It's a super secret cow mission... Take this fertilizer... "

but where do i use it and do i have to mix with my hands...!

[Ashock]

Clearly the solution is to shut down the internet.

Can't shut down one of the two huge Al Gore inventions.

[LavCat]

Clearly the solution is to shut down the internet.

Can't shut down one of the two huge Al Gore inventions.

You mean Gore invented WoW as well?

[kandrathe]

You mean Gore invented WoW as well?

Maybe he invented WOW, but it was wankcraft, not warcraft.

[Ashock]

You mean Gore invented WoW as well?

Yes, WoW. World of Warming.