I am asking for some verification that you (cypherpunks) have something to do with this before I forward it anywhere. I looked at the vertexgroup and so-oregon webpages, and there is no investigative journalism there that I was able to find. Please get back to me soon. Thanks, sharma sharma@aa.net
X-URL: <URL:http://www.vertexgroup.com> X-URL: <URL:http://www.program.com> X-URL: <URL:http://www.so-oregon.com>
Date: Sun, 21 Jul 1996 20:51:23 -0600 To: cypherpunks@toad.com From: nobody@zifi.genetics.utah.edu (Anonymous)
We have received information that VTW is run and supported by the FBI, which we have suspected for reasons listed here.
I) They appear to have no financial support or funding source. They do not accept donations. They have no corporate funds. And yet they appear to be a thriving business.
II) They are secretive about their location, and do not seem to have a headquarters. The address listed in the NIC is a vacant lot in of all places Brooklyn, NY. They do not have a listed telephone.
III) On a tip from a "friend" we learned that the power leader behind VTW is a cleancut man with the unusual name "Shabbir M. Safdar." Not exactly a common name. Several people say they've met him. Our "friend" says that Mr. Safdar is in reality an agent of the FBI.
IIII) We didn't believe this without external verification. So we called the Brooklyn office of the FBI and asked for Agent Safdar. No such person. I called the Washington office. No such person. Checked if there is any agent named Safdar. They don't give out this info. Then we tried to find ANY public records on a Safdar, with no luck. No driver's license in NY, DC, NJ, etc. No phone, etc. Odd that such a person does not exist and yet runs a "human rights" organization? Then Alice called the NY FBI office. Asked for Agent Safdar. Guess what? "He's not in. Can I take a message". No message, thanks. He'll get the message all right.
Now the big question: What is the FBI trying to do getting all these names? What else has "VTW" been doing? And what other organizations like them are there? Who else is in on it? What does this say about EPIC, CDT, EFF? Are Blaze and Schneier dupes, or willing participants? What about their ISP? I think we are all owed an explanation. This is serious. Maybe FOIA or a lawsuit before they burn the files.
What do you want to bet "VTW" quietly fades away after a few prefunctory denials, and gets replaced by another organization in due course?
Faithfully,
Net reporter team Alice and Bob