PGP author under fire for terrorist use of crypto

[Karsten M. Self]

on Fri, Sep 21, 2001 at 01:12:27PM -0400, Matthew Gaylor (freematt at coil.com)
wrote:
> Date: Fri, 21 Sep 2001 12:57:18 -0400 (EDT)
> From: Craig Phillips <craig at benden.net>
> To: Matthew Gaylor <freematt at coil.com>
> Subject: PGP author under fire for terrorist use of crypto
>
> Matt:
>
> Don't know if this is of interest or not.  It appears that Phil Zimmermann
> is taking heat directly over the whole crypto - terrorist thing.
>
> Details at:
>
> <http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A1234-2001Sep20.html>

Terrorism is the art of what's now known as "asymmetric warfare".  It
uses the enemy's own strengths against itself.  With the very barest of
resources:  a few score operatives, basic training, minimal
communications.  It can achieve impressive amounts of damage,
particularly against soft targets, taken unawares.

My own assessment of 9/11 is that the attacks were likely only 1/3 to
1/4 effective.  Three of four known aircraft reached their targets.  A
fourth was disabled by an unarmed, unprepared, civilian force.
Appearances are that another two to four aircraft were originally
planned to be involveed in the attacks, as well as other possible
incidents based on other modalities.

The truth is that within an hour of the initial incidents, the country
was on a war footing.  Stories now indicate that Air Force fighter
intercepts were scrambled against the two planes targeted for the WTC
and were 12 minutes from intercept at the time of the attacks.
Shoot-to-kill appears to have been ordered against Flight 93.  Warnings
are now circulating for possible incidents on Saturday.

Our resources were used against us:  aircraft, freedoms, communications
networks, cars, highways.  Crypto is yet another tool.  It may be used
for good or evil, and in balance I suspect it does far more good than
otherwise.

Phil has no more cause than any of the rest of us to feel regret.

Peace.

--
Karsten M. Self <kmself at ix.netcom.com>        http://kmself.home.netcom.com/
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