Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with Terrorism

Virtual Afghanistan?

defenestration — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 13:55:37 -0800

In Thomas Friedman's weak OP-ED entitled www.jihad.com, he writes: “Let’s not fool ourselves. Whatever threat the real Afghanistan poses to U.S. national security, the “Virtual Afghanistan” now poses just as big a threat. The Virtual Afghanistan is the network of hundreds of jihadist Web sites that inspire, train, educate and recruit young Muslims to engage in jihad against America and the West.” If this is true, could someone provide examples? I mean, I'm sure they're using the internet to recruit people, but this makes it sound far more sophisticated than I would have assumed.

A processor that's faster than a speeding bullet, and more deadly!!

np312 — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 18:25:32 -0800

Let's say you had the fastest super-computer the world has ever seen, and you were a villain who wanted to take over the World with it. How might your super-computer make that happen for you? (For a story I'm writing.)

Please note: it could be either a super-computer, or a very powerful fleet of spy satellites. The important thing is, this tool can process information a thousand times faster than the best tech any other country has. That's gotta count for something in the evil genius community, right??

Given this technological advantage, please help me brainstorm ways in which a very bad dude could destabilize the West, or control the world enough to basically become a super power, because of this technology.

How might this computer (or satellite fleet ) in a short amount of time infiltrate and control:
--the stock market
--the defense system
--world trade
--whatever else you can think of.

I'm looking for something a little more sophisticated than the diamond-coated satellites of "Diamonds Are Forever" that direct giant laser beams, but more exciting than "create lines of code that would shut down the internet."

Thanks in advance!

What was said in 2006 Bombing Trial ?

southof40 — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 19:22:28 -0800

What was said in trials of '2006 transatlantic aircraft plot' to overcome objections to how practical manufacturing explosives in flight is ? I'm having trouble finding this information from the recent news reports which (perhaps understandably) don't get into great detail over what was said in the case.

When a number of people were arrested (in the UK) in association with '2006 transatlantic aircraft plot' a number of 'experts' / commentators (here and here) were quoted as saying that whilst it was physically possible to create the explosives in-flight the amount of time that it would take and the amount of fumes and heat associated with the process made it an impractical proposition.

During the recently finished re-trial and the original trial of 2008 did the defence attempt to question whether or not it was reasonable to suggest that explosives might have been manufactured inflight ? If they didn't is this because the 'experts' / commentators were ill informed ?

Escaped from Greenock Prison

cameronfromedinburgh — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 11:13:33 -0800

Browsing today's newspapers here in Scotland it would seem that there is an anti-Scottish feeling pervading the whole of the USA after the compassionate release of the Pan-Am bomber last week. Question1: Am I right in thinking that this is the case, or is it just right wing neo-con nonsense eminating from the Fox News stable? Question2: If this anti-Scottish feeling does exist, how best can I explain that we the UK/US public have been sold a lie by our Governments and that this guy was merely a patsy? The usually sound Scots legal system was a victim here and was used and abused by the use of Public Interest Immunity Certificates and dodgy state sponsored witnesses. This system needs rectified, what is the best forum to speak out on?

Why Did the Libyans Welcome the Lockerbie Guy as a Hero?

jimmyjimjim — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 07:43:05 -0800

Regarding the Lockerbie bomber, recently released and returned to Libya, where he was given a heroes welcome (in defiance of Obama's warning that such a homecoming would affect American/Libyan relations)....has anyone read an article, perhaps in the foreign press, explaining the feelings Libyans (the people, not the whacky regime) have for this guy?

Where are the ticking time bombs?

Mngo — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 19:43:28 -0800

I am collecting examples of the “Ticking Time Bomb Scenario” in fiction, film/tv, and journalism. The TTB scenario is the fantasy of a single “pure” act of torture that averts an imminent terrorist attack. It first appears, according to authorities such as Darius Rejali and Jane Mayer, in Jean Lartéguy’s 1960 novel “Les Centurions,” set during the Algerian civil war, and has been a staple tactic of torture apologists during the US “War on Terror,” offered perhaps most controversially by Alan Dershowitz in his argument in favor of torture warrants. It is also a routine plot device in the Fox series 24. According to the document “Defusing the Ticking Time Bomb Scenario” by the Association for the Prevention of Torture, “It is worth distinguishing the question of what moral response society should take in anticipation of a realistic ticking bomb scenario, from the question of what any individual person would or would not in fact do were they to find themselves in such circumstances. The way in which the ticking bomb scenario is most often posed is designed to blur these lines, and this is one of its most dangerous and insidious effects.” [19]

I want to collect as many of these scenarios as possible. I'm especially interested in descriptions of TTB situations that actually imagine specific details of the impending catastrophe and the torture used to avert it. (This was almost my first FPP, and it is probably destined to show up on Projects, but for now, I really need help in compiling examples that aren't mentioned above).

Why are the Taliban not a terrorist group?

YouRebelScum — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 02:26:09 -0800

Why is the Taliban not on the US or UK proscribed lists of terrorist organisations? I checked out the lists referred to here and here. There are other organisations who have similar stated aims to the Taliban - Hizb-i Islami Gulbuddin, for example, who were put on the Canadian and British lists (but still, bizarrely, not on the US list) - but nothing on the Taliban. Can anyone tell me why? Is it the definition of "terrorist group"?

How vulnerable is the Internet to a cyber attack?

bystander — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 02:28:10 -0800

So how vulnerable is the Internet to some sneaky worm attack that targets Windows? It looks like organised crime is running increasingly sophisticated malware attacks to control large numbers of clients, if I were a bad person I could imagine a smart, quiet rootkit or similar that infected many, many machines then went live and could be very disruptive. Is it a reasonable worry, and how much trouble could it cause? I figure there would be Mac and Linux users still working, and many servers would be unaffected, but could such a nasty 'break' the Internet?
And figuring that the smart guys are probably already worrying about it, what are they doing to minimise the risk?

Help me better understand the Taliban, etc.

Camofrog — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 10:55:58 -0800

What are good (non-Alex Jonesy, please) documentaries, websites, and other resources that explore and explain al Qaeda, the Taliban, and all related matters? Before I get flagged as a terrorist wannabe, let me assure you that I despise the Taliban to my very core. (I also hate that I even feel like I have to say that.) I just want to understand better what drives these movements and how they operate. I've watched PBS's Frontline episodes on the subject, and they are great, but I'm looking for more.

How can I convince my friend's dad she'll be safe to visit me in Israel?

howgenerica — Sat, 24 May 2008 08:39:51 -0800

I'm going to be studying in Jerusalem next year, and I'd really like it if one of my friends could come and visit me. The only problem is her father - he is very resistant to the idea, and undoubtedly gets his concerns from the news - which we know has an awful tendency of sensationalizing things beyond recognition. I was hoping you guys could help me put something together that she could show her father, to hopefully help assuage some of his fears. I mean, we're not planning on road-tripping down to Gaza or anything! I don't know if you need more information, but here goes: I'll be staying at the dorms of Hebrew University in Jerusalem's Mt. Scopus campus.

And I know specifically his concerns are about travel into Israel, and then safety within the country.

I'd really appreciate any help - my friend and I have been planning her trip for a while, and it would be really terrible if it were destroyed by something as small as this misunderstanding! I realize there are some risks, but I'd at least like to be able to provide some perspective.

Thank you!

Theories of literary terrorism?

limon — Fri, 23 Nov 2007 11:40:12 -0800

Have any literary theorists or critics, or professors of literature, written about literary terrorism? By literary terrorism, I mean the use of flash violence to shock subvert political or cultural structures. I will especially appreciate studies that explicitly analyze these techniques in comparison with concrete terroristic acts.

Publicly available databases involving terrorism and war

proj — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 08:49:28 -0800

After hearing this story on NPR this morning about the Harmony Database of al Qaeda correspondence, I began wondering what other public databases like this exist out there that are ripe for analysis and picking apart. I'm looking specifically for things like this related to the "War on Terrorism" and the Iraq War, but older stuff would be good too.

What would happen to the financial markets if they were attacked by terrorists?

covert7 — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 12:26:40 -0800

What would happen to the financial markets if they were attacked by terrorists? I read today about the group sentenced in Britain for planning to blow up the NYSE and some other big financial places.
http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSL1576788720070615?feedType=RSS

What would be the impact on things if that really did happen? I'm sure there would be short term losses due to panicking, but would it result in anything catastrophic to the financial markets? Could you possible lose all your investments or would it not be quite that severe?

What was the US up to in Central and South America?

chunking express — Wed, 16 May 2007 06:33:35 -0800

I am looking for the definitive book on the United States involvement in Central and South America. Can anyone recommend one -- or several, I suppose? It seems like the US has fucked with every single country in Central and South America, which seems like quite the accomplishment. Are there any good books that cover what the US got up to down there?

Article link about Israeli terrorism against US.

BrotherCaine — Sat, 27 Jan 2007 19:41:57 -0800

A year or two ago there was a news story about Israel awarding medals to several agents of their government for acts of terrorism against Egypt and the United States (in the 70s I think). Formerly they had been denounced by the Israelis as "rogue" agents or some such. Anyone have a link to the story?

How do I avoid buying stocks in companies that fund terrorism?

spiderskull — Wed, 27 Dec 2006 15:26:16 -0800

How do I know if a company I want to buy stocks in funds terrorist groups? It's a construction company operating out of the United Emirates, and I realize there are many businesses that do not in anyway fund terrorist activities -- but, many of them do. Considering how many of the terror benefactor businesses happen to be construction companies, I'm a bit paranoid.

I realize this will make a trivial, if any, financial impact, but it's for the sake of my conscience.

Flying with Meaningful Water

kingfisher, his musclebound cat — Wed, 06 Sep 2006 05:37:27 -0800

I am flying soon. I would like to bring a bottle of water to security, a nice plain Muji style bottle, with a custom label on it. What should be pasted on it for this lame, meaningless, nearly silent protest? What will not get me violated or detained, but will clearly state the idiocies of fear we are now enduring? Or is this horrible, this idea?

Fear of flying

Hands of Manos — Tue, 05 Sep 2006 21:32:23 -0800

Comfort my wife's fears. She has recently developed a phobia of flying and we are leaving on a flight on thursday. My wife has been all over the world and has never been afraid to fly however after all the post 911 terrorism stuff, she's paralyzed to fly.

Can anyone give her any words of wisdoms, statistics, comfort in flying (especially since it's only a four flight)

"I spy, with my little eye, something beginning with 'p' ..."

essexjan — Fri, 11 Aug 2006 03:33:56 -0800

Why can't I take a book on a plane? The travel restrictions imposed by the Department of Transport yesterday prohibit passengers flying out of the UK from taking a book or a magazine onto the plane.

What reason could there be for this? Presumably it would take security personnel seconds to flick through a paperback or shake a magazine to ensure nothing is being concealed in it.

What am I missing here?

Travel Terror Gauge!

thinkpiece — Thu, 10 Aug 2006 03:51:13 -0800

I have a 16 year old daughter traveling from Newark Airport to London Gatwick on Sunday ... -- her first trip alone -- to stay with family friends in Brighton for two weeks. Given this morning's news, should I let her go? How freaked out am I?

Can someone really be that ignorant?

blim8183 — Mon, 10 Jul 2006 12:29:33 -0800

"It is absolutely not true, I did not call him a terrorist. I'm ignorant. I don't even know what the word means." Background info: That quote is from Marco Materazzi, the Italian player who was headbutted by Zinedine Zidane in the final match of the World Cup. He's accused of called Zidane a "dirty terrorist."

This question is half sarcastic but also slightly serious.

Is this even possible? Assuming they're not mentally disabled in any way, can someone really be that ignorant? Or is this just an example of "playing stupid" taken to the extreme? I only ask this question because I wonder if my hyperawareness of the term "terrorist" is just a result of my living in the United States. As an Italian is it possible to be that unaware of what's going on in the world?

Why aren't people who bomb or plan to bomb abortion clinics considered terrorists?

onepapertiger — Wed, 14 Jun 2006 06:42:35 -0800

Why aren't people who bomb or plan to bomb abortion clinics considered terrorists? I don't understand. It seems to have all the makings of terrorism. Shouldn't they be considered terrorists?

Robot Planes!!!

tweak — Wed, 10 May 2006 03:28:04 -0800

Flying Robot Planes? The analysts seem to think there is no good way to stop these things. Why isn't the government interested in using the wisdom of crowds to prevent terrorist attacks? I know about the futures market being used to predict terrorist attacks.... but what about the wisdom of crowds to come up with technology and creative solutions to these problems? Why don't we have a huge suggestion box for the public to throw ideas at the wall and see if any stick? It seems like the only things military and political leaders are interested in is expensive laser-based technology or flashy gadgets that cost millions or billions and years in R&D. Ironically, there are clear low-tech threats that seem effective, and the bureaucratic monoculture doesn't seem interested in unsexy solutions that don't help out their friends the contractors (who are often just retired civil servants).

AskMetaFilter is, after all, the concept of the wisdom of crowds applied in a practical and often very successful manner. So aside from my question about military stupidity and corporate culture, please consider the following: How would you prevent pre-programmed UAV attacks? The first thing I thought of was to hire illegal immigrants to literally watch the skies (and let them earn their citizenship for six months of part-time service). It would certainly be cheaper than paying billions for tech that can knock out a cruise missile but can't hit a UAV simply because it doesn't fucking show up on radar. This vexes me. What would you do?

Was what we were told about Flight 93 a myth?

brokekid — Thu, 02 Feb 2006 09:17:53 -0800

Was what we were told about Flight 93 a myth? I thought I had read somewhere that what we were told about the passengers of Flight 93, Todd Beamer, Jeremy Glick and dozens of others bringing the flight to the ground was in fact false.

Is anyone aware of this? Or am I mistaken?

Hotel Rwanda and other movies

gentle — Tue, 15 Nov 2005 11:37:35 -0800

I loved Hotel Rwanda. What particularly hooked me was the film's unflinching realism in showing civilization as it is slowly being encroached and oppressed by large-scale terrorism which casts a shadow of uncertainty and danger on even the most mundane routines of daily life -- a sort of real-life Night of the Living Dead. Other similar films are Salvador, Missing and The Killing Fields. I also enjoyed the recent The Constant Gardener. What else will I like? Bonus question: A few years ago I saw a film, which could have been from the 70s or 80s (not earlier, but possibly 90s) about a French clerk who during the Reign of Terror managed to save thousands of people from the guillotine by falsifying court papers. IMDb's keyword search is not being helpful. Anyone?