Wiretaps fail to make dent in terror war; al Qaeda used messengers

Insight on the News ^ | December 27, 2005

[Wasanother]

If these "law enforcement sources" have classified information and are discussing it with anyone then they too should be hung for treason regardless how effective they think the program is. I've contacted the AG's office and has requested these leaker's be found and prosecuted.

[manwiththehands]

... a law enforcement source said ...

Yea. Right. I believe it. Is this the NYSlimes?

[ThanhPhero]

The title contradicts istelf. Messengers are a lot slower han cell phones.

[Publius6961]

The Bush administration's surveillance policy has failed to make a dent in the war against al Qaeda.

What is this from? The Idiot News Service?

Let's start with the obvious: There has been no major terrorist act since 911. I would call that way beyond a dent.

Now let's look at the less obvious; this requires a tiny bit of brainpower: If you prevent something from happening, how do you "prove" that it is a result of your preventive measures?

One needs to be certifiable nuts to argue that since the terrorists "tell" us that they are using couriers, that phone surveillance is no longer necessary.
I don't care what anyone tells me, the main means of communicating worldwide today is telephone, cell phone and internet. Period.

[oldbrowser]

"They have been way ahead of us in communications security," a law enforcement source said. "At most, we have caught some riff-raff. But the heavies remain free and we believe some of them are in the United States."

Maybe we have caught some heavies but we have not told certain people. Notice that there have not been any incidents within the U.S. recently ?

Just because it has not been leaked to the press does not mean it didn't happen.

[demkicker]

This may be one of the dumbest articles I've ever read. No sources named and the same-o bunch of liberal hoo-ha. No wonder the author didn't sign his name.

[Jigsaw John]

Messengers can be followed and captured.

As can electronically transmitted messages. Extracting info and tracking it's source from an electronic message is sometimes easier than extracting info from a messenger, or locating the message source.

[Dolphy]

Since when do high level Al Qaida guys move to the country they're going to attack? For that matter, since when do they take part in attacks? It's the mid to low level guys we're after, because they're the ones that actually engage in terrorist acts. The high level guys are hiding out in caves, not in Brooklyn.

Wasn't it bin Laden himself who bragged that most of the September 11 hijackers didn't even know their mission? They were simply told to report. Besides, taking away any aspect of their communications is a victory and nobody in their right mind would advocate giving them back that "territory."

[dead]

a law enforcement source said

This article reads like a parody of today's insipid, fact-free, agenda-driven excuse for journalism.

Maybe the author's a subtle comedic genius.

[jos65]

Talk about riff-raff.

[Natural Law]

Wire taps have forced al Qaeda to use messengers and as a result has dramatically reduced their operational efficiency.

[mware]

If I am not mistaken the git who plead guilty to planning to bomb the Brooklyn Bridge is claiming he was caught due to the wiretaps.

[jw777]

The levees in N.O. failed to keep the waters from flooding the city. Therefore, we don't need the levees. Great thinking Dems

[Mr_Moonlight]

Moonie mouthpiece ??

... I can't tell you that ... you couldn't afford me! .....

[norwaypinesavage]

"The Bush administration's surveillance policy has failed to make a dent in the war against al Qaeda....Instead, they employ couriers."

I will opine that a policy that forces the terrorists to use couriers to communicate has made quite a dent. It's hard to attack simultaneous targets, as al Qaeda is wont to do, using courier based timing.

[facedown]

U.S. law enforcement sources...

The usual suspects.

[Texas Eagle]

The Bush administration's surveillance policy has failed to make a dent in the war against al Qaeda. ... al Qaeda insurgents have long stopped using the phones and even computers to relay messages. Instead, they employ couriers.

Ah, yes. I'm sure it's just as convenient to organize a sophisticated attack by way of carrier pigeon as it is by satellite phones.

[Texas Eagle]

You know what. I THOUGHT I noticed an increase in smoke signals lately.

[ricks_place]

The Bush administration's surveillance policy has failed to make a dent in the war against al Qaeda.

Terrorist are forced to use slower, delayed, and less reliable communications means. Surprisingly, Insight could not see that dent.