There's a lot about al-Qaeda's use of the internet in Imperial Hubris. An entire chapter and many other sections in the book. Both Scheuer and Richard Clarke, the Bush administration's former counter-terrorism coordinator (who also wrote a 'tell-all' book) clearly understood the key importance of the internet to facilitate Al-Qaeda's terror plans.
I disagree strongly with Scheuer's tactics. However, my opinion doesn't count and Scheuer was the head of the CIA's bin Laden unit.
I believe Al-Qaeda's cyber-security threat is vastly overrated as well as 'spy' uses such as steganography for covert communications. Terrorists want to be understood.
Terrorism is done out in the open. After the terrorist act occurs they usually claim credit over the net. A beheadding has very little impact unless it's broadcast to the world. People need to realize that Al-Qaeda uses the net for recruitment, propaganda, incitement, fundraising, extortion, intimidation, .... etc. right out in the open -- in plain English (or Arabic, French, Urdu, Malay...).
The sites are easily traced, the credit cards paying for the site are on file at the ISP as well as the IP address of the terrorists uploading content are in the server logs. So why keep the thousands of terror sites on line? If they're keeping the sites online so they can be 'monitored' -- then why doesn't the CIA monitor the sites? (Instead of writing 'tell-all' books) If some hypothetical Arabic translator in some cube in the bowels of Langley is actually translating the terrorist statements off those sites -- they why isn't it being published so the U.S. citizens paying for it can become aware of what's going on.
I doubt you've read the book, Galt - you strike me more as someone who relies upon the ignorance of others to BS your way through a thread.
Where at all does Scheuer talk about steganography?
He's discussing Al Qaeda's use of legitimate websites to advance it's vision, and the proliferation of non-Al Qaeda affiliated websites which are also profitting Al Qaeda by providing a pan-Islamic electronic village in which Al Qaeda's activities, aims, and methods can be discussed. Further, he points out that Al Qaeda's paradoxical embrace of modernity has done away with their need for bases or safe-havens: terrorism is now an at home project, from gathering information, to planning and training for attacks.
And what are you talking about? You're going to call for our censoring non-Al Qaeda affiliated foreign websites, thereby strengthening Al Qaeda's claim to American duplicity in regards to the Muslim world "One standard for Americans, another for Muslims", and for doing what exactly to sites like Al-Neda and Al-Ansar, which have been shut down, only to reappear elsewhere in various forms (even on hijacked State of Arkansas servers)? More of the same?
Thanks for the fresh new approach, John.
Why don't you read those pages you've scanned and OCR'd, m'kay? It would save me the trouble of paraphrasing passages from the book (p79-80).