PDA

View Full Version : Ops Sec and Al-Qaida online!!


saudipc-9
10th Mar 2008, 16:11
Received this from our security folks. Just for those serving and in jobs where this can be an issue.

Moderators perhaps we could have a written warning of some sort put somewhere as this is a public forum where this can be an issue.

Thoughts?


AL-QAIDA has EYES on Facebook, MySpace, and Friends Reunited

By Gordon Thomas

London-In an unprecedented New Year’s “high priority” warning, MI5-Britain’s Security Service, has asked British troops to remove all personal details they posted over the Christmas period on the social networking websites Facebook, MySpace, and Friends Reunited. MI5 Internet analysts discovered AL-QAIDA operatives had been monitoring the sites to gather details that could be used to launch terror attacks. Under the heading “Personal Security”, the two-page document, signed by MI5 Chief Jonathan Evans was circulated on New Year’s Day to all British Commanders in Britain, Afghanistan, and Iraq stating; “You are requested to ensure service connections on chatroom and dating sites do not appear. Be especially careful if you use Facebook, MySpace, or Friends Reunited.” The MI5 analysts have seen that many thousands of service members had posted personal details on those websites and included news of their careers, pictures of themselves in uniforms and details of past postings. ‘Those details in the hands of AL-QAIDA operatives offer invaluable information, Evans warns. Access to Facebook is restricted to members, but all that is required to register is an e-mail address.

One MI5 analyst uncovered the names of 954 servicemen on the Royal Marines network on Facebook and another analyst found on MySpace no fewer than 127 names of Royal Anglican Regiment soldiers. “Many of the soldiers gave their full names, dates of birth, home towns, names of family members, girlfriends or wives, the locations of where they had served, photos posing with colleagues and weapons. “That kind of detail”, warned MI5 analyst “is pure GOLD to terrorists. It can enable them to plot an attack as never before. Not only on targets in the field; but against the families of those Soldiers.”

The truth is that in 2008 AL-QAIDA will continue to recruit extremists to conduct suicide attacks, both in Britain and abroad, as well as recruiting sympathizers prepared to assist by providing accommodation, transportation, and funding, concluded the warning from Jonathan Evans.

Note: Please, ensure the widest dissemination to the 420 Air Base Group.

V/R
420 SFS/S-2

Chugalug2
10th Mar 2008, 20:20
Royal Anglican Regiment soldiers
I'd heard of the 'Church Militant' but hadn't realised that the Church of England had raised a regiment! Awesome!

2Planks
10th Mar 2008, 21:05
Never mind A-Q - with all those details ont' tinterweb I'm surprised they have anything left in their bank accounts!

Utrinque Apparatus
10th Mar 2008, 22:24
Well, they know now don't they ? Anyone who poses on these sites needs silver paper in their fillings.

As for Al Qaeda in UK, well as far as I can see a major percentage of the ingrates who live among us sympathise with the cause and would gleefully turf a serviceman in to their bearded oppos (Despite us actually preventing the mass slaughter of muslims by other muslims, paradox or what ?)

We should really wise up because these clowns playing at terrorist in UK will get better, slowly, because on the poor dumb standard we've seen so far it's difficult to educate pork, but they will up their game.

minigundiplomat
10th Mar 2008, 22:27
More reason to leave both the military and the UK.....

West Coast
10th Mar 2008, 22:40
I'd heard of the 'Church Militant' but hadn't realised that the Church of England had raised a regiment!

Preparing for the modern day crusades? Might be able to cut thier teeth in the Netherlands soon.

TorqueOfTheDevil
10th Mar 2008, 22:59
To all Al-Qaida online operatives who wish to carry out an attack on a British serviceman:

You can attack me in whatever way you wish, but let's make it fun. Let's play hide and seek. I will be hiding in the Piranha tank at London Zoo an hour before feeding time on Wednesday, unarmed apart from a snorkel and my trusty Speedos. If you wish to attack me, all you have to do is climb into the tank and seek me out.

See you there.

LBGR
11th Mar 2008, 01:09
Glad you can see the humorous side of Al-Qaeda attacks. I doubt those who have lost their lives at the hands of these people would share your sentiments.:ugh:

As unsensitive as torqueofthedevil's banter may seem, if we lose our sense of humour, they have already won.

Two's in
11th Mar 2008, 01:40
HM Forces and dark humour - surely not? Mind you, at least when Slab and the boys were popping us off for thirty odd years it kept you focused on Opsec a bit more.

Tigs2
11th Mar 2008, 04:25
Slab....mmmm now there was one of life's extraordinary characters eh Two's in? Pity he worked for the bad guys, he was a genius (in a criminal sort of way)

Mr-Burns
11th Mar 2008, 08:51
Tigs2 - If genius equals murdering ba***rd responsible for the deaths of many british soldiers then your admiration for Mr Murphy is well placed. Knob.

The Helpful Stacker
11th Mar 2008, 09:47
Ah Slabs farm. Brings back many a memory of sitting on top of a clagged in mountain down that way waiting for an occasional Lynx flying on fumes.

Was 'The Three Steps Inn' the pub you could see from G40 where all the local murdering gits met up regularly?

Beatriz Fontana
11th Mar 2008, 09:51
As a survivor of the London tube bombings, if anyone has a sense of humour failure about AQ its me.

But I dont. Not ever. In fact, ridicule is probably a potent tactic.

There should be an AQ group on Facebook. Could you imagine what the friends list looks like?

GPMG
11th Mar 2008, 10:15
Just removed all details from Friends reunited, when I looked at what could be seen from a scumbags point of view it was quite revealing.

Full name, town I live in, units I was a member of, fact that I had a wife and daughter. Silly of me to put this stuff up.

I think that ex forces should be wary of what these cretins are planning as well.

Zone 2 Alt
11th Mar 2008, 10:39
Thank goodness the internet and all that wasn't invented when the IRA were blowing up service people and their families!

GPMG
11th Mar 2008, 11:02
To be honest I think that security standards have been lowered too far since the PIRA threat 'disappeared'.

It is too easy to give away details and information about who you are and what you do. I was in during the time when you didn't wear uniform off base, checked your car and didn't carry bergans / kitbags around at train stations etc.

Yes you could ping the blokes returning on a Sunday evening at a certain London train station but an effort was made, and security was high in peoples minds.

Perhaps the military needs to go a bit higher than Black Alpha again, if it isn't already.

Tigs2
11th Mar 2008, 11:27
Mr Burns

In that case, perhaps you should have clarified what I meant before you called me a knob. I think you will find that the troops in the stan, respect the ability and fortitude of their enemy, despite the fact they want to kill them. Respect of ones enemies abilities and ensuring that you do not underestimate them is key to staying alive. In the early 80's I was a member of a bomb disposal team. Everyone to a man respected how dangerous and absolutely ingenious the IRA bomb makers were, if you did not chances were you were going to die.

I also flew a team in that took apart Mr Murphy's 'farm'.

If genius equals murdering ba***rd responsible for the deaths of many british soldiers then your admiration for Mr Murphy is well placed. Knob. Did I say that was what Genius meant?? I don't think so! As always, Mr Burns, straight in with the personal slaggings of you are so renowned for.

Knob!

mutt
11th Mar 2008, 19:10
Mr Murphy

Did they ever catch him?


Mutt

Chielman
11th Mar 2008, 19:18
Slab was arrested by the Garda's fraud squad early last year for tax evasion, if memory serves me correctly. Shades of Al Capone.

Dan D'air
12th Mar 2008, 02:12
As unsensitive as torqueofthedevil's banter may seem, if we lose our sense of humour, they have already won.

Quite right too, Don't tell them your name GPMG.

22/7 Master
12th Mar 2008, 21:27
I think hiding away from AQ is simply pandering to the terrorists. I am more than happy to post my details right here and now.

Rt. Hon. Gordon Brown MP
10 Downing St
Westminster
London

I also normall drive from my address to the Palace of Westminster at 1130 every Wednesday, regular as clockwork - See you there!

Beatriz Fontana
13th Mar 2008, 22:23
Considering that the terrorists use the internet - forums, chat sites, etc. - to communicate between themselves, why the :mad: shouldn't we?

Maybe we should start hanging around on some of their sites. See how they like it.

Two's in
14th Mar 2008, 01:04
Warning - Extreme thread drift - Pull up, Pull up.

he was a genius

Seeing Tigs get called a less than charitable term for his observation above almost encapsulates the metaphorical nature of this whole thread. To assume that the enemy are illiterate goat shaggers is to make a critical error. To assume they are not capable of complex thought processes is a deadly mistake. The IRA spent 30 years teaching us a thing or two about Internal Security Ops and for Slab to have orchestrated all he did and not get caught for it was not down to just good luck.

If you get all girly over giving credit to the bad guys for their innate intelligence and cunning skills at wreaking death and destruction you are destined to make the same mistakes all over again. If you could for one moment imagine AQ to be young, vibrant, intellectual middle class extremists carefully compiling intelligence and probing our security weaknesses (while not shagging goats), you might then be able to see where lapses in personal and collective security could be exploited by these evil geniuses. You might then see that any internet references to your ID, Military role, location and activities need to be carefully controlled.

As for service humour, no-one is laughing at the victims of terrorism, we are laughing the way people do before doing a bungee jump or free-fall parachuting. It's a relief valve that keeps us sane. It's probably insensitive, thoughtless and cruel to all those people who aren't getting on the plane to be shot at by the bad guys.

sittingstress
14th Mar 2008, 01:25
Regarding personal information on websites and nasty people peering at it, I have one thing to say:

I TOLD YOU SO

For those that slated the organisation I used to belong to for preaching scare tactics I hope you have finally taken heed of the advice. For those unsure of my meaning please refer to my nickname and the fact that I used to take part as DS in military camping experiences in Cornwall for aircrew :)

This isn't new gen at all. It is serious and for crying out loud just bin your details. It is a hell of a gamble if you decide not to.

Regards

ss

PS I am now rehabilitated and a valuable member of the civilian community!

Zone 2 Alt
14th Mar 2008, 05:55
Two's In,

I am getting confused about the illiterate goat shagger references, are the Welsh somehow involved in this network of terror?

Two's in
15th Mar 2008, 00:04
Z2A - Welsh terror tactics include;

1. Male Voice Choirs
2. Shirley Bassey
3. RAF Brawdy's 40Kt fog
4. A night out in Llanbedr.

Tigs2
15th Mar 2008, 07:43
Twos in

And sheep not Goats:}

Thank you bye the way:ok:

the_flying_cop
15th Mar 2008, 09:28
Two's in.

I think you hit the nail right on the head there old chap.

great post, hopefully some of the goons on here will take note.

TFC

nice castle
15th Mar 2008, 15:00
ss, I think you're absolutely right. It's basics and I can't believe guys need to be told this....oh well.

I 'enjoyed' the pleasure of a weekend with you and your chums. One of the many things I thought to myself as some dude was getting all grumpy with me was, "Well, this isn't the best Friday night I've ever had, but this sad t*sser sitting opposite me has come back here to do this time and again! Loser" Well, it amused me for a moment at least!

No hard feelings now, obviously, it was valuable trg, so thanks for that, but just in case you wondered what we actually do think about....:ok:

kwachon
15th Mar 2008, 15:06
Sheep!, you are all out of date...they come here to sandi arabia and use camels.....:E

Jay Tyock
15th Mar 2008, 15:45
Back to the initial point - AQ won't have to go trawling the web for details of serving personnel soon. According to the Torygraph serving military are about to be encouraged to wear their uniform with pride in public again.

Seems a little like bad timing after the 'beheading plot' recently! Sadly I think they have just plenty of friends out there making it a crazy suggestion; why make the bu**ers' lives easier.

Before I get any 'yellow' banter, I've done my time out there getting shot at. However, we all learn to minimise the risks in any way possible.

Unsurprisingly, I think this is another government kneejerk reaction to the Peterborough incident. Why don't they concentrate on sorting out the reasons why these people feel so alienated.

Maybe the uniform thing is intended to draw a few more of them out so they can be identified!

airsound
15th Mar 2008, 20:01
I used to take part as DS in military camping experiences in Cornwall for aircrew
So that was you, you barsteward, was it, sittingstress. I knew I'd find out some day - I just couldn't see at the time because of that wretched sack over my head. You may think you're rehabilitated....... :}

airsound

sittingstress
19th Mar 2008, 21:10
Airsound,

I am most definately rehabilitated now in my new role as.....

a police officer. I thang yu!

Regards

ss

TMJ
20th Mar 2008, 10:44
Z2A - Welsh terror tactics include;

1. Male Voice Choirs
2. Shirley Bassey
3. RAF Brawdy's 40Kt fog
4. A night out in Llanbedr.

5. Max bloody Boyce...

TMJ
20th Mar 2008, 11:02
Airsound,

I am most definately rehabilitated now in my new role as.....

a police officer. I thang yu!



Hmm; that's be because of the transferable skills from WEstCountry summer camps would it?
:)

Bonkers99
5th Jun 2008, 09:24
Agreed you should be careful.

I note on Forces Reunited at http://www.forcesreunited.org.uk they say they specifically don't ask for any sensitive data, just enough to get you back in touch with your buddies.

Seems like the way to go.

I think you're a bit daft if you go posting anything which could get you or your mates in trouble.