All the Islamic militant Web sites SHUT DOWN. Any further info on this?

[L. Coyote]

U.S. reviewing purported bin Laden video
Video contains no specific threat; Web sites carrying tape shut down
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20640658

....................

Web sites shut down

Soon after Washington announced it had the video, all the Islamic militant Web sites that usually carry statements from al-Qaida went down and were inaccessible, in an unprecedented shutdown.

..........

Another possibility is that the U.S. government shut down the sites, but that was unlikely, he said.

"I don't think they would have the legal or technical capability to do so, to collectively shut all these sites at the same time. Also, I don't think the U.S. government is necessarily interested in shutting these sites down, unless there is something so provocative and dangerous in what bin Laden is saying."

"It's pretty remote that the content of his speech is so incendiary that they would shut down all the sites. The idea that they (U.S. government) could totally prevent this from coming out on the Internet is ludicrous," he said.

........
==========================

What web sites? Hosted where? Shut down where, globally or just in the USA?

[Vincardog]

1. Does anyone else find it to be mighty convenient that when ever jr needs a boost

to back his insane "policies" Osama been forgotten shows up with an assist?

[Captain Hilts]

2. It would be totally cool if we did it.....nt

[L. Coyote]

4. Who is "we" in this context?

Have you read the Constitution of the United States recently?

Speaking as a political person who has had their web site blocked by a government organization, it is not "cool" in the least to have your First Amendment rights breeched.

If the proverbial "we" did this, what is the next step "we" will take? Shutting down all Islamic Web sites, allowing only Cristian Web sites, only Baptists?

Hopefully, "we" are not on a slippery slope!

[L. Coyote]

21. Chilling Effects of Anti-Terrorism - "National Security" Toll on Freedom of Expression

Chilling Effects of Anti-Terrorism
"National Security" Toll on Freedom of Expression
http://www.eff.org/Privacy/Surveillance/Terrorism/antiterrorism_chill.html

The right to free speech faces the strongest challenges during times of crisis. Whether or not any of us agree about each particular decision made to prevent public access to sensitive information, it is the Electronic Frontier Foundation's responsibility to chart any such efforts so that we as a society are at least aware of what is no longer available to us.

This page attempts to convey the chilling effect that responses to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, have had on information availability on the Internet as well as some sense of the effect on people trying to provide this information.

Currently, this page tracks the following:

* Websites Shut Down by US Government
* Websites Shut Down by Other Governments
* Websites Shut Down by Internet Service Provider
* Websites Shut Down or Partially Removed by Website Owner
* US Government Websites That Shut Down or Removed Information
* US Government Requests to Remove Information
* Media Professionals Terminated or Suspended
* Other Employees Terminated or Suspended
* Related Incidents
* Related Links

If you know of a anti-terrorism chilling effect that should be listed here, please use our contact form

Feel free to mirror this page on other websites, just please link back to the original on this page.

Websites Shut Down by US Government .............

Spin-off Thread: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x1768867

[coco77]

3. They have to use this time to,,,

cut out parts of the tape, so that bush can use it for 911 get used to hearing terror everyday now...

[L. Coyote]

8. ... to prepare for the Anti-War March on DC ???

[blogslut]

5. Meh

Where is this list of Islamic militant websites? Whatev. :rolleyes:

[rox63]

6. They probably just blocked them from the US

So we couldn't see what they were saying about their fake tape.

[L. Coyote]

7. This story is running in Pravda, the UK, elsewhere ...

[Wiley50]

12. And/Or Show Their New Genuine "GreyBeard" Osama Tape

proving that our "BlackBeard" Osama Is Fake

As Far as Tech being possible,

I don't think it's beyond the capacity of our big Cray Defense dept mainframes

to do a simultaneous DOS attack on all of them

[L. Coyote]

14. Strange how this gets just a mention, and no details.

Where are they hosted? Outside the USA, I assume. And, DOS attacks do not shut down sites, are traceable, and can be blocked by admins.

[bemildred]

9. Sounds like a movie to me.

The part where the music starts to get louder and screechier and the furniture starts to jump around.

[ShaneGR]

10. I would certainly hope we do everything in our power to shut down these sites....

Since they do happen to spread hatred, violence, and terrorism.

[L. Coyote]

11. I would like to see the list before I draw that conclusion. Like the terror watch list

is it "One in Every 600 Americans" long?

If we shut down every Web site that spreads hatred, violence, and terrorism,
there will be no DU anymore. Any forum could be shut down by any one poster!

[sofa king]

13. Which are good reasons to shut them down, but...

...the more obvious reason to shut them down right now is to prevent them from logging a public reaction to the fake Osama video.

[Buttercup McToots]

15. Interesting

Verry interesting, LC

[wuushew]

18. I have never been harmed by ideas myself only actions

I don't think Germany's ban on all things Nazi has served them well and I don't appreciate the notion that "evil" can be objectively defined. Recognizing the flaws of men, the 1st Amendment is the gift that keeps on giving.

[L. Coyote]

19. In a world of beliefs, one person's devil is another's god. And, they have a religious identity.

In the final analysis, fundamentalism and belief systems seem to be the problem on both sides of conflicts.

[nadinbrzezinski]

16. News to foreign newspaers

NSA has that capabity

Scary... yes

But they have it

[L. Coyote]

22. point well taken

[phusion]

17. The server went down...

because CIA headquarters lost power.

[L. Coyote]

20. June 2002: Islamic militant Web site bounces around Net, spreading al-Qaida doctrine

Islamic militant Web site bounces around Net, spreading al-Qaida doctrine
By DAFNA LINZER - AP June 27, 2002
http://www.globalsecurity.org/org/news/2002/020627-war1.htm

A bogus street address in Venezuela, a free e-mail account and a wire transfer to a bank in Malaysia were all that was needed to publish a militant Islamic Web site that promotes al-Qaida and asks readers to pray for America's destruction.

The nature of the Web hosting business allowed the Arabic-language site's operators to keep it alive and on the run - despite an FBI investigation - while disguising themselves, online and off.

Much as a fugitive lingers little in any one place, the militant pro-al-Qaida site has moved over six months among computer hosts based in Malaysia, Texas and Michigan.

The site's persistence exemplifies the Internet's ability to let anyone reach a global audience in relative anonymity, despite law enforcers' best efforts. ......

[L. Coyote]

23. Has this news really just faded away? Anyone?

[L. Coyote]

24. Sept 10, 2001 == US pulls the plug on Muslim websites == Five hundred websites

US pulls the plug on Muslim websites
Islamic groups have condemned a government crackdown on a Texan telecoms company as part of a "witch-hunt", writes Brian Whitaker
Guardian Unlimited
Monday September 10, 2001
http://www.guardian.co.uk/Archive/Article/0,4273,4253580,00.html


Five hundred websites - many of them with an Arab or Muslim connection - crashed last Wednesday when an anti-terrorism taskforce raided InfoCom Corporation in Texas.

The 80-strong taskforce that descended upon the IT company included FBI agents, Secret Service agents, Diplomatic Security agents, tax inspectors, immigration officials, customs officials, department of commerce officials and computer experts.

Three days later, they were still busy inside the building, reportedly copying every hard disc they could find. InfoCom hosts websites for numerous clients in the Middle East, including al-Jazeera (the satellite TV station), al-Sharq (a daily newspaper in Qatar), and Birzeit (the Palestinian university on the West Bank).

It also hosts sites for several Muslim organisations in the United States, among them the Islamic Society of North America, the Muslim Students Association, the Islamic Association for Palestine, and the Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development.

In addition, InfoCom is the registered owner of ".iq" - the internet country code for Iraq. ............

[L. Coyote]

25. Sept. 6, 2001. FBI Agents Raid Muslim-Owned Internet Company

FBI Agents Raid Muslim-Owned Internet Company
http://www.islamonline.net/English/News/2001-09/07/article2.shtml


WASHINGTON, Sept 6 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - "Anti-terrorism agents" from the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and other federal law enforcement agencies, continued Thursday to search the offices of the Muslim-owned InfoCom Corporation, a Texas-based Internet service provider, after raiding its offices early Wednesday morning without any explanation.

"We're executing a search warrant right now as we speak," and the company's servers have been shut off, said special agent Lori Bailey, speaking from FBI offices in Dallas, Texas.

A statement by the North Texas Joint Terrorism Task Force, an FBI division, said that the search - which is being conducted at the company's premises in Richardson, a suburb north of Dallas - is part of an ongoing, two-year investigation.

But no additional information on reasons for the investigation was available because a federal judge has sealed the search warrant application, Bailey said. ....