“On the internet, no one knows you’re a dog.” Or an FBI agent.
While it’s true that the internet is a powerful organizing medium, and can be so used by terrorist recruiters, it’s also true that it’s an easy medium to penetrate. “On the internet, nobody knows you’re a dog.” Or an FBI agent. Fore every real Jihad Jane, there should be six fakes.
Author: Mark Kleiman
Professor of Public Policy at the NYU Marron Institute for Urban Management and editor of the Journal of Drug Policy Analysis. Teaches about the methods of policy analysis about drug abuse control and crime control policy, working out the implications of two principles: that swift and certain sanctions don't have to be severe to be effective, and that well-designed threats usually don't have to be carried out.
Books:
Drugs and Drug Policy: What Everyone Needs to Know (with Jonathan Caulkins and Angela Hawken)
When Brute Force Fails: How to Have Less Crime and Less Punishment (Princeton, 2009; named one of the "books of the year" by The Economist
Against Excess: Drug Policy for Results (Basic, 1993)
Marijuana: Costs of Abuse, Costs of Control (Greenwood, 1989)
UCLA Homepage
Curriculum Vitae
Contact: Markarkleiman-at-gmail.com
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Daniel Davies (d-squareddigest.blogspot.com; I can't find the actual post) mentioned this a while back. His theories were (a) it's to the interest of counter-terrrorist forces to have a bunch of 'jihadist' websites and forums, and (b) it's an indication of how screwed up most of these groups are.
How many Jihad Janes are competent to carry out any terrorist acts. From the sound of the reports so far, the Jane in custody could hardly tie her shoelaces. If most volunteer jihadists are flakes like her, that should make counter-terrorism a more manageable task. I think this may be what Barry's point (b) is driving at, but maybe he can clarify this.
Recruiting online is highly insecure, since you're putting stuff out where anybody could read it. Not only that, but anybody responding to such a thing is already proving to be either stupid or incredibly naive.
Hello good friend Barry:
I am Jihad Ed and I am waging holy war against infidel pig-dog. I have received many fund dollars from holy man Osama and I would like to help you join sacred cause. Just to send me your bank account information so I can put in large deposit and help you too overthrow degenerate Yankee wine-bibbers.