Information OperationsNewsletter

Compiled by: Mr. Jeff Harley

US Army Strategic CommandG39, Information Operations Branch

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ARSTRAT IO Page on Intelink-U

The articles and information appearing herein are intended for educational and non-commercial purposes to promote discussion of research in the public interest. The views, opinions, and/or findings and recommendations contained in this summary are those of the original authors and should not be construed as an official position, policy, or decision of the United States Government, U.S. Department of the Army, or U.S. Army Strategic Command.

Table of ContentsVol. 7, no. 21 (15 - 28 September 2007)

1. China's Cyber Attacks Signal New Battlefield Online

2. Internet Law - The Emergence of Cyber Terrorism

3. NSA To Defend Against Hackers

4. Al Qaeda German Mouthpiece Resurfaces on The Web

5. Pennsylvania Air National Guard Retires Broadcasting Aircraft

6. Experts Cast Doubts On Chinese Hacking Scare

7. TrueSpeak Responds

8. Air Force Activates Provisional Cyber Command

9. Understanding Al-Qaeda's Pakistan PSYOP and Insurgency

10. Sources: Staged Cyber Attack Reveals Vulnerability in Power Grid

11. GIMF Develops Defensive and Offensive Software for Jihadi Operations

12. Sinking In the Polls

13. Joint Senior Psychological Operations Course (JSPOC)

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China's Cyber Attacks Signal New Battlefield Online From Scientific American, 18 Sep 07Although a cyber war has yet to be declared, there have been plenty of online skirmishes The uproar over claims that the People's Republic of China launched a series of network-based cyber attacks earlier this month against the U.K., France, Germany, and the U.S. has died down. But few expect China to back off efforts to gain the upper hand in the battle of bits and bytes. China's own stated military goals include improving the country's ability to wage information warfare.The most recent cyber attacks against the U.S. stand out because they were traced back to the Chinese government. "Normally it is not possible to attribute the source of an attack, because source addresses can be spoofed," says Alan Paller, director of research at the SANS (SysAdmin, Audit, Network, Security) Institute in Bethesda, Md., which trains and certifies technology workers in cyber security. In China's case, though, analysts tracked the cyber assaults to 20 computer workstations in China's Guangdong province, Paller says."The precision of the attacks, the perfection of the methods and the 24-by-seven operations over two and a half years, and the number of workstations involved are simply not replicated in the amateur criminal community," he notes. "Amateur cyber criminals do a lot of other things right, but this is an order of magnitude more disciplined than anything I have seen out of the hacker or amateur criminal community."These strikes, as well as others against the Baltic nation of Estonia's information-technology infrastructure earlier this year, provide but a glimpse of the damage that could be inflicted should a full-scale cyber war erupt between countries. Cyber assaults are a particularly dangerous addition to any country's arsenal because of the growing reliance on networks and technology to control critical systems that run power plants and transportation systems. Cyber attacks on banks, stock markets and other financial institutions could likewise have a devastating effect on a nation's economy.In about 50 percent of the cases in which an attacker gains access to a system, it is because the software running on it was poorly designed, loaded or protected, Paller says. Cyber attacks can take many forms. One common type probes an organization's perimeter for a hole in a firewall or other network defenses. This can be accomplished by exploiting a piece of software that is improperly designed, configured or patched to protect against malicious software. Once an attacker gains control of that exploited software, he or she can search for information and leave behind hidden software that can be accessed at a later date.Although the theft of sensitive government data is a major worry, it is not necessarily the greatest one, Paller says, adding, "the bigger concern is that the attackers are planting back doors for future attacks."Other times, cyber attackers use social-engineering tactics that fool computer users into surrendering important information. So-called phishing attacks, in which computer users are sent e-mails requesting that they reply by sending sensitive information, such as bank account or credit card numbers, are a common scam. "They work because the e-mail appears to come from someone who is trusted," Paller says, "and asks them to do something that is reasonable."The recently publicized cyber strikes against Western countries are more about spying and intelligence-gathering than about taking down systems and destroying information. The attacks on Estonia began April 27 and were designed to shut down that technology-dependent country's infrastructure, interfering with citizens' ability to perform financial transactions or even make the most basic purchases of bread, milk or gas.Attackers—the identity of the culprit or culprits is still unknown, though the Russian government was at one point suspected—bombarded Web sites run by the Estonian government with superfluous Web traffic, up to 1,000 times the normal amount passing through the country's Web servers. The attackers used Russian blogs to successfully enlist Russian citizens in the assault, even instructing average computer users on how to attack Estonian Web sites. The attacks included the

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use of botnets, networks of otherwise benign computers that are broken into and controlled remotely by an attacker. The cyber attacks against Estonia resembled more of a cyber riot by Web users than a singular act of espionage.China's goals are more subtle but no less dangerous. Although the Chinese government has denied involvement in this latest round of attacks, government officials last year published a report entitled "China's National Defense in 2006" that states China is pursuing a three-step development strategy to modernize its national defense and armed forces that includes building "informationized armed forces" capable of winning "informationized wars" by 2050.The potential for information warfare was a key component of the U.S. Department of Defense's report to Congress earlier this year analyzing China's military capabilities. China views the acquisition and effective distribution of data as crucial to its ability to optimize "materials, energy and information to form a combined fighting force" and to apply "effective means to weaken the enemy side's information superiority and lower the operational efficiency of enemy information equipment," the report says.The report asserts that China's People's Liberation Army has established information warfare units to develop viruses to attack enemy computer systems and networks, as well as tactics and measures to protect friendly computer systems and networks. The report charges that China is already engaged in cyber theft and attack against the U.S. and other countries that it perceives as its enemies. "China continues a systematic effort to obtain from abroad through legal and illegal commercial transactions dual-use and military technologies," the report says. In fact, it notes, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials have rated China's "aggressive and wide-ranging espionage as the leading threat to U.S. technology.""In the United States, we're particularly vulnerable because a lot of our communication infrastructure is owned by the private sector," says Jody Westby, chief executive of security consulting firm Global Cyber Risk and chair of the American Bar Association's Privacy and Computer Crime Committee. "In China and Russia, their infrastructure is in the hands of the government, it's easier for them to coordinate and protect those assets.""For every breach you read about at least five more go unreported," says Jayson Street, the chief information security officer for Stratagem 1 Solutions, a provider of IT security services, and an information technology consultant to the FBI and U.S. Secret Service. "The new Cold War is between China and the Western world."Table of Contents

Internet Law - The Emergence of Cyber Terrorism From IBLS Internet Law News Portal, 19 September 2007Although some people believe that the threat of cyber terrorism is exaggerated, security experts around the world cite cyber terrorism as a real, emerging threat in the international community.Cyber terrorism is a serious concern for modern day law enforcement and other government agencies. Almost all facets of life are dependent on the use of computers and technology including financial institutions, manufacturing and business, and public services. In fact, the efficient operation of the United States government is wholly reliant on computer technology. September 11, 2001 brought the threat of terrorism to the forefront of the minds of every American.What is Cyber Terrorism?The FBI defines cyber terrorism as the “premeditated, politically motivated attack against information, computer systems, computer programs, and data which result in violence against noncombatant targets by sub national groups or clandestine agents.” Cyber terrorism is not limited to international or domestic criminals, or to acts of violence solely involving technology, it encompasses any politically motivated attack by any number of people who use computers as a piece in their assault.What is Not Cyber Terrorism?Although the definition of cyber terrorism varies, there is a general consensus on what is not cyber terrorism. Simple hacking and other minor intrusions are not cyber terrorism. Attacks which are

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merely costly nuisances also do not qualify. “Hack-tivism,” which is the use of hacking to further activist principles, is not a form of cyber terrorism. Additionally, information warfare is not the same device. Who Commits Cyber Terrorism?There are several groups which are likely candidates to commit cyber terrorism against the United States. The most widely known is Al Qaeda which is opposed to all “non-Islamic” regimes and is strongly anti-western. There have been reports from individuals with ties to Al Qaeda have said they “and other radical Muslim groups are actively planning to use the Internet as a weapon in their fight against the West.” The Armed Islamic Group, also known as GIA operates mainly from Algeria and France. They seek to establish an Islamic state and are against foreign governments. Aum Shinrikyo is located in Japan and Russia. This group seeks to bring about the Apocalypse and is technologically sophisticated. Hizballah has a presence in the United States and Lebanon and has the sophistication to deface websites, but it is unclear as to whether they are capable of large cyber attacks on networks and systems. Lastly, Hamas, which operates in Israel and Jordan, utilizes the Internet to further its business, but so far mostly uses large-scale bombings.Are “Crackers” Cyber Terrorists?A cracker is not a cyber terrorist per se. However, crackers can be used a facilitators for cyber terrorists. A cracker is someone who hacks into websites and computer networks as a game. They see the challenge as a brain teaser or a puzzle. Sometimes the crackers make minor changes to websites or alter information, but their motives are not malicious. Many crackers don’t believe that they are committing any wrong. The difficulty arises when a cyber terrorist gives the cracker a motivation to commit a crime, through money. Cyber terrorists usually are not people who sit in front of computers 20 hours a day, or graduated with software engineering degrees. They must enlist specialists who not only want to discover a network’s vulnerabilities, but who also have the skills and the time to do so. The implications of the cooperation between crackers and cyber terrorists is staggering.Why is Cyber Terrorism an Attractive Way to Terrorize a Nation?Cyber terrorism, unlike other forms of terrorism, requires minimal equipment and small amounts of money. A terrorist can successfully harm a group with only a computer and a phone line. Additionally, the anonymity of the Internet provides an easy way to secretly attack. One of the most useful features of the Internet for cyber terrorists is that it gives them the ability to attack from anywhere in the world, without putting themselves in danger. This remote capability makes tracking down cyber terrorists difficult. Lastly, because there are millions of users on the Internet, each using a computer with countless weaknesses, there is an infinite amount of people who can be harmed with little to no effort.Table of Contents

NSA To Defend Against HackersBy Siobhan Gorman, Baltimore Sun, September 20, 2007In a major shift, the National Security Agency is drawing up plans for a new domestic assignment: helping protect government and private communications networks from cyberattacks and infiltration by terrorists and hackers, according to current and former intelligence officials.From electricity grids to subways to nuclear power plants, the United States depends more than ever on Internet-based control systems that could be manipulated remotely in a terrorist attack, security specialists say.The plan calls for the NSA to work with the Department of Homeland Security and other federal agencies to monitor such networks to prevent unauthorized intrusion, according to those with knowledge of what is known internally as the "Cyber Initiative." Details of the project are highly classified.Director of National Intelligence Mike McConnell, a former NSA chief, is coordinating the initiative. It will be run by the Department of Homeland Security, which has primary responsibility for protecting domestic infrastructure, including the Internet, current and former officials said.

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At the outset, up to 2,000 people -- from the Department of Homeland Security, the NSA and other agencies -- could be assigned to the initiative, said a senior intelligence official who spoke on condition of anonymity.The NSA's new domestic role would require a revision of the agency's charter, the senior intelligence official said. Up to now, the NSA's cyberdefense arsenal has been used to guard the government's classified networks -- not the unclassified networks that now are the responsibility of other federal agencies.NSA officials declined to discuss specific programs but said cybersecurity is a critical component of what they do."We have a strong history in information assurance and national security," said NSA spokeswoman Andrea Martino, who added that the agency will continue to play a role in cyberdefense.Homeland Security spokesman Russ Knocke said that "as the lead agency responsible for assuring the security, resiliency and reliability of the nation's information technology and communications infrastructure, our department is working to unify further and integrate the security framework for cyber operations throughout the federal government."Since the existence of its warrantless domestic eavesdropping program was revealed in 2005, the NSA and other U.S. intelligence agencies have been mired in a controversy over domestic intelligence activities. The Homeland Security Department recently came under fire amid Bush administration plans to broadly expand the use of satellite imagery to assist in federal, state and local law enforcement.Current and former intelligence officials, including several NSA veterans, warned that the agency's venture into domestic computer and communications networks -- even if limited to protecting them -- could raise new privacy concerns. To protect a network, the government must constantly monitor it."This will create a major uproar," predicted Ira Winkler, a former NSA analyst who is now a cybersecurity consultant."If you're going to do cybersecurity, you have to spy on Americans to secure Americans," said a former government official familiar with NSA operations. "It would be a very major step."A former senior NSA official said the difference between monitoring networks in order to defend them and monitoring them to collect intelligence is very small.The former officials spoke on condition of anonymity to protect relationships with intelligence agencies.Another former NSA official said that if the government wants to prevent cyberattacks, it makes sense to tap the agency's skills."I've got to be able to at least look at something to determine: Do I have a threat or don't I have a threat?" the former NSA official said. "It's important that you have the best thinkers with the deepest experience working these problems on behalf of the nation."O. Sami Saydjari, a cybersecurity consultant, said the privacy concerns are real. He said intelligence agencies should be part of the solution, because they have the expertise needed to develop a national cybersecurity system, but that privacy advocates also should be part of the planning process.Computer specialists have warned for years about cyberattacks. But experts say efforts to guard against them have not gained momentum at the national level, at least in part because the public envisions a cyberattack as nothing more than a big computer crash.Those who monitor such threats said the danger has grown as control systems for potential terrorist targets have become increasingly connected to the Internet.A cyberattack could cut access to power, banking and telecommunications systems across much of the country, said Saydjari, president of the Cyber Defense Agency, a consulting firm."The hostile groups have caught on to most of the things we're worried about," said Scott Borg, director of the U.S. Cyber Consequences Unit, a nonprofit research institute that advises the government and the private sector. "It's been remarkable in the last, really, two years how much all

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these things that people like me have been worried about have been bit by bit rediscovered and reinvented in the hacker world."Potential cyberattacks are being discussed in chat rooms in languages that include English, Arabic, Russian and Punjabi, he said. Terrorists and others already know many of the country's vulnerabilities, Borg said, adding that he is extremely concerned about the ability to hack into computer systems controlling nuclear power plants.A government task force issued a stark warning this year that the threat of a cyberattack to U.S. infrastructure, which can be launched from a computer anywhere in the world, is "very real and growing rapidly." In June, an alleged Chinese hacking effort shut down e-mail in Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates' office for several days.Simulation exercises, such as one dubbed Dark Angel and sponsored by the group Professionals for Cyber Defense, showed in 2003 how a cyberattack could shut down most of the nation's power grid, Saydjari said.There is growing interest among hackers in capturing information on "smart cards" that allow access to buildings and critical computer systems and using that information to gain access to the system, according to Borg.Cybersecurity has long been an orphaned responsibility in the federal government, with various agencies having some part in it. The NSA has largely been left out, because its focus has been on protecting military networks. Proposals to break off the NSA's information security branch and assign it a broader role beyond the intelligence agencies fell flat, former NSA officials say.Amit Yoran, the Homeland Security Department's first chief of cybersecurity, said in an interview that while the government has made progress, federal efforts have been "somewhat spotty" overall.Among the main challenges, he said, is that the Homeland Security Department has been given responsibility for the problem but lacks the authority and expertise to compel other agencies and the private sector to follow its lead.The new cybersecurity effort aims to build, in part, on an existing NSA program, code-named Turbulence, which has had a troubled start, the senior intelligence official said.Table of Contents

Al Qaeda German Mouthpiece Resurfaces on The WebBy Mark Trevelyan, Reuters, Sep 21, 2007 LONDON (Reuters) - A German-language mouthpiece for al Qaeda has re-emerged on the Internet, vowing to defy the authorities despite this month's arrest of suspects linked to it in Austria and Canada.On sites easily traceable via search engines, the German-language arm of the "Global Islamic Media Front" (GIMF) appeals for volunteer translators, inviting them to reply to a Hotmail address, and posts links to dozens of al Qaeda videos."After some brothers and sisters were arrested (may Allah free them) and the Forum and blog of the GIMF were removed, we say this: the GIMF still exists and will continue its work," a statement from the front says."To the Kuffar (infidels) who try to fight us, we say: you can do what you like, make as many arrests as you like...you will not reach your goal. We will always keep going until we achieve victory or martyrdom."The re-emergence of the GIMF in German highlights the difficulty for authorities of shutting down radical Islamist Web sites, which often simply spring up at new addresses."This can be done in minutes. It can be automated. You will never catch it. Once you try to hit it, it's already at another destination, another point," said Harald Summa, chief executive of Eco, the association of German Internet enterprises.No comment was available from the German prosecutor's office. But authorities in Germany, where three men were arrested earlier this month over an alleged plot to commit "massive bomb attacks", have expressed concern about the spread of al Qaeda propaganda in the German language.

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In an unconnected operation a week after the German swoop, Austria arrested three people with alleged al Qaeda links who are suspected of posting a video last March threatening attacks against Germany and Austria.One has since been freed but the other two suspects -- a married Austrian couple, both in their 20s and of Arab origin -- remain in custody. A man suspected of being in contact with them via email and online forums has been charged in Canada with plotting to cause explosions in a foreign country.One of the new GIMF sites in German contains several online postings in response to its latest statement."Brothers, I would like to be in contact with you because I want to become a mujahideen (fighter) after I finish my studies, inshaallah (God willing)," wrote one contributor, Ameen. It was impossible to say if the naive-looking comment was genuine.Group of Eight (G8) countries vowed at a summit in Germany in June to work together to combat "terrorist and criminal abuse" of modern communications technology. European Union Justice and Security Commissioner Franco Frattini is due to present proposals next month to block access to Web sites that contain instructions for bomb-making.Table of Contents

Pennsylvania Air National Guard Retires Broadcasting Aircraft By Mary Klaus The Patriot-News, 09/23/07 When voices came from a utilitarian-looking aircraft known as Commando Solo II, people around the world listened.Over the years, messages from the flying radio and television station caught the attention of people in Haiti, Grenada, Afghanistan, Iraq, Panama, Bosnia, Kosovo and other hot spots.The plane, put to rest Sunday in a ceremony at Fort Indiantown Gap, once belonged to the Pennsylvania Air National Guard 193rd Special Operations Wing based at Harrisburg International Airport, Lower Swatara Twp. It is on permanent display at the Gap for public viewing.The EC-130E aircraft, the military’s only airborne broadcasting system, was used for psychological operations. Calling Commando Solo II "a one of a kind aircraft," state Adjutant General Jessica Wright said it reminded her of the thousands of military personnel "who used it to safeguard the freedoms we cherish."This particular machine "was known as the ’Triple Cripple,’ " Deputy Adjutant General Stephen Sischo said as those who flew on the 1963 aircraft numbered 7773 laughed."It needed lots of persuasion to get airborne," Sischo said. "But it flew until the end of 2005."He pointed to an emblem on its side depicting an eagle on an American flag and the words "Let’s Roll" in tribute to Todd Beamer, a passenger on the plane that crashed in Somerset County on Sept. 11, 2001.Commando Solo II was flown into battle on Sept. 23, 2001, 12 days after the terrorist attacks.Retired Master Sgt. Dave Brunner of Hampden Twp., who served as the aircraft’s flight engineer, was on that mission and on many others."My job was to keep this plane going from point A to Point B," Brunner said. "It’s not a pretty airplane, but it did its job well. It was almost human," he said. "Sometimes I talked to her and said ’don’t lose an engine now.’ I absolutely loved it and would go back in a heartbeat if I could."Brig Gen. Eric Weller, wing commander, said Commando Solo II "carried our hopes, fears and dreams. It’s a loving link to the past and a bridge to our future."Retired Col. E. Thomas Kuhn of Camp Hill flew on it from 1976-2000 to Panama, Grenada, Haiti, Kosovo, Iraq during Desert Storm and more.

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"We did information warfare," he said. "We gave information that people needed to know. It seemed to break down at home, but did well in the line of duty." Retired Cmdr. Nicholas Bereschak of Derry Twp. flew it in the mid-1970s. Years later, his son Brian flew it too. Bereschak has three sons serving in Iraq.Two retired master sergeants, who worked on the aircraft as electronics combat systems operators, said seeing it Sunday brought back fond memories."When we were deployed, it never broke down," said Blaine Wiley of Dillsburg."We worked in the back," said Barry Wolfe of York, who spent 25 years flying on the aircraft. He recalled broadcasting over Haiti in the early 1990s when people were trying to flee the island in virtually anything that could float.We told them "to stay at home and not go out in the boats and drown," he said.Table of Contents

Experts Cast Doubts On Chinese Hacking ScareBy Rob O’Neill and Stephen Bell Auckland | Monday, 24 September, 2007Security experts are voicing their doubts about suggestions that China tried to hack New Zealand government IT systems, saying it is technically very difficult to identify the point of origin of such attacks. Peter Benson, chief executive of Auckland-based consultancy Security-assessment.com, says he is not convinced, and is more concerned about attacks against the New Zealand economy than the government. Benson says attacks may appear to come from developing nations, but this could be because technology is being deployed there at a great rate, with security being installed as an afterthought. “We have seen this in previous years, with attacks coming from Korea and other countries, and it appears [to be] directly related to the notion that the bad guys from anywhere are using the ‘easy ingress’ (developing nations) points from which to stage attacks,” he told Computerworld last week.“Whether these attacks are actually being driven by foreign governments would need a lot more proof for me to be convinced at this stage. Otherwise, as far as I am concerned, the attack is only coming from an IP address, with no real idea what is either behind that IP, or whether that IP is just a staging point.”New Zealand’s Security Intelligence Service director, Warren Tucker, in a rare media conference earlier this month, alleged that attacks from overseas, apparently from China, had succeeded in penetrating NZ government agency systems and copying information.China has denied the claims, which echo similar allegations coming out of the United States and from other governments.Benson says there has been a lot of fear, uncertainty and doubt over information warfare over the years. He says you can take nothing at face value on the internet. “I have seen hackers go through six or seven servers, across multiple countries, to get to their destination. So who is hacking who? How reliable is the information as to the actual source attack?” he asks.“These days, there are so many anonymising servers, and [there is] the ability to spoof or encrypt traffic from the real source, that tracking down the actual source of attacks is both problematic and sometimes impossible.”He adds that identifying whether an attack is state-sponsored or otherwise adds further complexity to the problem.Symantec’s security research leader, Vincent Weafer, doubts there is a specific rise in hacking attacks on the government. Rather, attackers “go after any organisation active online” and, in recent years, this has included a growing number of government agencies.

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The biggest drawback to such a penetration is that many companies can’t identify what’s been stolen, as their protection is dedicated to detecting and preventing intrusion, rather than the illicit export of data, says Weafer.There is evidence that a growing number of attacks are now targeted at specific installations that have potentially lucrative information to harvest, rather than making a broad sweep of the internet looking for vulnerable sites, as most hackers used to do, he says. But there is no persuasive evidence that government sites are being targeted in particular, much less that any such attacks are coming from overseas governments. This view is echoed by Benson.“I am more interested and worried about attacks against our economy, infrastructure-level attacks, or attacks against intellectual property (industrial espionage), than attacks against the New Zealand Government,” he says. “The vast majority of attacks that we see are not related to foreign governments, but are commercially driven.”Computerworld called Security Intelligence Service director Warren Tucker for comment, but was referred to the Government Communications Security Bureau. GCSB did not respond by press-time.Table of Contents

TrueSpeak RespondsPosted by Jim Guirard in SMallWarJournal.com on September 20, 2007 It has come to my attention that a Joint Staff memorandum by Information Operations analyst Stephen Coughlin describing the nefarious aspirations of the Muslim Brotherhood and other Salafi-Wahhabi-al Qaeda look-alikes has been circulated in the anti-Terrorism community -- and includes patently false inferences that I am somehow in collaboration with these self-proclaimed "Death to America" killers and hate-mongers.The outrageous charge is that my "Truespeak" efforts to promote a new truth-in-language glossary of terms for use in the "war of words" aspects of the broader War on al Qaeda-style Terrorism are being done in league with fomenters of suicide mass murder who, like Mr.Coughlin himself, insist on calling their atrocities "Jihadi Martyrdom" -- but which I propose to condemn as "Hirabah" (unholy war, forbidden "war against society") and as "Irhabi Murderdom" (terroristic genocide), instead.And for this effort on my part to remove the self-sanctifying "holy guy" legitimacy from AQ-style and al Sadr-style terrorism, one of the DoD's active-duty interpreters (name withheld here for reasons of courtesy) of this Coughlin document has concluded that:

"Exceptionally important in the analysis is the role of the "Truespeak" organization and Jim Guirard who has been arguing in DoD circles and academic institutions that the term jihad should be suspended from the GWOT lexicon to be replaced by hirabah. This analysis demonstrates that "Truespeak" contributors are part of the Muslim Brotherhood threat network, with the implication that this entire communication and lexicon effort is part of a strategic disinformation and denial and deception campaign."

The truth of the matter is that while I am trying to undermine bin Ladenism's self-canonizing language of "Jihad by mujahideen and martyrs destined for Paradise as a glorious reward for killing all of us infidels and for destroying The Great Satan," it is Mr. Coughlin and others of his persuasion in the Government, the media, the universities and elsewhere who are busy parroting and promoting this perverse AQ and Muslim Brotherhood narrative as the true face of Islam -- rather than as a satanic deviancy and an apostasy toward that religion.Contrary to current DoD, State and White House Doctrine, they seem to be arguing that the Real Enemy are not the Terrorists but Islam itself -- which is exactly the "war of religions" and the "America's War Against Islam" message that bin Laden is trying to sell in the Muslim World, as well. In the all-important “War of Ideas” and “War for Hearts, Minds and Souls,” that does not sound to me like a very bright idea at all. Some of these well-intentioned people – who are probably as anti-AQ as I am – cannot see the destructive illogic and even the “cognitive dissonance” of insistently defining bin Ladenism by

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exactly the same holy, godly and Paradise-bound labels by which UBL himself defines it – as does the Salafi-Wahhabi-Muslim Brotherhood conspiracy throughout. A Warning From Pat Moynihan and Fred IkleIn this "war of words" context, the admonitions of the late, great Senator Pat Moynihan and of Dr. Fred Charles Ikle (President Reagan's Under SecDef for Policy) about the dangers of "semantic infiltration" are extremely relevant. As Senator Moynihan defined the term and the problem in the early 1980's:

"Simply put, semantic infiltration is the process whereby we come to adopt the language of our adversaries in describing political reality. The most totalitarian regimes in the world call themselves 'liberation movements.' ...[substitute AQ's "Jihadi Martyrdom"] ... It is perfectly predictable that they should misuse words to conceal their real nature. But must we aid them in that effort by repeating those words? Worse, do we begin to influence our own perceptions by using them?"

For my most recent truth-in-language and truth-in-Islam recommendations as to how we might avoid those elements of "semantic infiltration" which favor the Terrorists and their politico-religious support groups here and abroad, please take a look at two recent articles in the always excellent SmallWarsJournal.com website, as follows:FIRST, a June 29, 2007 essay, entitled "David Kilcullen Calls for a New Lexicon," which can be found at the following URL -- and which lists and defines about a dozen Arabic and Islamic words which will finally begin to label the Terrorists as who they actually are, rather than as the "holy-guy martyrs" who Osama bin Laden and his ilk want them to be called.SECOND, an August 7, 2007 essay, entitled "Gen. James Mattis -- Attacking The Al Qaeda Narrative," which is based on Gen. Mattis' recent charge that AQ Terrorism is nothing but "tyranny in false religious garb" and which proposes a powerfully negative counter narrative to bin Ladenism's self-sanctifying narrative of so-called "Jihadi Martyrdom" -- by turning it into "Irhabi (terroristic) Murderdom" with a hot ticket to Hellfire, instead.ALSO, for a number of my earlier "war of words" and "war of ideas" essays published over the last three or four years in a variety of news outlets (including several in the DoD-funded Marshall Center's PTSS Daily Report from Garmish, Germany), please check my new Truespeak.org website.Selected Scholarly and Clerical Quotations re "Hirabah"Next, there is the matter of Mr. Coughlin's attacks on some of the quotations compiled in 2003-05 and cited in some of my writings. These are from a variety of Middle Eastern affairs experts and scholars of Islam in support of the "Hirabah" (unholy war, forbidden "war against society") by "mufsiduun" (evildoers, sinners, corrupters) destined for "Jahannam" (Eternal Hellfire) frame of reference -- which imagery, it seems to me, expresses a powerful and much needed disincentive to suicide mass murder. Three or four of these quotes did, indeed, come from Muslim-American individuals who are clearly "suspect" to Mr. Coughlin -- who quite erroneously suspects me, as well !! -- but whose sharp words of condemnation for AQ-style terrorism may be quite accurate and quite usable by our PsyOp, Information Operations and Public Diplomacy experts, nonetheless. And just because a valid and usable condemnation of Terrorism comes from some person or group whose anti-AQ bona fides are or once were questionable, this does not at all imply approval of or support for anything else that source might otherwise be doing. In fact, many of those organizations cited by Mr. Coughlin have been extensively investigated by Federal agencies and are in various stages of good-standing with the Government – the Holy Land Foundation, Hizb ut-Tahrir, CAIR and the MAS being among those which are either “guilty” or at least deserving of more serious scrutiny than they have thus far received by those Agencies which have authority in such matters. Indeed, the US Justice Department (which includes the FBI) had a major anti-terrorism booth at last week's annual convention of ISNA, the Islamic Society of North America -- from which one of the many quotations in support of the "Hirabah by mufsiduun" labeling came into my compendium about four years ago.

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After all, are we not looking -- in a Reaganesque "trust but verify" fashion, to be sure -- for a few significant defectors from the Salafi-Wahhabi-Saudi funding empire? Might not some of these people now be willing as faithful Muslims to revise their earlier thinking, to come to the defense of their own versions of Islam, and to oppose its wholesale take-over by UBL's, Hizballah’s, al Sadr’s and the Muslim Brotherhood’s evildoers (mufsiduun), hypocrites (munafiquun) and Slaves of Satan (abd'al-Shaitan)?A representative sampling of these quotes (some provided at my urging, some several years old with no guarantee that they would be repeated, some lifted from media reports but all sharply critical of terrorism in Islamic religious terms) are as follows:DR. ABDUL HAKIM (a.k.a. SHERMAN JACKSON), of the University of Michigan, points out in a major article about al Qaeda-style terrorism in the Fall 2001 issue of Muslim World: "In the end, however, Hirabah assumes its place as an effective super-category hovering above the entire criminal law as a possible remedy to be pressed into service for the more sensational, heinous or terrifying manifestations of these and other crimes. “In this capacity, Hirabah appears, again, to parallel the function of terrorism as an American legal category. Its function is not so much to define specific crimes but to provide a mechanism for heightening the scrutiny and/or level or pursuit and prosecution in certain cases of actual or potential public violence…“In sum, we may conclude that it is terror, or the spreading of fear and helplessness, that lies at the heart of Hirabah. From this perspective, Hirabah speaks to the same basic issue as does terrorism in American law. As mentioned earlier, however, Hirabah actually goes beyond the FBI definition of terrorism, inasmuch as Hirabah covers both directed and coincidental spreading of fear…. Hirabah, as it turns out, is [once was and should become again] the most severely punished crime in Islam, carrying mandatory criminal sanctions."PROF. AKBAR AHMED (Chair of Islamic Studies, American Univ.) “Properly understood, this is a war of ideas within Islam -- some of them faithful to authentic Islam, but some of them clearly un-Islamic and even blasphemous toward the peaceful and compassionate Allah of the Qur'an….. As a matter of truth-in-Islam, both the ideas and the actions they produce must be called what they actually are, beginning with the fact that al Qaeda's brand of suicide mass murder and its fomenting of hatred among races, religions and cultures do not constitute godly or holy "Jihad" -- but, in fact, constitute the heinous crime and sin of unholy "Hirabah”….. In its worst excesses, particularly in the wanton killing of innocents -- both non-Muslim and Muslim alike -- as a method of terrorizing the entire community, such ungodly "war against society" should be condemned as blasphemous and un-Islamic.”DR. AKHTAR EMON (President, Arabic Language Inst. Foundation) “Hirabah represents an Unholy War against innocent civilians. The truth stands clear from falsehood. Hirabah can never be confused as ‘Jihad’ (Holy War), as much as al-Qaeda would like to label their heinous acts against humanity as Jihad…. Hirabah is forbidden and sanctioned not only by the teachings of Qur’an, but also by the Bible and Torah – all three Abrahamic faiths (Islam, Judaism, and Christianity) agree on this, and so also other major faiths such as Buddhism, Hinduism, Sikhs, Zoroastrians, Bahai’s, and the New Age religions addressing “mind, body and soul”…. TrueSpeak efforts are highly commendable in educating the world citizenry with truth-in-language and expanding the lexicon e.g., to distinguish a good guy with a bad guy (mufsidoon), a good act with an act of blasphemy (tajdeef), etc.”DR. SAYYID M. SYEED (Sec. General, Islamic Society of N. America, ISNA) “The Quran and the sayings of the prophet emphatically distinguish the term jihad from Hirabah, a destructive act of rebellion committed against God and mankind. Hirabah is an act of terrorism, a subversive act inflicted by an individual or a gang of individuals, breaking the established norms of peace, civic laws, treaties, agreements, moral and ethical codes…. Whereas different forms of jihad are highly commendable acts of virtue, Hirabah is recognized as a despicable crime. A mujahid (someone who performs acts of jihad) is respected and recognized as a person with high spiritual ranking in this life and promised paradise and eternal bliss in the hereafter. But individuals and groups indulging in

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Hirabah are condemned as criminals, subjected to severe deterrent punishments under Islamic law and warned of far more punishment and humiliation in the life after life.”DR. RADWAN A. MASMOUDI (President, Center for the Study of Islam and Democracy) "The war against society and innocent civilians that Usama Ben Laden is calling for is not Jihad. To the contrary, it is a forbidden and un-Islamic war (Hirabah) which is counter to all the values and teachings of Islam. This is a crime against innocent civilians and therefore a crime against humanity. In Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh), there is no justification for killing innocent people."IMAM YAHYA HENDI (Muslim Imam, Georgetown University, interview, Feb. 7, 2003) – “I believe that terrorism has no religion. And violence has no faith. Violence is violence, and terrorism is terrorism, whether they are conducted by Jews or Christians, Muslims, Baharis — any of those communities, and they have to be condemned. .... Any religion cannot support terrorism. But can a religion be used to promote terrorism? Of course. And I think all of our religious communities — within the Jewish community, within the Christian community, within the Muslim community — we all have done so. And that has to be rejected. ... I mean, the Arabic word for terrorism is hirabah. And it is a term that was developed about 1,000 years ago by Muslim jurists … Hirabah means what I mentioned, the three types of terrorism, either [sponsored by] states, government or individuals … And it was condemned by Islamic jurists those hundreds of years [ago].”IMAM TAMMAM ADI, PhD. (Director, Islamic Cultural Ctr – Eugene, Oregon): “International terrorism claims to be fighting a jihad against followers of the Gospel and the Torah, a jihad that ends in ‘martyrdom,’ despite murder and suicide. But this is a flawed understanding. Interestingly, the verse following the Quran’s definition of mosque-exploiting Hirabah (9:111) defines true jihad and true martyrdom. It says that the Torah, the Gospel and the Quran all promise paradise to believers who fight, not against each other, but for God’s cause (i.e., to defend the weak). The masterminds of international terrorism are not fighting a jihad, they are Hirabah thugs…….The Quran also speaks of international terrorism that exploits religion (9:107-110). "False religious organizations are created only as outposts for terror masterminds (Hirabah veterans) who will sabotage and destabilize communities, cause faithlessness and insecurity and instigate clashes between faith communities, maybe so far as a clash of civilizations. Fortunately, the verses tell us that this plot is very fragile, built on the crumbling edge of a mud hill and bound to collapse with the plotters into Hell.”PROF. SEYYED HOSSEIN NASR (George Washington University Professor of Islamic Studies) "The usage of technical terms especially those with religious connotations must be done with the greatest care for such terms evoke the deepest responses in the human soul. In the present context of the world situation it is essential to understand the authentic meaning of such terms as Jihad, Shahada and Hirabah. It is important to understand the authentic Islamic interpretations of each term and to clarify where and how they can be used in a truthful manner. It is especially important to understand clearly the meaning of Jihad in all its different dimensions and its difference from Hirabah. To speak truthfully about such terms is itself a major step towards better understating between the Islamic world and the West and also within the Islamic world and deeper comprehension of crucial concepts and ideas and the nature of actions based upon them within the Islamic world itself."PROF. KHALED ABOU EL FADL, Islamic legal scholar of UCLA and author of the highly esteemed book “Rebellion and Violence in Islamic Law” (Cambridge University Press, 2001), clearly and authoritatively defines the sin and crime of Hirabah as "killing by stealth and targeting a defenseless victim in a way intended to cause terror in society." And more recently in his highly acclaimed 2005 book, "The Great Theft: Wrestling Islam from the Extremists," Professor El Fadl points out that the al Qaeda-style killers and their apologists "entirely ignore the Qur'anic teaching that the act of destroying or spreading ruin on this earth is one of the gravest sins possible -- fasad fi al-ard, which means to corrupt the earth by destroying the beauty of creation. "This is considered an ultimate act of blasphemy against God. Those who corrupt the earth by destroying lives, property and nature are designated as mufsiduun (corruptors and evildoers) who,

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in effect, wage war against God by dismantling the very fabric of existence... the crime is called Hirabah (waging war against society)."Others also under attack -- and eventually Mattis and Petraeus, as well ???Finally, please be aware that both in the Government sector and the media, not only I but several of my scholarly colleagues (Dr. Michael Waller of the Institute for World Politics, Dr. Doug Streussand of the Marine Corps Staff and Officers College, Col. Harry Tunnell of the National Defense University and, quite significantly, Dr. David Kilcullen while he was on General Petraeus' senior staff in Baghdad) have all been severely chastised for wandering off the "Jihadi Martyrdom" Reservation.And sooner or later, both General David Petraeus and Marine Corps General Jim Mattis -- the two signatories of the new Counterinsurgency Field Manual -- are likely to be targeted. Both men are moving slowly and prudently toward challenging what Gen. Mattis calls the "false religious garb" in which AQ Terrorism is masking itself, and of doing so not in Western secular terms only but in Qur'an-compatible Islamic religious words, as well.As these terms appear in one of the SmallWarsJournal.com articles recommended above, here are a baker's dozen of such terms -- which the S-W-MB-AQ conspiracy does not even want us to know, much less to begin using in stripping the pseudo-Islamic hides off of bin Ladenism and al Sadrism and their bloodthirsty killers.Unfortunately, even after six years of this War on Terrorism, there is still no USG-designed and approved work-a-day glossary of Arabic and Islamic terms anywhere in the Government. This is primarily because any such glossary would have to include several sensitive Islamic religious words which, to date, we have chosen to avoid entirely rather than to use correctly.Notice, please, that rather than removing the word "Jihad" from the New Lexicon as the DoD critics charge, I have included it FOUR TIMES -- with a simple appeal that when it is used at all, it should be used appropriately and truthfully and, when necessary, in quotation marks, rather than parroted in ways which polish bin Ladinism's halo and relegate us to the status of "infidels" and of "The Great Satan." irhab (eer-HAB) -- Arabic for terrorism, thus enabling us to call the al Qaeda-style killers irhabis, irhabists and irhabiyoun rather than the so-called "jihadis" and "jihadists" and "mujahideen" and "shahids" (martyrs) they badly want to be called. (An appropriate use of this word changes AQ's "Jihadi Martyrdom" into "Irhabi (terroristic) Murderdom," instead.) Hirabah (hee-RAH-bah) -- Unholy War and forbidden "war against society" or what we would today call crimes against humanity. Among the many al Qaeda-style crimes and sins which constitute this most "unholy war" are such willful, and unrepented transgressions as those enumerated in the next section of this proposed glossary of terms.Jihad al Akbar (gee-HAHD ahl AHK-bar) -- this "Greater Jihad" is a personal and spiritual struggle or striving to become closer and more faithful to Allah and his teachings as set forth in the Qur'an.Jihad al Saghir (gee-HAHD ahl sahg-HEER) -- "Lesser Jihad" can be a physical -- and even a military -- struggle to protect or to free Muslims and non-Muslims from oppression, but only in strict accordance with reasonable and non-terroristic standards set forth in the Qur'an, which provides that only the Caliph (or head-of-state?) can legally declare such a Jihad. Osama bin Laden is neither.Jihad al Kabir (gee-HAHD ahl kha-BEER) -- the spiritual and intellectual quest to promote common knowledge of Divine Revelation through all of Islam's Prophets and to carry out ijtihad (consultative efforts throughout the Umma) in applying both Revelation and Natural Law -- and Reason -- to human affairs. (Taken to the extreme, even this essentially non-military version of the struggle is used to rationalize the worldwide Fascist-Left Caliphate envisioned by an imperialist and "istihlal" (playing God) Osama bin Laden.)"Jihad" (gee-HAHD, so called) -- al Qaeda's false label for both Irhab and Hirabah, which is at heart an anti-Islamic, apostate and forbidden "war against society" and a clearly satanic assortment of "crimes against humanity."mufsiduun (moof-see-DOON) -- Islam's word for evildoers, sinners and corrupters whose criminality and sinfulness, unless ended and sincerely repented, will incur Allah’s ultimate condemnation on Judgment Day; this is Islam's optimum antonym for "mujahideen."

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munafiquun (moon-ah-fee-KOON) -- hypocrites to Islam who pretend to be faithful to the Qur'an but who willfully violate many of its basic rules, mandates and prohibitions -- killing of innocents, fomenting suicide for purposes of intimidation, desecrating bodies, spreading hatred and envy, destroying other Muslims' mosques, issuing unauthorized fatwas, etc.hizb (hizb) - a political party, as in Hizballah (Party of God), or as the senior Saudi cleric Sheik Jafar Hawali recently called this radical and arguably apostate Shi’a organization Hizb al-Shaitan (Party of Satan, Party of the Devil).Jahannam (jyah-HAH-nahm) – Islam’s antonym for Paradise and meaning the Eternal Hellfire to which Allah on Judgment Day condemns unrepentant, unforgiven evildoers and hypocrites of the unholy war variety.khawarij (kha-WAH-reej) -- outside-the-religion and outside-the-community deviants and activities; derived from the ancient al Qaeda-like militant Khawar or Kharajite cult, who were eventually suppressed and expelled as apostates and enemies of Islam.istihlal (eesh-tee-LAHL) -- Islam's cardinal sin of "playing God," as Osama bin Laden is doing when he attempts to pervert Islam into his own murderous image, and turning it into nothing but a killing machine -- of all Christians, all Jews and all Muslims who disagree.irtidad (eer-tee-TAHD) or ridda (REE-dah) -- apostasy, a certifiably correct conviction for which is often punishable by death in this life and by Allah's eternal damnation in the next, with al Qaeda's murderous extremism eventually to be labeled "The al Qaeda Apostasy."takfir (tahk-FEER) -- the Wahhabi and al Qaeda-style practice of making false accusations of apostasy and disbelief toward Allah and the Qur'an. Radicals, absolutists and judgmental fanatics who engage in this divisive practice of false excommunication are called "takfiri."Shaitan and shaitani (shy-TAHN and shy-TAHN-ee) – Islam’s Arabic words for Satan and satanic [example: Osama Abd'al-Shaitan, Osama Slave or Servant of Satan]IN CONCLUSION, in reviewing these and other Arabic and Islamic terms, we should not imagine ourselves using them quickly, expertly, loudly or in a fashion of pontificating or of lecturing to any audience -- particularly Muslim audiences. But we should at least understand them well enough -- one word at a time if necessary -- to know which ones will serve our purposes and which ones are to be avoided because they are preserving and enhancing the legitimacy of the "Irhabi Murderdom" likes of Osama bin Laden, Moqtada al-Sadr and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.Only then can we begin designing strategies, operations and tactics which will, at long last, begin to define these hyena-like suicide mass murderers, rather than America and the West, as the real and everlasting enemies of authentic, Qur'anic Islam -- which, despite all of its many faults, the Terrorists are trying to pervert into something immeasurably worse: namely, nothing but a perpetual killing machine of all Christians, all Jews and all peaceful and compassionate Muslims who dare to disagree. Assuming an effective use of the new words identified above, please imagine how difficult it would be for the IrhabiFascists to recruit the suicidal zealotry of young Muslims – or the support of any faithful Muslims whatever – once their forbidden Hirabah (Unholy War) and their de facto apostasy against a "peaceful, compassionate, merciful and just" Allah of the Qur'an have been recognized as such. And even how much more difficult will their satanic mission become once the young suicide bombers are perceived -- and begin to perceive themselves -- not as heroic mujahideen and martyrs destined for a virgin-filled Paradise but as mufsiduun (evildoers, mortal sinners) and as khawarij (outside-the-religion deviants) who are quite likely being led by bin Ladenism into a demon-filled Jahannam (Eternal Hellfire), instead. Might this not be the powerful Islamic disincentive – the optimum antidote -- to suicide mass murder for which we are all so desperately searching?Table of Contents

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Air Force Activates Provisional Cyber CommandBy Ana Radelat, Shreveport Times, 19 Sep 07 ARLINGTON, Va. — At a celebration of the Air Force's 60th birthday Tuesday, Air Force Secretary Michael Wynne moved forward on the service's Cyber Command, officially activating it as a provisional unit with its headquarters, for now, at Barksdale Air Force Base.In a speech to airmen and officers, Wynne said the Air Force must "defeat emerging threats," especially enemy attacks on U.S. communications and computer systems."To ensure our success in this domain, we are standing up a new command ... and we wish it well."Not long after that, Haughton's Dale Whipple, who served in the Air Force during one of its earliest and biggest successes, the Berlin Airlift, had an opportunity to corner Wynne and ask him about the new command."I mentioned 'We'd love to have it in our area,'" Whipple said in a call to The Times. "And he said 'Provisionally, it's there.' So I don't know. We'll just have to see what comes up."As reported in The Times on Sunday, a two-star general soon will be named to manage the command in its gestation period at Barksdale. About 150 people would report to that general — mainly technology experts who now work for the Air Force Communications Agency at Scott Air Force Base in Illinois — but most would not physically leave their current posts.The commander of the provisional headquarters would report directly to Wynne through Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley.This would allow 8th Air Force commander Lt. Gen. Robert J. Elder and his staff to focus on their job as cyber operational headquarters for the Air Force component to Strategic Command for cyber and global strike."Provisional" is a word the military uses carefully."A provisional unit is a temporary unit organized to perform a specific task," Elder says in e-mail to The Times. "It is considered temporary because it does not have personnel assigned. The personnel are instead 'attached' to the unit, which means that they remain administratively assigned to their current units. This provisional unit has been established to stand up the permanent major command and to develop Air Force Cyber program inputs for Fiscal Year '10."But while the provisional major command status allows 8th Air Force to focus on operational issues, it doesn't remove the storied command from the cutting edge of cyber issues."As the secretary of the Air Force said at the 60th anniversary dinner, there is no change in 8th Air Force's role as the Air Force focal point for cyber operations," Elder said. "The stand-up of the provisional Cyber major command ensures that cyber can compete for resources in the Air Force corporate process on an equal footing with the other major commands."The new command's mission will be to protect the nation from attacks on its electronic and informational systems. The command would also develop the capability to attack enemy computer and communications systems."We dominate the air, we dominate space, we want to dominate cyberspace, but I don't think we do that right now," Wynne told reporters at the anniversary celebration.Loren Thompson, a defense analyst with the Lexington Institute, said bureaucracy will slow the final decisions. But he's confident the Air Force wants to permanently hand over control of the major new mission to the 8th Air Force, which has its headquarters at Barksdale. "And it's a big deal for the Air Force because it represents a major new mission in which the Air Force will be the lead agency for the Defense Department.More details about the new command are expected at the Air Force Association conference scheduled Monday through Sept. 26 in Washington, D.C.In a memorandum sent out Monday, Wynne said the target date for a permanent Cyber Command is Oct. 1, 2008.Barksdale is the only base that has been named to date in association with the new command, and the Air Force has not gone on record naming any bases as possible sites for the permanent entity.

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"While a number of basing locations for a permanent command staff are being considered and evaluated, no final decisions have been made," said Maj. Gen. Charles Ickes, an Air Force officer in charge of operations and planning. "The Air Force is already executing the day-to-day cyber mission. The stand-up of this command will align these functions under one commander."Wynne said Barkdale's performance as the interim headquarters will be carefully evaluated. But he declined to say whether the Louisiana base is the front-runner to permanently host cyber command headquarters.The command's prestige and high-paying tech jobs have created heated competition for its headquarters. Communities near Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska, Beale Air Force Base in California, Lackland Air Force Base in Texas and Langley Air Force Base in Virginia also are lobbying for the base.But local planners see the assets the Air Force already is using at Barksdale, at the people and assets that have been moved here over the past year and at their own efforts in creating a $100 million Cyber Innovation Center they hope to break ground on soon on 58 acres just north of the base. They have heard nothing in remarks over the past week that has dashed their hopes."The comments made today by Secretary Wynne are along the same lines we heard last Wednesday night during his visit here," said Bill Altimus, Bossier Parish administrator, Bossier Parish District 9 police juror and one of the driving forces behind setting up the Cyber Innovation Center to complement Cyber Command."We're 100 percent confident this process is the initiation of the process to bring together things necessary to stand up the major command," Bossier City attorney Jimmy Hall said, noting it's standard practice to start with a provisional command, then go to an operational command and then to a final, functional command."There's no possibility that ultimately we won't be named as the major command."Retired U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Peyton Cole is perhaps best known locally as a former 2nd Bomb Wing commander. But before that, he worked in Washington on several assignments, including as a liaison between the Air Force and Congress."It's just about totally political," he said of the process involved. "I've seen these decisions based on a whim, big time."He said as one example that B-1 bombers originally intended for a base in Michigan were moved to a base in Texas after an Air Force official got a heated grilling from a Michigan lawmaker.As for final Cyber Command siting here, "that decision has probably not been made yet," Cole said. "And they will keep that very close to their vest until final announcement will be made."Local planners are confident that Cyber Command will eventually be based here permanently, but at the same time don't want to succumb to cockiness or overconfidence.Craig Spohn, the Cyber Innovation's newly hired director, noted that many of the essential elements of Cyber Command already are here and call Barksdale home."The Cyber Command, for our purposes, is here in the Air Force Network Operations Center and the Cyber Combat Development Center," he said.Add to that Cyber Strike, 8th Air Force's alter ego in the cyber realm."Cyber is here and we're proceeding with all due haste to support that mission," he said.Table of Contents

Understanding Al-Qaeda's Pakistan PSYOP and InsurgencyThe Troubling Effectiveness of al-Qaeda's PSYOP On The Pakistani ArmyBy Steve Schippert, ThreatsWatch.Org, 25 Sep 2007 Going forward in the global conflict before us, it is important to acknowledge and understand that al-Qaeda is currently engaged in an Information Operation (IO) campaign inside Pakistan. This is in addition to its efforts to gain influence outside of Pakistan, particularly with Muslims in Europe, the Middle East and in the US. The primary target of the Pakistan campaign is the Pakistani military and

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it is driven by al-Qaeda’s accelerating insurgency inside Pakistan. Understanding how and why al-Qaeda has undertaken this effort allows decision makers greater understanding of al-Qaeda’s aims and equips them with a ‘lay of the land’ required to counter al-Qaeda’s message and objectives.Usama bin Laden’s latest recorded message is the third in just two weeks following three years of virtual silence from the al-Qaeda leader. In it, bin Laden calls on Pakistani Muslims to acknowledge that Musharraf’s actions are examples of his loyalty to the United States and representative of his unbelief. For bin Laden and his compatriots, such unbelief marks Musharraf as ‘kufr’ and places the requirement on believers to make “armed rebellion against him.” The misguided understanding that bin Laden and al-Qaeda have of Islam makes it obligatory to fight against those who rule outside of their interpretation of Islam, and its overly broad application of tawhid. Yet bin Laden crafts a different message for the Pakistani Army, whom he advises to “resign” from their jobs, “disassociate yourself from Pervez and his Shirk (polytheism)” and “enter anew into Islam.” There is a reason for this, which will be discussed below.Ayman al-Zawahiri’s latest video message and bin Laden’s audio message, released on the same day, mark as-Sahab’s 77th and 78th propaganda productions this year alone. There is a clear shifting of gears in the al-Qaeda Information Operations, most notably within Pakistan as well as their international efforts surrounding the 6th anniversary of the September 11th attacks.Before looking further into the al-Qaeda Pakistani IO campaign, we must address the al-Qaeda-Taliban insurgency actively ongoing in Pakistan. al-Qaeda in Pakistan - From Terrorism to InsurgencyThere is, of course, no single agreed upon definition of terrorism. Terrorism is defined in the US Code of Federal Regulations as “…the unlawful use of force and violence against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives.” (28 C.F.R. Section 0.85) For instance, terrorism is – among other things - a tactic employed to increase support for a group through inspiration while also decreasing effective resistance to the group through intimidation. An example of this type of terrorism would be the beheading of those deemed to be ‘spies’ for the Americans in South Waziristan, the multiple car bomb and rocket attacks, or the anti-aircraft assassination attempts on Musharraf. Additionally, the bombings that took place after the Pakistani government raid on Lal Masjid (the Red Mosque) are an example of the use of terror to gain influence. No matter the definition of terrorism being applied, al-Qaeda has clearly been a terrorist organization in Pakistan. Beyond Pakistan, Al-Qaeda seeks to – in part - influence American foreign policy through terrorist means. But within Pakistan, al-Qaeda has clearly and by specific design transformed from being simply a dangerous international terrorist group within Pakistan to a full-fledged internal insurgency against it. This transformation is represented through the efforts of al-Qaeda to acquire the armored assets of a state Army and its nuclear weapons, as well as the pursuit of land holdings to be integrated into the larger objective of creating an Islamic state to be ruled by a successor to the Prophet, a Khalifa or Caliph, nearly 1350 years after the last of the ‘rightly guided’ rulers.An insurgency is a movement with specific governmental designs on the host country. In Countering Evolved Insurgent Networks, Col. Thomas X. Hammes (USMC, Ret.) quotes Bard O’Neill to define an insurgency. O’Neill wrote, “Insurgency may be defined as a struggle between a nonruling group and the ruling authorities in which the nonruling group consciously uses political resources (e.g., organizational expertise, propaganda, and demonstrations) and violence to destroy, reformulate, or sustain the basis of one or more aspects of politics.”In more accessible terms, Terrorism-Research.com offers that the ultimate goal of an insurgency “is to challenge the existing government for control of all or a portion of its territory, or force political concessions in sharing political power.”Both aptly describe al-Qaeda’s actions, operations and aims within Pakistan, a ready-made nuclear power which the terrorist group seeks to wrest complete control. Perhaps the best way to describe al-Qaeda’s Pakistan insurgency is to call it a “Death by a Thousand Cuts.” They have openly sought not only the assassination of Pervez Musharraf, but also the demise – or reconfiguration – of the Pakistani national government. In a strategy that has been

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executed with remarkable patience, al-Qaeda has gained acknowledged control of several sizable territories in Pakistan’s Federally Administered Tribal Areas. After defeating Pakistani forces on the battlefield, the Taliban-al-Qaeda alliance have secured various ‘peace accords’ replete with concessions from the Musharraf government. Effective control of North Waziristan, South Waziristan, Bajour and Swat have been ceded to them and Pakistani forces were – upon agreement – effectively withdrawn from the areas handed the Taliban-al-Qaeda alliance through the accords. The accords, no matter how presented by the Musharraf government, represented abject defeat.Al-Qaeda Insurgency: Destination - IslamabadDomination in these territories has allowed al-Qaeda the haven necessary to rebuild its training and planning infrastructure as well as replenish its human resources. After a few short weeks of basic military training, Taliban conscripts are sent in waves across the border to battle US and Coalition forces in Afghanistan. However, al-Qaeda has no designs on investing in regaining that territory. There are no resources for them there – and a more formidable, if reduced, military force to be reckoned with. One whose defeat of the terrorist group drove them into Pakistan’s border regions to begin with. Al-Qaeda’s designs are not back towards the west, but rather onward deeper into the heart of Pakistan.While al-Qaeda’s Pakistan insurgency has been largely waged in the FATA region, it’s territorial aims are by no means limited to it. Rather, al-Qaeda seeks control of all of Pakistan, including its military, weapons and economic capabilities. Al-Qaeda has been executing this strategy one territory, one victory at a time. And it now closes in on Islamabad. Indeed, an analysis by the Pakistani Interior Ministry warned Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf of precisely this. The New York Times reported that the 15-page internal Pakistani document warned Musharraf that “the influence of the extremists is swiftly bleeding east and deeper into his own country, threatening areas like Peshawar, Nowshera and Kohat, which were considered to be safeguarded by Pakistani government forces.” The Interior Ministry document said that Peshewar endures the “highest number of terrorist incidents, including attacks on local police,” and that in Bannu and Tank regions, police are “patronizing the local Taliban and have abdicated the role of law and order.” It is important to note that Peshewar is the capital of the North West Frontier Province (NWFP). Much of the Pakistani government, non-Islamist educators, officials and police forces live inside heavily armed and walled communities in the NWFP, where they are more safe from al-Qaeda attack. The NWFP borders the Federally Administered Tribal Areas under direct Taliban-al-Qaeda control on one side and the Pakistani capital of Islamabad on the other. The rising violence is a clear indicator of the expansion of al-Qaeda’s insurgency as it marches patiently but steadily toward Islamabad. As evidenced by bin Laden’s latest message, that patience may be nearing an end.Usama bin Laden’s latest message implored the Pakistani public to take up arms against Musharraf and warned the army’s soldiers to break ranks and fight Musharraf with al-Qaeda rather than serve him. This is a sign that al-Qaeda’s patient approach to its Pakistan insurgency has run its course. There could be a maelstrom of events to follow in Pakistan.AQ Targets Police for Violence and Army Soldiers for InfluenceThe al-Qaeda Information Operation (IO) is designed to support the insurgency’s incremental march on Islamabad. The key to understanding the al-Qaeda IO and its insurgency goals is to understand how al-Qaeda primarily targets Pakistani Interior Ministry forces (police, constabularies and the Frontier Corps) for physical attack while targeting Pakistani regular army forces for influence and subversion.The persistent mention of Pakistani police forces – rather than Pakistani Army forces – is expected in any Pakistani Interior Ministry report, as the Police forces fall under the Interior. But Pakistani police forces also decidedly bear the brunt of al-Qaeda’s lethal attacks and not the Pakistani Army. It’s not that al-Qaeda and their indigenous Taliban allies cannot attack the Pakistani Army with expectations of success. They most certainly can and have. With bin Laden’s latest audio message delivering a combination invitation and ultimatum to Pakistani Army soldiers, al-Qaeda’s designs for the

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Pakistani Army are more clearly visible. The reason for attacking Pakistani police forces is two-fold and – in this writer’s view - also the most elusive and yet perhaps most important indicator of the ongoing al-Qaeda insurgency. First, the Interior Ministry is widely regarded as the one segment of the Pakistani government with unwavering loyalty to Musharraf, whom al-Qaeda has sought to assassinate several times. Unlike the military and the military’s intelligence arm (ISI), the Pakistani police forces, constabularies and Frontier Corps of the Interior Ministry do not have historical ties to Islamist groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba, al-Qaeda and the Taliban. Interior Ministry loyalty to Musharraf makes their ranks logical targets for the Islamists who seek to kill and replace Musharraf atop an Islamist-run Pakistani government.Secondly, and most importantly, al-Qaeda at the same time seeks to avoid open bloody conflict with the Army. Not because it fears the deadly consequences of such a confrontation, but rather because al-Qaeda senior leadership wants the Pakistani military intact – for themselves. Ideally, they do not want to ultimately find Musharraf killed or oustered only to have the military splintered internally between pro-government and pro-al-Qaeda commanders. Al-Qaeda is executing an insurgency to gain control, not to touch off a civil war. In the end, al-Qaeda’s design is also to co-opt an intact military in order to gain command of a military force with the assets of a state (aircraft, armor, etc.) and direct control of Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal. Recent reports of defections of Pakistani military elements since bin Laden’s latest message to them indicates a level of success in the al-Qaeda IO campaign targeting them. Measuring al-Qaeda’s PSYOP SuccessThree weeks ago, well over 200 Pakistani Army soldiers surrendered to a much smaller number of fighters from the Taliban-al-Qaeda alliance without a shot fired. But the al-Qaeda IO campaign primarily targeting the Pakistani regular army forces has a spillover effect on other forces - and the general populace - as well. It is reported in Pakistan that many soldiers in the Pakistani Army, Frontier Corps paramilitary and police forces are refusing to fight or putting up little fight against their own countrymen inside the Federally Administered Tribal Area.It is difficult to dispute the success of al-Qaeda’s Psychological Warfare efforts inside Pakistan. The message has been consistent for several years and al-Qaeda’s patience and restraint in seeing it through are significant qualities of the terrorist organization turned insurgent group. With every message and in all their forms, al-Qaeda has sought to convince the Army soldiers that they are not al-Qaeda’s enemy, rather that they are simply being misled by Musharraf. In bin Laden’s latest message, he said of the Pakistani Army, “we see the armies becoming tools and weapons in the hands of the Kuffaar [unbeliever, referencing Musharraf and the US] against the Muslims.” This message resonates, as many Pakistanis are reluctant to take up arms against other Pakistanis, whether those they would confront are Taliban or al-Qaeda or not. It must also be considered that upwards of 30% of the Pakistani Army are, like the Taliban, ethnic Pashtuns. The vast majority of them are enlisted foot soldiers, as very few ethnic Pashtuns hold leadership positions, largely due to internal social and educational dynamics.Even among the Pakistani police forces in the North West Frontier Province, many are said to have requested leave or simply deserted when faced with the outlook of deadly confrontations with fellow Pakistanis among the Taliban-al-Qaeda alliance. In other instances, including the Interior Ministry’s report that specifically cited the Bannu and Tank regions, police are “patronizing the local Taliban and have abdicated the role of law and order.” Where True Power Lies…And GrowsThis is an indication that fear is also a prime motivator among Pakistanis. In the North West Frontier Province capital of Peshawar, al-Qaeda’s black banner of jihad can be seen displayed in the widows of many shops and flying in various places. This does not necessarily mean that there is explicit support in the hearts and minds of all Pakistanis there – even among those flying the al-Qaeda banner. Though Peshewar and the rest of the NWFP are technically under Pakistani state control, this indicates a reflection among the populace of where the true power lies – outside the walled

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communities where many government employees and ‘moderate’ citizens take refuge. In many cases, the al-Qaeda banner may well be flown simply out of self-protection to avoid attack on their particular shops. The police cannot protect everyone all the time, but al-Qaeda and the Taliban can attack at their choosing. And from a local’s perspective, this is where the true power lies. And as more and more Pakistanis in the police forces, the Frontier Corps and the regular army begin to show a reluctance to do battle, the al-Qaeda power in these region grows, both in measurable means on the ground and within the minds of the Pakistani populace.Such are the tangible gains of effective, persistent and robust al-Qaeda information operations, a classic PSYOP directed at both the Pakistani population writ large and also expressly directed at the Pakistani Army. As a result, Pakistani forces are engaging al-Qaeda and the Taliban less and less. In fact, President Musharraf announced that in 2008, there will be no Pakistani Army activity at all in al-Qaeda-held territory, deferring engagement to the less capable and less effective Frontier Corps and Pakistani police and constabularies. ConclusionsThe growing success of this long running al-Qaeda PSYOP makes it clear that the defeat of al-Qaeda and the elimination of their global headquarters in Pakistan will not come from Pakistani sources or initiative. As with so many other theaters in this global conflict, the initiative must again come directly from the United States. The American public and American political leaders must prepare themselves for the reality that, at this stage, defeating al-Qaeda in Pakistan most likely requires American boots on Pakistani soil.The continued disengagement from the fight by Pakistani military forces unwilling to combat terrorists and insurgents within their own country is indeed troubling. President Musharraf’s recent decision to fully disengage and withdraw his most capable combat forces from the Federally Administered Tribal Areas by January 2008 certainly does not bode well for continued distanced engagement or non-engagement by American forces. In the end, defeating al-Qaeda in Pakistan will require direct American military action on the ground. The alternative is to accept the consequences of a strengthening al-Qaeda insurgency that is gaining momentum. There can therefore be little debate that al-Qaeda and its global headquarters in Pakistan must be defeated before they consume Pakistan and the assets of a nuclear-armed state with professional military forces. The first step is an effective IO strategy of our own to counter this very powerful aspect of the insurgency. At current, only Pervez Musharraf openly engages the Taliban-al-Qaeda alliance in the war of words and ideas within Pakistan. Unfortunately, these efforts amount to little given his poor domestic credibility. More Pakistani voices are required, and they must address the Pakistani people, bottom up, in a credible manner.Table of Contents

Sources: Staged Cyber Attack Reveals Vulnerability in Power GridBy Jeanne Meserve, CNN, 27 September 2007WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Researchers who launched an experimental cyber attack caused a generator to self-destruct, alarming the federal government and electrical industry about what might happen if such an attack were carried out on a larger scale, CNN has learned.Sources familiar with the experiment said the same attack scenario could be used against huge generators that produce the country's electric power. Some experts fear bigger, coordinated attacks could cause widespread damage to electric infrastructure that could take months to fix.CNN has honored a request from the Department of Homeland Security not to divulge certain details about the experiment, dubbed "Aurora," and conducted in March at the Department of Energy's Idaho labIn a previously classified video of the test CNN obtained, the generator shakes and smokes, and then stops.

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DHS acknowledged the experiment involved controlled hacking into a replica of a power plant's control system. Sources familiar with the test said researchers changed the operating cycle of the generator, sending it out of control. Watch the generator shake and start to smoke »The White House was briefed on the experiment, and DHS officials said they have since been working with the electric industry to devise a way to thwart such an attack."I can't say it [the vulnerability] has been eliminated. But I can say a lot of risk has been taken off the table," said Robert Jamison, acting undersecretary of DHS's National Protection and Programs Directorate.Government sources said changes are being made to both computer software and physical hardware to protect power generating equipment. And the Nuclear Regulatory Commission said it is conducting inspections to ensure all nuclear plants have made the fix.Industry experts also said the experiment shows large electric systems are vulnerable in ways not previously demonstrated."What people had assumed in the past is the worst thing you can do is shut things down. And that's not necessarily the case. A lot of times the worst thing you can do, for example, is open a valve -- have bad things spew out of a valve," said Joe Weiss of Applied Control Solutions."The point is, it allows you to take control of these very large, very critical pieces of equipment and you can have them do what you want them to do," he said.Adding to the vulnerability of control systems, many of them are manufactured and used overseas. Persons at manufacturing plants overseas have access to control system schematics and even software program passwords, industry experts say.Weiss and others hypothesize that multiple, simultaneous cyber-attacks on key electric facilities could knock out power to a large geographic area for months, harming the nation's economy."For about $5 million and between three to five years of preparation, an organization, whether it be transnational terrorist groups or nation states, could mount a strategic attack against the United States," said O. Sami Saydjari of the nonprofit Professionals for Cyber Defense.Economist Scott Borg, who produces security-related data for the federal government, projects that if a third of the country lost power for three months, the economic price tag would be $700 billion."It's equivalent to 40 to 50 large hurricanes striking all at once," Borg said. "It's greater economic damage than any modern economy ever suffered. ... It's greater then the Great Depression. It's greater than the damage we did with strategic bombing on Germany in World War II."Computer experts have long warned of the vulnerability of cyber attacks, and many say the government is not devoting enough money or attention to the matter."We need to get on it, and get on it quickly," said former CIA Director James Woolsey on Tuesday. Woolsey, along with other prominent computer and security experts, signed a 2002 letter to President Bush urging a massive cyber-defense program."Fast and resolute mitigating action is needed to avoid a national disaster," the letter said.But five years later, there is no such program. Federal spending on electronic security is projected to increase slightly in the coming fiscal year, but spending in the Department of Homeland Security is projected to decrease to less than $100 million, with only $12 million spent to secure power control systems.Despite all the warnings and worry, there has not been any publicly known successful cyber-attack against a power plant's control system. And electric utilities have paid more attention to electronic risks than many other industries, adopting voluntary cyber-standards."Of all our industries, there are only a couple -- perhaps banking and finance and telecommunications -- that have better cyber-security or better security in general then electric power," Borg said.And DHS notes that it uncovered the vulnerability discovered in March, and is taking steps with industry to address it.

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While acknowledging some vulnerability, DHS's Jamison said "several conditions have to be in place. ... You first have to gain access to that individual control system. [It] has to be a control system that is vulnerable to this type of attack.""You have to have overcome or have not enacted basic security protocols that are inherent on many of those systems. And you have to have some basic understanding of what you're doing. How the control system works and what, how the equipment works in order to do damage. But it is, it is a concern we take seriously.""It is a serious concern. But I want to point out that there is no threat, there is no indication that anybody is trying to take advantage of this individual vulnerability," Jamison said.Borg notes that industry will have to remain forever vigilant at protecting control systems."It will always be an ongoing problem. It's something we will have to be dealing with [for] lots of years to come," he said.Table of Contents

GIMF Develops Defensive and Offensive Software for Jihadi Operations

By Abdul Hameed Bakier, Jamestown Foundation, 27 September 2007In July 2007, jihadi forums announced the creation of a new computer program called the Secrets of the Mujahideen, version 1.0. The objective of the program—which was published and distributed by the Global Islamic Media Front (GIMF) through many jihadi websites—is to replace the old and unreliable PGP corporation encryption tools that jihadis had used in the past. Since the release of the program, jihadi websites, especially the GIMF, are instructing their subscribers to communicate using the program's encryption keys (http://ebnseren.modawanati.com, March 22). Furthermore, al-Qaeda operatives are using Secrets of the Mujahideen in an attempt to avoid U.S. eavesdropping operations against them (http://el-bilad.com, July 6). Separately, and on the offensive front, jihadi hackers have also invented their own programs to steal data off other computers, part of a larger "Electronic Jihad." Some of the Islamic hackers' targets are computers attached to cameras transmitting live videos from intersections and other busy areas. They claim that these videos can be used to case potential targets. This article will elucidate the documentation of the Secrets of the Mujahideen, in addition to providing information on the ongoing Electronic Jihad.The Secrets of the MujahideenThe GIMF claims that the development of the Secrets of the Mujahideen started years ago to replace PGP encryption programs that apparently have multiple security breaches. According to the GIMF, the new program relies on the "highest standards" attained by encryption science, digital communication engineering and source codes developed after studying research published by the best encryption scientists.According to the program's documentation, it is the first Islamic software that offers the highest level of 2048-bit asymmetric and 256-bit symmetric encryption. The program combines the highest level of data compression and uses a new technique call the "stealth cipher" that permits the program to change the random encryption algorithm every time a file is encrypted. The program uses five different algorithms. Furthermore, the program explains how encryption keys are managed and how the software creates files.The Secrets of the Mujahideen's characteristics include: encryption using the best five algorithms in cryptography, also known as the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES); strong symmetric 256-bit encryption keys; asymmetric 2048-bit encryption keys; Zlib software library used for data compression; stealth cipher technique that uses variant keys and algorithms; cipher auto-detection; file shredder without possible retrieval of deleted files; single file program that does not require setup and can run from a flash card.

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Keys Management and Program OptionsIn cryptography, keys management is the art of inventing secret keys and distributing them to the relevant parties. Keys management must contain security protocols that generate, exchange, store, safeguard and replace old or compromised secret keys to ensure protection of data. Therefore, keys are the first important element in cryptography. The jihadi program illustratively explains, in-depth, the different stages of public and private key generation. The program generates two types of keys after the user chooses a username and a pass phrase for the two keys. One key is called the public key, which is the one the users exchange in the jihadi forums and use for ciphering, and the second is called the private key, which is used for deciphering. Both keys have the extension ".AkF" (Acrobat Key File). Depending on the strength of the computer's microprocessor, the program takes 2-5 minutes to generate the two encryption keys. The keys are automatically saved in the main folder and imported to the active database. Separately, there are a number of other features included with the program, such as:File Compression: The user can choose the degree of selected file compression prior to data encryption. Users are advised to use high compression in text files and low compression in large audio files because the latter is already compressed. The program has 1,000-fold compression capability for text files. File Shredder: According to the program, the user can shred files up to 10 times making it impossible to retrieve them with any currently available software.Ciphering Files Using a Public Key: Once the needed file and recipient user ID are selected, clicking on the "encrypt" button will automatically determine the decryption key for the recipient. Additionally, if the "stealth cipher" is selected, the encryption algorithm is randomly chosen; otherwise, the user can choose from five types of encryption algorithms.Deciphering Using a Private Key: Once the ciphered file, using a public key with the extension ".enc," is received, the recipient simply presses decrypt and enters his or her password phrase. Thereafter, the program produces a decrypted file with the extension ".dec." The software recommends that the pass phrase be between 20-36 characters long.The GIMF, which designed the Secrets of the Mujahideen, assures forum users that the program is a secure way of communicating over the internet because it uses all globally used symmetric encryption techniques with the distinct feature of stealth encryption using five algorithms. The capability of the file shredder in the program is also essential because the first step security forces take when they confiscate jihadis' computers is to retrieve and undelete every possible piece of data that might have been on the computers.Software FilesAfter activating the program, the following additional files are created by the program:AsrarKeys.db: an encrypted database that contains the active keys inserted in the program. This file is created automatically after program activation where the keys are inserted using the "import key" feature from the file manager.Asrar.ini: this file holds user settings and is created only if the users choose to change the default settings. Publicxxxxxxxx.akf: holds the public key and privateyyyyyyyy.akf for the private key. Both files are created after generating the "key pair."According to the GIMF, the Secrets of the Mujahideen is a high-level encryption tool that outperforms other internationally used symmetric encryption software. Finally, GIMF dedicates the software to global al-Qaeda operations and mentions 11 more Salafi-Jihadi groups operating inside and outside Iraq. The dedication states: "This program is dedicated to all those who stood up and raised the ummah's head against the demon soldiers, the Jews and crusaders, and their Islam-grudging Shiite allies."The Electronic JihadOn the offensive front, jihadi users are exchanging computer programs that they claim are designed to hack into enemy computer systems to obtain intelligence or inflict economic damage. One such

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program used for these purposes is al-Mojahid al-Electroni. The program was created by an Islamist nicknamed al-Aqrab al-Aswasd (Black Scorpion), and it appears as "actskn43.ocx" and works on Windows XP and 98 systems. The program, Islamists claim, can take screen shots of hacked computers; steal passwords; record all typed material; and fully control the victim's files. Furthermore, they claim that the program is undetectable and destroys anti-virus programs. Another jihadi forum user, nicknamed Qaheer al-Fors, posted a search phrase (intitle:liveapplet inurl:LvAppl) that helps locate many cameras connected to the internet in different countries. Even though these cameras can be easily accessed by ordinary internet users, taking interest in the video feeds and the details of the places they are mounted at is an indication of the mujahideen's future intentions. Al-Fors says, "by virtue of God, I was able to bring you the codes that you can use to watch some countries in the world through the cameras, those countries mounted to servile people," but he does not include these codes in his post. It is possible, however, that al-Fors passed these codes through encrypted e-mails using Secrets of the Mujahideen (http://hanein.info, July 20, 2006). Although al-Fors did not specify the countries where he claims to have hacked into their public cameras, a forum moderator nicknamed al-fedayee (The Commando) posted active links to cameras in Israel. The cameras are for traffic purposes and can be accessed via the links al-Fedayee posted, some of which are cameras mounted in Israel's Herzliya intersection, Shalom intersection, Holon intersection and eight others (http://hanein.info, July 20). Al-Fedayee says, "Mujahideen, as you do in your jihad against the occupying Zionists, here we are presenting you with this simple gift that was a personal effort to transmit to you live feeds from the Occupied Territories. After hard work, almighty God helped us in penetrating the internal system of the Zionist traffic ministry. We call upon you to take the needed measures and benefit from it because the enemy will soon change the codes of these cameras." The posting is signed, "Your brother, the son of Aladamia. A gift from the great Iraqi sons to those stationed in the battle fields of Palestine."ConclusionAlmost all jihadi websites and forums devote whole sections to computer and internet information. These sections include many different computer programs downloaded from legal websites, cracked and made available for jihadi brothers for free. Certainly, the jihadis concentrate on internet secure communication and hacking programs. Regardless of the accuracy of the mujahideen's cyber competence claims, the labeling of internet violations as "jihad" is attracting some Muslim internet users to join the so-called Electronic Jihad. Although few forum users question the ability of this particular Electronic Jihad software, Islamic forum users almost unanimously approve intrusion attempts against Western websites. The perseverance and continuous efforts of Islamic forum members to harm Western internet-based interests could, inevitably, mount to a serious threat in the future.Table of Contents

Sinking In the PollsBy Karen P. Hughes, Washington Post, September 17, 2007The video reappearance of Osama bin Laden is a reminder that extremists with murderous methods continue to threaten innocent people worldwide. His emergence after three years of hiding also provides an opportunity to take stock of how differently the world now views the terrorist leader -- and that view is turning darker than bin Laden's newly dyed beard.People in America and many other Western nations have expressed strong disapproval of bin Laden and al-Qaeda since the Sept. 11 attacks. What's new is the dramatic decline in his standing in majority-Muslim countries. Polls in the two nations that have suffered some of the worst of al-Qaeda's violence -- Afghanistan and Iraq -- show that more than 90 percent of those populations have unfavorable views of al-Qaeda and of bin Laden himself.Pollsters say that it is difficult to find 90 percent agreement that apple pie is American -- yet polling in Turkey two years ago found that 90 percent of citizens believe the al-Qaeda bombings in London, Istanbul, Madrid and Egypt were unjust and unfair; 86 percent thought that there was no excuse for condoning the Sept. 11 attacks; and 75 percent said bin Laden does not represent Muslims.

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Support for terrorist tactics has fallen in seven of the eight predominantly Muslim countries polled as part of the Pew Global Attitudes Project since 2002; in most cases, those declines have been dramatic. Five years ago in Lebanon, 74 percent of the population thought suicide bombing could sometimes be justified. Today it's 34 percent -- still too high, but a stark reversal. Similar declines in support have occurred in Bangladesh, Pakistan, Indonesia and Jordan.Perhaps most significant, Muslim populations are increasingly rejecting bin Laden's attempts to pervert their faith. WorldPublicOpinion.org found in April that large majorities in Egypt (88 percent), Indonesia (65 percent) and Morocco (66 percent) agree: "Groups that use violence against civilians, such as Al Qaida, are violating the principles of Islam. Islam opposes the use of such violence." These shifts in attitude are beginning to show up in actions. Sunni leaders in Iraq's Anbar province are working with coalition forces against al-Qaeda because, as one local leader said to journalists, all the terrorists bring is chaos -- "killing people, stealing goats, everything, you name it." After recent terrorist attacks in Algeria, protesters shouted: "Terrorists are not Muslims" and "no to terrorism; don't touch my Algeria."While it is good that many Muslims are recognizing that terrorist groups such as al-Qaeda are a common threat, many polls show that much remains to be done to improve foreign perceptions of the United States. The drop in support for violent extremists presents an opportunity to expand our efforts to nurture common interests with people overseas and work with them to counter al-Qaeda's attempts to radicalize young people.Al-Qaeda's growing Internet propaganda activities glorify violence and seek to exploit local grievances, from political oppression to a lack of economic opportunities. In contrast, America's public diplomacy programs are engaging young people constructively, through English-language teaching, educational exchanges, music and sports diplomacy.This summer, we partnered with local governments in predominantly Muslim countries to host programs to teach young people English and leadership and citizenship skills. It was the first time many of these youths had met an American. Evaluations show they left with much more positive views of our country.This year, we will teach English to thousands of young people in more than 40 majority-Muslim countries. I met with a group in Morocco, in the same neighborhood that produced the Casablanca suicide bombers of 2003. When I asked one young man what difference learning English had made in his life, he told me: "I have a job, and none of my friends do." That young man also has hope -- a reason to live rather than to kill himself and others in a suicide bombing.Thanks to strong bipartisan support from Congress, we are expanding our education and exchange programs as well as bringing "key influencers" such as Muslim journalists and clerics here to experience America for themselves.These kinds of programs are invaluable in challenging stereotypes and countering the misinformation that radical extremists put out to drive a wedge between our cultures and countries.Osama bin Laden's recent tape was a reminder that al-Qaeda offers only destruction and death. Al-Qaeda terrorists murder those who don't agree with them -- including Muslims. Their attacks on mosques, shrines and even wedding celebrations confirm that they don't care about innocent Muslims. As one woman in Algeria put it, "They are criminals who want to sabotage the country." That's a message bin Laden's words don't convey, but his actions do. Six years after Sept. 11, good and decent people of many faiths and cultures are increasingly rejecting his brutal methods.The writer is undersecretary of state for public diplomacy and public affairs.Table of Contents

Joint Senior Psychological Operations Course (JSPOC) The USAF Special Operations School (USAFSOS) will conduct a Joint Senior Psychological Operations Course (JSPOC) from 9-10 October 2007 at MacDill AFB, FL. This short course will feature presentation from Dr Michael Waller "Fighting the War of Ideas Like a Real War", as well as a review of recent PSYOP study, and current operations updates from senior members of the joint PSYOP community. Participants (O-5 level) from the joint community and are welcomed. If interested or

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for additional information, contact Captain Stephanie Allison, USAFSOS at DSN 579-2637 or commercial 850-884-2637 or e-mail Stephanie.allison@hurlburt.af.mil." Table of Contents

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