Return-Path: <sentto-279987-2822-1002686355-fc=all.net@returns.onelist.com> Delivered-To: fc@all.net Received: from 204.181.12.215 by localhost with POP3 (fetchmail-5.1.0) for fc@localhost (single-drop); Tue, 09 Oct 2001 21:03:11 -0700 (PDT) Received: (qmail 19800 invoked by uid 510); 10 Oct 2001 04:02:17 -0000 Received: from n12.groups.yahoo.com (216.115.96.62) by 204.181.12.215 with SMTP; 10 Oct 2001 04:02:17 -0000 X-eGroups-Return: sentto-279987-2822-1002686355-fc=all.net@returns.onelist.com Received: from [10.1.1.220] by n12.groups.yahoo.com with NNFMP; 10 Oct 2001 04:02:23 -0000 X-Sender: fc@big.all.net X-Apparently-To: iwar@onelist.com Received: (EGP: mail-7_4_1); 10 Oct 2001 03:59:15 -0000 Received: (qmail 34451 invoked from network); 10 Oct 2001 03:59:14 -0000 Received: from unknown (10.1.10.27) by 10.1.1.220 with QMQP; 10 Oct 2001 03:59:14 -0000 Received: from unknown (HELO big.all.net) (65.0.156.78) by mta2 with SMTP; 10 Oct 2001 04:02:23 -0000 Received: (from fc@localhost) by big.all.net (8.9.3/8.7.3) id VAA30972 for iwar@onelist.com; Tue, 9 Oct 2001 21:02:19 -0700 Message-Id: <200110100402.VAA30972@big.all.net> To: iwar@onelist.com (Information Warfare Mailing List) Organization: I'm not allowed to say X-Mailer: don't even ask X-Mailer: ELM [version 2.5 PL1] From: Fred Cohen <fc@all.net> Mailing-List: list iwar@yahoogroups.com; contact iwar-owner@yahoogroups.com Delivered-To: mailing list iwar@yahoogroups.com Precedence: bulk List-Unsubscribe: <mailto:iwar-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com> Date: Tue, 9 Oct 2001 21:02:19 -0700 (PDT) Reply-To: iwar@yahoogroups.com Subject: [iwar] [fc:E-Mails.Aim.to.Sow.Unease.After.Afghan.Strikes] Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit E-Mails Aim to Sow Unease After Afghan Strikes By Stephen Cunningham, Reuters, 10/9/2001 <a href="http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20011009/wr/attack_britain_emails_dc_1.html">http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20011009/wr/attack_britain_emails_dc_1.html> U.S.-British air strikes on Afghanistan (news - web sites) have unleashed a torrent of e-mails in Britain playing on widespread fears of reprisals at home. Police say since the first bombs and missiles landed on Afghan soil on Sunday, thousands of Britons have received telephone calls and e-mails warning them their home city was about to come under attack from a shadowy group. The warnings have taken on credence because Britain is Washington's closest ally in its campaign against Osama bin Laden (news - web sites), chief U.S. suspect in the September 11 suicide attacks in New York and Washington. The tip-off is usually made by a ``friend of a friend'' who is told by a mysterious Arab stranger to stay home and out of danger in the days ahead. Variations regarding time and place usually put the mystery stranger in a post office or petrol station queue, although he has also been spotted in Harrods, the luxury London department store, and its chic rival Harvey Nichols. Whatever the detail, one constant runs throughout. The tales invariably unfold as an act of kindness -- not as a bid to scaremonger -- in which a stranger with special knowledge rewards a friendly act with a tip-off about a certain city center or form of public transport fraught with risk. Police have struggled to know how best to handle the messages and have decided against issuing a special warning for fear of sowing yet more panic. ``We're in a difficult position, because we don't want to dissuade members of the public from reacting to the information they are being sent, despite the fact that a lot of these hoaxes are going around,'' said a police spokesman. MYTHS SURFACE WITH CRISES ``There have been all kinds of myths in the past about people being attacked by syringes and injected with AIDS (news - web sites),'' said David Sutton, managing editor of Fortean Times, a monthly magazine which investigates strange phenomena. ``But the format is the same -- there is a very strong core structure to the story and then a number of elaborations and variations around it,'' he said. ``At a time like this they may get more credence than usual,'' he added. According to one e-mail doing the rounds, a man of Arab descent is seen shopping in Harvey Nichols, an upmarket department store. He wants to buy a scarf but is one pound ($1.45) short. The shop assistant offers to make up the difference herself. ``The guy was very grateful and in response told her as a favor to avoid the tube (London Underground) on Monday and Tuesday and stay clear of places like Westminster and the City (London's financial district) as the terrorists are going to retaliate,'' read the ominous e-mail. ``This time it will be London that bears the brunt of the attacks.'' ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ---------------------~--> Pinpoint the right security solution for your company- Learn how to add 128- bit encryption and to authenticate your web site with VeriSign's FREE guide! http://us.click.yahoo.com/yQix2C/33_CAA/yigFAA/kgFolB/TM ---------------------------------------------------------------------~-> ------------------ http://all.net/ Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.2 : 2001-12-31 20:59:54 PST