[iwar] [fc:Web.site.with.area.ties.stirs.terrorism.concern]

From: Fred Cohen (fc@all.net)
Date: 2002-07-22 20:39:44


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Date: Mon, 22 Jul 2002 20:39:44 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: [iwar] [fc:Web.site.with.area.ties.stirs.terrorism.concern]
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Web site with area ties stirs terrorism concern

The site, reportedly hosted by a Scranton company, is believed to be 
connected
to al-Qaida, USA Today says.

By JERRY LYNOTT, <a href="mailto:jlynott@leader.net?Subject=Re:%20(ai)%20Web%20site%20with%20area%20ties%20stirs%20terrorism%20concern%2526In-Reply-To=%2526lt;71.22b11379.2a6da8f3@aol.com">jlynott@leader.net</a>

The state Homeland Security agency will ask the FBI to investigate
whether a Web site reportedly put on the Internet by a Scranton computer
company promotes terrorism, said an agency spokesman. Spokesman Mike
Lukens said Pennsylvania Homeland Security Director Earl Freilino would
alert the FBI about the site - www.azzam.com - and its reported host
company, BurstNET Technologies Inc. The azzam site was referred to in a
July 10 USA Today article as one "U.S. officials believe is linked with
al-Qaeda," the terrorist organization headed by Osama bin Laden.

BurstNet representatives did not reply to a telephone message and e-mail
seeking comment.

BurstNet was identified as the host company by freelance writer Jeremy
Reynalds on the Internet-based BushCountry.org. Reynalds, of
Albuquerque, N.M., said BurstNET officials confirmed it was the host
company. He demanded it be taken down for matters of national security.

When told later Friday night the site was removed, Reynalds said,"I'm
just thrilled." However, he said he would not be surprised to see it or
a similar site posted again with a different host company.

Before its removal, the site had a link to a Nov. 20, 2001, farewell
message. It advised Muslims to save a copy and ponder the message "lest
our site is closed and we are not able to say it again."

The message contained 20 statements that ranged from saying American
government is an enemy to Islam, to telling what Muslims should do to
defend their land.

The message ended with a request to Allah "to give victory to those
fighting for his sake in the four corners of the earth, to destroy their
enemies and the hypocrites" and for the Muslim community "to produce
millions of martyrs as the price for victory in this life and achieving
Allah's pleasure in the next."

The USA Today article said the site uses steganography - the practice of
sending encrypted messages in text and pictures. The messages contain
instructions for al-Qaida's next terrorist attacks, the story said.
Government officials are trying to break the codes and prevent the
attacks, the story said.

Neil Johnson, an information security consultant familiar with
steganography, said the recent story was similar to one in February 2001
that raised questions about the credibility of the unidentified sources
cited.

There is no doubt messages can be encrypted or sent surreptitiously and
the Internet has created a new outlet for steganography, said Johnson of
Fairfax, Va. But he doubted the azzam.com site would yield such messages
after the media attention. "You're not likely to find a whole bunch of
encrypted data on this site."

Don Ulsch, an information security adviser for government and industry,
said terrorists are using the Internet for communication and a way to
solicit money and hack into government and corporate computer systems.

Ulsch, president of Ulsch Group Limited, of Lancaster, Mass., said,
"Clearly I do think we need to have an elevated concern of physical as
well as cyber attacks."

Jerry Lynott, a Times Leader staff writer, may be reached at 829-7237.

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