Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Bounties: Mexican Cartel Issues Million Dollar Bounty On Sheriff Joe Arpaio Via Text Messaging
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Somalia: The Text Messaging Insurgency
This is interesting, because this is the same method of communication that the Mumbai terrorists used to communicate. Short concise orders that are instantly transmitted by phone via text messaging. What I think would be interesting is to somehow break into a network that is using text messaging, and throw some orders in there to mess with that network. Either that, or figure out a way to just make these guys paranoid about using this communication system, and force them to use something else, like just human couriers. That way, you have a communication system that is built upon the fallible mechanism of the human. –Matt
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Somalia’s text message insurgency
By Mohamed Mohamed
Published: 2009/03/16
The name of Somalia’s Islamist insurgent group al-Shabab – it means “The Lads” – may conjure images of a lovable band of rogues.
But the radical militia is a fiercely secretive and ruthless organisation with alleged links to al-Qaeda.
The leaders of the group – which has taken over swathes of central and southern Somalia – are unknown to their subordinates.
The middle lieutenants get their orders through text messages, or phone calls from recognised voices, giving them proof the instructions are coming from the right person.
The leaders of al-Shabab are called “emirs” and they do not usually come from the region they administer.
The emirs are said to use text messaging systems daily. The mid-ranking emirs and foot soldiers are given prepaid phone cards to carry out their day-to-day operations.
Text messages are also used to threaten those al-Shabab believes oppose them.
Anyone who ignores these warnings is likely to receive a visit from the gunmen.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Afghanistan: Mumbai-style Attack, Text Messaging for Communications
I wrote in an earlier article about the various uses of text messaging or SMS in warfare. The imagination is the only limit, when it comes to this stuff, and the enemy is definitely taking advantage of all and any western technologies. Rest in peace to the victims of this latest attack.
The details of the attack are still coming through, but SCG has put together a great little report on the attack. They make recommendations for travelers and businessmen as well.
Also, the company SCG provides free world update reports through their newsletter. They also have some interesting training they provide. As for jobs, they are also looking for iReporters, or that is what I call them. If you are out there, and you have some unique insight as to your little area of the world, I am sure these guys would like to hear from you. I don’t know how much they pay, but it is worth a shot if you are interested. –Matt
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Narative of the Recent attack in Afghanistan
On the morning of February 11, at least three teams of Taliban terrorists attacked separate Afghan Government targets around Kabul in coordinated attacks at about 1000 local time. The attacks included suicide bombers. Targets included the Ministry of Justice (MoJ), the Ministry of Education (MoE), and the General Department for Afghan Prisons (GDAP). Current reports indicate that at least 20 people were killed, and 57 injured in the attacks.
Afghan defense officials have indicated that the attackers communicated directly with their Pakistan-based leadership via text-message. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, saying it was in response to the poor treatment of Taliban members in Afghan prisons.
To Read More About this Attack, Sign Up For Free With SCG World Alerts Here
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Technology: The Taliban Fear the Mobile Phone
Is the Taliban reading Feral Jundi? LOL. Actually, the Taliban have been attacking cell towers for awhile now. But in this post, I wanted to post why they are attacking the mobile phone. That people are actually turning in these guys, using the mobile phone is kind of cool and is definitely some proof of concept material for the ‘Crime Stoppers’ concept. And the fact that mobile phones are becoming vital to the Afghanis.
A couple of weeks ago, I posted an article about text messaging and counter-insurgency. That commanders in the field, or at least the war planners must take advantage of these technologies and develop a SMS plan and crowdsource the local populations.
It sounds like to me, that this is happening to some degree, and that is great. And with the Taliban destroying cell towers out of protest, this only helps our cause. If the local populations come to depend on the mobile phone, and really enjoy the power of the mobile phone, and the Taliban take that away, then that will only help us to win over the local populations.
So this is what I would do. Flood the market with more cheap mobile phones and cheap service, set up cell towers in villages and pay these villages very well to protect that tower(or post police or private security), and reward the local populations for their love of the cellphone with interactive radio entertainment and promotional deals. Get them to use those thumbs and vote on soccer games and songs and anything of entertainment value. Get them hooked on the phone, like it was a drug.
What do I mean by this? The cellphone is addictive. It’s like a drug almost, and when people get a taste of everything it can do, then they get hooked. For me, I don’t go anywhere without my phone. I make sure the service is paid for, and that it is fully charged, and I really take care of it. The reason why, is because it is my only connection to my network and it is an important part of my life.
It is also the tool I need to make money, because companies call me on the phone to offer me jobs. It is also my way of establishing relationships, or maintaining relationships. And it is a tool that I can use to save my life by calling the police or the doctor. I can even vote with the thing, in the various polls that radio and TV stations promote.(elections, American Idol, etc.) Or, if I get wind of some information about a bad guy, I can text or call Crime Stoppers and actually turn the guy in for a small reward.
My point is, that the same uses I have for this phone, are the same uses that everyone in the world has for the phone. It is a powerful and universal tool that we can use in this war, and I tried to explain that in my other post about the topic.
So now we have the Taliban fearing the cellphone? Awesome. And just like in Haiti, when the people protected the cell towers because they wanted to protect the phone service, we can see the same thing in Afghanistan. If I was part of the Afghani Government, I would make the issue of the cellphone and text messaging a vital issue that needs to be protected. Those phones symbolize freedom, and the Government would be wise to help protect that. It would be just one way for them to win over the local populations.
The other thing I wanted to mention, is that if you are reading this, and you are developing a SMS plan out there in the war, then you need to read the book Crowdsourcing. It lists the ten rules of crowdsourcing and they are pretty universal, in terms of application. I would be crowdsourcing the local populations of Afghanistan and Iraq like you can’t believe, to get all kinds of interesting information.
I would also do what I could to get phones into the really remote areas of Afghanistan and Pakistan. It sounds like the mobile phone industry is doing pretty good in both Pakistan and Afghanistan, but it could do better with a little help. Flood the market, give the locals a taste of this thing, and make sure they know where to go to get more of it.
As for the particulars of how to crowdsource the populations to get information, I would leave to the local intelligence guys. I do know that the current radio stations that are sending out music and messages on the airwaves, are the one way you can reach these remote areas and communicate with them. One of the rules for crowdsourcing is that you must offer a reward or give the people something for their efforts. That could be money, or entertainment. If you want to get something from the crowd, you have to give something to the crowd. –Head Jundi
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Taliban Orders Daytime Phone Shutdown, Too
Posted by Susan Hall on October 21, 2008 at 1:55 pm
Following attacks meant to enforce the Taliban’s orders for mobile phone operators to shut off operations at night in Afghanistan, the operators now are being ordered to shut down during the day in the Ghazni province southwest of Kabul, reports Reuters.
Several towers have been destroyed in the south, angering residents who depend on cell service as their only means of communication. NATO and Afghan officials say the Taliban want to keep villagers from ratting them out to authorities.
The story, though, says threats have been only partially carried out in the south and networks operate freely in the north, where it’s more peaceful.
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Taliban text message threats
Posted 7/24/2008
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — The Taliban have created a sophisticated media network to undermine support for the Afghan government, sending threats by text message and spreading the militia’s views through songs available as ring tones, according to a report released Thursday.
The International Crisis Group report comes as the Islamist militia that was ousted from power in Afghanistan by the 2001 U.S.-led invasion is making a violent comeback, particularly in the country’s south and east.
The Taliban’s propaganda exploits civilian killings by foreign forces and corruption in the U.S.-backed government to add to Afghans’ disillusionment about their lives, according to the report by the Brussels-based group. It said the Afghan government and its foreign allies should respond more quickly to their mistakes and highlight the Taliban’s atrocities.
Many of the messages that have been distributed — apparently not always directly produced by the Taliban — come in the form of songs, religious chants and poetry that appeal to Afghan nationalism and Islamic pride.
Friday, October 3, 2008
Building Snowmobiles: Text Messaging and Counterinsurgency
A couple of posts back I mentioned that Feral Jundi signed on with Twitter, a mini-blogging site. I made a mention about connecting your phone to your Twitter account to receive updates via Short Message Service(SMS) or text messaging. The reason why you would want to do something like this, is to be instantly updated with news that is important to you, and to communicate back instantly. It is a simple concept, but extremely powerful. So I wanted to expand on this topic of text messaging, and try and tie this into how this could apply to counterinsurgency. So in the tradition of FJ, let’s build a snowmobile.
The stories I have posted below are a collection of text messaging usage throughout the world and in the various war zones out there. From recruiting and propaganda, to putting out an alert to protect the citizenry from attack, text messaging is becoming widely used tool of the populations of the world. And in my view, if text messaging is used correctly, we can certainly enhance our counterinsurgency efforts in this war.
Surprisingly, cellphones and the companies that sell the devices and plans are in wide use in such places like Iraq or Afghanistan. These local populations with phones are making calls and they are text messaging one another, and this is what makes the cell phone an excellent tool to use in order to connect with these populations. And believe me, I have seen Iraqis text message one another with the same excitement and enthusiasm as anyone here in the US or world. SMS is easy to use, and the technology is built into most phones that are used out there–and people like using it. I think it’s that ‘passing notes’ in class feeling, when you text someone, and it can be fun. It is also a universal feeling, and if you can read and push buttons on a phone, then you get to play. But how do you get people involved and interested in text messages?
My answer to that is entertainment. You take the most popular past time of that country, and you find ways to take advantage of this interest with text messaging. Much like American Idol here in the US, where viewers could text message votes and get involved with the process, you could apply something similar to Iraq or Afghanistan. It doesn’t have to be some American Idol thing–maybe soccer or something that the local population is excited about. The point is to get the population to use that phone as a tool to connect, and then start expanding on this connection with other means that could be valuable to a SMS Counterinsurgency(COIN) plan.
I say SMS COIN plan, because anyone serious enough about connecting with a population and wanting to protect it, should exploit all and any methods to connect with that population. The technologies are there, the populations know how to use it(or could easily learn), and war planners and commanders on the front lines should not be afraid to take advantage of this. But it must be done right, and there has to be a plan.
Now how could a planner use text messaging to their advantage. Well, the first step is to ‘learn’ from others throughout the world, and see what works. Build that snowmobile, and find the experts to make it happen. I like the warning system that the Israelis are using for oncoming missiles–protecting the local population. I like the Crime Stoppers use of text messaging as a tip line for criminals–population turning in the enemy. I like the use of text messaging to send recruitment notices–reaching out to the population for manpower. The only limit is your imagination as to the ways you could connect with the local population and find ways to protect them as well as entertain them. The goal should be to empower that population, and make them feel a part of the process. Use the local radio stations, and get people to vote in polls via text message about important issues. Or they could vote for their favorite soccer team, or send a text about the Taliban who are currently ravaging their village.
The other angle with text messaging/cellphones is when people fall in love with that technology, they tend to protect it. So once folks really enjoy the power of connecting, and someone threatens to take it away or destroys it, then the people will rise up. And in the opening story below, Dennis O’Brien of cellphone company Digicel discusses the power of the people in Haiti. He describes how the people were rioting against the government, and spared all the Digicel cellphone stores and towers. The reason why, was because the cellphone was a major part of their life. From business deals, to affairs of the heart, to discussing politics with others, and so on–the cellphone was a prized and extremely useful tool for daily life in Haiti. That is why they protected it, because they feared losing that vital tool of life and freedom. I can only imagine how I would react if someone destroyed my cellphone service, or even my internet service–I would not be happy.
These are just a few ideas below, but you get the basic idea. And just last night, I was using text messaging to send in a vote in a poll about the US Vice Presidential debates. I did it because I wanted to show a reaction to events, and voice an opinion. I wanted to connect and feel a part of the process. Like I said, if you are a war planner on the ground, and you do not have a SMS COIN plan, you are missing out on a huge opportunity to connect with the local populations. –Head Jundi
A message to Kenyans from their government via cellphone and text messaging(SMS).
Short Message Service Wikipedia
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August 23rd, 2008 at 11:59 pm
Bringing Cell Phones To the Third World (an excerpt from this article about Digicel and it’s owner Denis O’Brien)
He sums up his strategy thusly: “Get big fast. [Damn] the cost. Be brave. Go over the cliff. [The competition] doesn’t have the balls.” O’Brien doesn’t let government obstructionism or corruption deter him. He dots countries with cell towers, sometimes before rulers even grant a licence, then slashes the price of mobiles on opening day to get the masses using them fast.
It’s a bet that poor people who have never had phone service before won’t let the politicians take their phones away without a fight. Thus does O’Brien avoid the fate of many Western investors in corrupt, violent countries – being forced to sell out on the cheap.
That’s what happened to Royal Dutch Shell’s oil well on Russia’s Sakhalin Island. In an April riot in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, the mob not only spared Digicel stores from its burning and looting but even gathered in front of a few of them and cheered. Says a jubilant O’Brien, as he reads an e-mail on the news, “They’re calling us the Company of the People.”
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Telephone Communications in Afghanistan
As of 2007, eight out of 100 people have access to a telephone. Mobile communications are improving because of the introduction of two wireless carriers into this developing country. There are over 1.4 Million cellular lines in the country. In 2007, Communication Minister, Amirzai Sangin, announced that 150,000 new fixed-telephone-lines would be installed in the 4 major cities of Afghanistan in one year. The project would be completed at the cost of 40 million US dollars, which will be provided from the development budget of the Afghan Ministry of Communications. There are also five or more VSAT’s installed in Kabul, Kandahar, Herat, Mazari Sharif, and Jalalabad, providing international and domestic voice/data connectivity. The international calling code for Afghanistan is +93. The following is a list of cellular phone companies in the country: