Information Source
Containing vast amounts of information, the Internet has been an invaluable source for terrorists. An al- Qaeda training manual recovered in Afghanistan in 2003 informs militants that by using public sources without resorting to illegal means, they can obtain up to 80% of the information required (Weimann, 2004). Many websites have search tools for extracting information from their databases, and word searches of online media can enable terrorist to glean much useful information. Maps and diagrams of potential target locations are widely available, and now with Google Earth, high resolution images of the physical landscape are accessible to all. The lone surviving gunman in the 2008 Mumbai attacks admitted to using Google Earth to familiarise himself with the buildings from which attacks were carried out.
Google Earth: India
Google Earth: Mumbai
Google Earth: Taj Mahal Hotel & Gateway to India
Social networking has also been a game-changer in this area, enabling terrorists to monitor military personnel (Weimann, 2010). Many soldiers disclose detailed information about themselves, their careers, present locations and often upload photos of colleagues and weaponry. This is such a recognised threat that many governments, including those of the UK, US and Canada, have requested that soldiers take down such personal information. But it is difficult to monitor everyone and even if such information is eventually removed, sometimes the damage is already done.
