Edward Snowden, a world famous whistle blower and former CIA contractor informed us about dangerous snooping techniques of the intelligence agencies. Since the famous leak by Snowden, the market has responded with messaging services with tougher encryption tools. Today even normal communication services such as WhatsApp, Skype and Google hangouts come with encryption. Many jihadist groups are also misusing this technology which was supposed to protect the privacy of users. Paris attacks recently triggered the discussions about the role of internet and messaging services in planning terrorist attacks.
So is Edward Snowden really responsible for the use of sophisticated encrypted communication by terrorist? Many online communities held him responsible for this in some way. Prominent voices such as Boris Johnson, London’s mayor held Snowden responsible for Paris attacks due to his involvement in leaking thousands of classified documents. Johnson said that Snowden taught some of the nastiest people to hide themselves from the authorities.
But experts have something else to say. Flashpoint Global Partner, a technology firm which exclusively keeps a watch on Deep Web said that online jihadi activities haven’t changed since ‘Snowden leaks’. The history has shown us that the technological development cannot be stopped on both sides of the fences.
In 2007, well before the Snowden leak, Al Quaeda Web forum was freely distributing encryption software called Asrar aL-Mujahideen (Secrets of the Mujahideen). Data by Flashpoint has revealed that all jihadi messages and files were encrypted by this software that time.
The history of releasing secure communication software for terrorist groups continues till year 2013. Asrar al-Dardashah (Secrets of Chatting) was made available four months before Mr. Snowden went public with NSA documents.
Edward Snowden can’t be accused of helping terrorists. His revelations definitely alarmed internet users to opt for secure communications and unfortunately some these users were terrorists.
