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Re: Homer on Terrorism
Fair enough. I'm prepared, on the basis of Tom's comments, to accept that
the Danish bug-finders were "blackmailers," albeit of the weakest,
noncriminal sort. (Nobody is suggesting criminal prosecution, extradition,
etc., are they?) But I think the "terrorist" appelation is a bit strong.
At 6:56 PM -0700 6/15/97, Tom Weinstein wrote:
>It's blackmail. IANAL, but I believe that blackmail consists of a
>demand, and a threat to harm if the demand is not met.
(However, a "threat to harm" is ambiguous. Many business deals involve
mentions of consequences...at what point does this become "blackmail,"
especially the criminal sense of blackmail?)
>If he had said:
> "I'm going to go to the press on this date. You can buy the
> information from me before that for X amount of money."
>
>That would be an ordinary business transaction. Instead, what he said
>was something like:
> "Pay me lots of money or I will go to the press in such a way as to
> damage you the most."
>
>That is blackmail. It's clear that the money is to prevent the damage,
>not just for the information.
Perhaps so, but things remain ambiguous. More skilled negotiators might be
more circumspect about the "damage" side, only hinting at it. I don't know
if the Danes were clumsy at conveying their intentions. Maybe English was
not their forte.
>"Terrorism" probably doesn't apply, since his aim was not political.
>(Or doesn't terrorism have to be political?) I think blackmail is a
>more appropriate term.
Like I said, but I still think a less inflammatory description than
"terrorist," or even "blackmailer" is better.
There's probably something between "cheerful Berkeley grad students
grateful to get a free t-shirt" and "blackmailer."
--Tim May
There's something wrong when I'm a felon under an increasing number of laws.
Only one response to the key grabbers is warranted: "Death to Tyrants!"
---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:----
Timothy C. May | Crypto Anarchy: encryption, digital money,
[email protected] 408-728-0152 | anonymous networks, digital pseudonyms, zero
W.A.S.T.E.: Corralitos, CA | knowledge, reputations, information markets,
Higher Power: 2^1398269 | black markets, collapse of governments.
"National borders aren't even speed bumps on the information superhighway."