Al Qaeda's Internet communications system has suddenly gone dark to American intelligence after the leak of Osama bin Laden's September 11 speech inadvertently disclosed the fact that we had penetrated the enemy's system.
The intelligence blunder started with what appeared at the time as an American intelligence victory, namely that the federal government had intercepted, a full four days before it was to be aired, a video of Osama bin Laden's first appearance in three years in a video address marking the sixth anniversary of the attacks of September 11, 2001. On the morning of September 7, the Web site of ABC News posted excerpts from the speech.
But the disclosure from ABC and later other news organizations tipped off Qaeda's internal security division that the organization's Internet communications system, known among American intelligence analysts as Obelisk, was compromised.
This may have caused us grave damage. We should punish whoever did this.
Unless of course, it didn't cause more than a temporary loss because this whole story is just part of damage control by our government. Who wouldn't believe a leaker caused this kind of "permanent" damage? Perhaps al Qaeda is already congratulating themselves on their rapid security repair of their leak.
And perhaps we're reading their congratulatory emails right now.
So maybe secret medals rather than punishment is in order.
We may never know. This could be a Sphynx, instead.
UPDATE: I'm not the only one wondering what is really going on. Nice to know my suspicious mind isn't wasted.
