Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Recreate!68 in DHS report on cyber-security risks

The Department of Homeland Security report a couple of weeks ago on the danger of returning vets becoming rightwing crazies got a lot of attention, but there was another DHS report, this one published in January, on the risk of cyber-attacks by leftwing crazies. Both reports were begun under His Royal Moronness Chimpler X, but published under President (see how polite I am?) Obama. A couple of leftish sites have just noticed (I didn't see anything about it either) and cited the earlier report as an example of the current prez's amazing evenhandedness.

Whatever. But why would the report mention Recreate 68, the masterminds behind the embarrassingly ineffective protests at the Democratic National Convention last year? Here's the relevant hunk. The last section, "Appendix: Leftwing extremists," ploddingly explains:
Animal rights and environmental extremists seek to end the perceived abuse and suffering of animals and the degradation of the natural environment perpetrated by humans. They use non-violent and violent tactics that, at times, violate criminal law. Many of these extremists claim they are conducting these activities on behalf of two of the most active groups, the Animal Liberation Front and its sister organization, the Earth Liberation Front. Other prominent groups include Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty; and chapters within the Animal Defense League, and Earth First!
Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty? Under "Anarchist extremists":
Anarchist extremists generally embrace a number of radical philosophical components of anticapitalist, antiglobalization, communist, socialist, and other movements. Anarchist groups seek abolition of social, political, and economic hierarchies, including Western-style governments and large business enterprises, and frequently advocate criminal actions of varying scale and scope to accomplish their goals. Anarchist extremist groups include entities within Crimethinc, the Ruckus Society, and Recreate 68.

So they're just, like, an example, along with ALF 'n' ELF, except for one difference: ALF 'n' ELF (and for all I know, Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty) might actually pose a risk. "Potential indicators":

Increasing number of statements by leftwing extremists advocating the use of cyber attack techniques.

Increasing number of communiques published on leftwing extremist websites claiming credit for cyber attacks.

Suspicious cyber attack activity or increased frequency, creativity, or severity against traditional primary, secondary, and tertiary targets of leftwing extremists.

Evidence that leftwing extremist groups or activists are recruiting or attempting to acquire the services of individuals with cyber capabilities.

"Suspicious cyber attack activity." R-68 can't even keep a website going. And I won't draw attention again to the bolded word referring to that which R-68, of all the things it doesn't have, supremely doesn't have. Maybe they'll use magic.

On the other hand, the Campus Progress piece (second link above) has a quote from R-68 co-honcho Glenn Spagnuolo. I can't tell if it's new or not:

“We believe in a diversity of tactics. In all honesty, nothing is off the table for us,” said Glenn Spagnuolo, one of Recreate ‘68’s co-founders. “But we are also very realistic and we know that we are in a place in society right now where the best weapon is non-violent tactics. If we tried to do anything else it would be revolutionary suicide.”

Revolutionary suicide. What is he, Mao? Anyway, I figure the report was written before the DNC, when it was at least plausible that R-68 might cause real problems, and might reasonably have been on Homeland Security minds. Of course, all the unrevolving revolutionaries do now is threaten lawsuits (as yet unfiled) to protect coyotes that try, occasionally successfully, to chow down on the random passerby, animal or human (we're all equal here).

Update: LGF had it earlier, tho not the R-68 angle (why the hell would he care?).

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