IP: more on : Louis Freeh -- encryption ... ASK HIM THE DAMN QUESTION!

[Dave Farber <farber () cis upenn edu>]

Personal comment -- right on!!!

Date: Tue, 9 Feb 1999 15:36:01 -0800
To: farber () cis upenn edu
From: Jim Warren <jwarren () well com>

At 2:10 AM -0800 2/9/99, Dave Farber wrote:
...
> This is from Freeh's prepared statement:
>
> Terrorists, both abroad and at home, are using technology to protect their
> operations from being discovered and thwart the efforts of law enforcement to
> detect, prevent, and investigate such acts. Convicted spy Aldrich Ames was
> told by his Russian handlers to encrypt his computer files. International drug
> traffickers also are using  encryption to avoid detection ...

1.  Geee.  This may be the first time Freeh forgot to also include kiddie
porn in his horrifying opening paragraph.  I guess his polling showed that
terrorists and asnd turncoat CIA agents are more frightening to
Congress-critters.

2.  Why is it that NO one EVER asks Freeh why he pretends that these vile
terrorists, spies, dope smugglers (excluding those who fund U.S. covert
ops), etc. -- would suddenly stop using secure crypto, readily available
worldwide, if the U.S. outlawed it?  Geez ... talk about a "spin doctor"!!!

3.  The ONLY people and companies who will be "controlled" by statutory
prohibitions against uncrackable crypto are the INNOCENT ones, the
LAW-ABIDING citizens and businesses that would discard robust protection
for their personal privacy and corporate security if Freeh gets to have his
way with us.

--jim; jwarren () well com
Jim Warren, Contributing Editor & columnist, MicroTimes Magazine
Also GovAccess list-owner/editor