Former CIA and NSA employee source of intelligence leaks

[CountDeMoney]

How did that pitch go?  "Boss, I think terrorists are hiding in my massive multiplayer online role playing game.  I need to be assigned to play it all the time."

In the early days of PS2 modem connectivity with comms, there would be a shitload of weed dealing going on in Madden here in Baltimore.

[crazy canuck]

The terrorists are rumored to be gathering in Molten Core every Wednesday about 3 PM.  Me and my team will be there.

[KRonn]

I got a laugh out of this when I read it the other day. I can see why Intel agencies would be interested in some games which require a strong use of real world tactics, such as WW2 first person war games and similar type war games beyond WW2. But WoW wouldn't seem to fit that bill, as it doesn't really require the kinds of tactics that would train someone to for use in the real world.

[crazy canuck]

But WoW wouldn't seem to fit that bill, as it doesn't really require the kinds of tactics that would train someone to for use in the real world.

Too true 

I have yet to use my uber healing skills in any real life context.

[Baron von Schtinkenbutt]

Too true 

I have yet to use my uber healing skills in any real life context.

It does teach you how you how you can use the refreshments tray for Shield Bash during those contentious meetings to interrupt the speaker.

[crazy canuck]

Too true 

I have yet to use my uber healing skills in any real life context.

It does teach you how you how you can use the refreshments tray for Shield Bash during those contentious meetings to interrupt the speaker.

[grumbler]

I got a laugh out of this when I read it the other day. I can see why Intel agencies would be interested in some games which require a strong use of real world tactics, such as WW2 first person war games and similar type war games beyond WW2. But WoW wouldn't seem to fit that bill, as it doesn't really require the kinds of tactics that would train someone to for use in the real world.

I don't think they are snooping on every game because of its tactics.  Some are just being monitored because communications between terrorists could easily be hidden inside some game chat.  i'd think that there problem there is that it would be hard to tell terrorism euphemisms from just the goofy game shit that WoWtards or any other MMO players naturally talk about.

*I wonder what "run over with a kubelwagon" really means; it is obviously a euphemism for something. *

[Berkut]

On the other hand, one can argue that standard gameplay tactics for people like Seedy in WoW pretty much amounts to terrorism.

[CountDeMoney]

lulz, Osama bin Griefin from al-Ganka.

[DontSayBanana]

I don't think they are snooping on every game because of its tactics.  Some are just being monitored because communications between terrorists could easily be hidden inside some game chat.  i'd think that there problem there is that it would be hard to tell terrorism euphemisms from just the goofy game shit that WoWtards or any other MMO players naturally talk about.

*I wonder what "run over with a kubelwagon" really means; it is obviously a euphemism for something. *

This.  I notice there's damned near silence on the fact that they're monitoring Second Life, which pretty much advertises virtual conferencing, so it's almost tailor-made for that.  Frankly, trawling for tactics would have to be an impractibly wide net, since in most online games I've played, military players are frequent and quick to teach squad tactics to overcome missions/quests (I never beat Crystalline Catastrophe in STO until working with a massive PUG that ended up organized by a military player).

[Iormlund]

My WoW raid had a few military guys. Most of them were pretty bad at following any tactic though. And their wives were downright terrible.

[Savonarola]

Putin: 'I envy' Obama's spy program

Russia President Vladimir Putin says his government is not working with National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden, and defended President Obama over his spying program - sort of.

"How do I feel about Obama after Snowden's revelations? I envy him, because he can get away with it," Putin said during a Thursday news conference in Russia.

Speaking a day after a White House advisory panel released a report recommending changes in NSA programs, Putin defended espionage in general.

He called it "one of the oldest professions in the world, just like some other well-known professions - we won't mention them here," an apparent reference to prostitution.

But Putin did say regulations, such as those envisioned for the NSA, are necessary: "On political level, it's necessary to limit the appetite of special services with certain rules."

As for Snowden - granted political asylum by Russia earlier this year -- Putin said: "To speak in professional jargon, operatively speaking, we are not working with him, and we never worked with him.

"It is up to him to determine his future," he said. "We are not going to help him, just give him shelter."

Don't feel bad, Vlad, I'm sure Barack wishes he could jail his critics the way you do. 

[celedhring]

Crap, there were two Saudis in my guild.

I'll probably be in the no-fly list now.

[jimmy olsen]

Lol, Putin is such an amazing Troll

[Tonitrus]

Thanks to Sav's tip off, I read the original transcript, which is slightly more interesting.  I'll throw in a slightly edited (to fix some of the pidgeon English) from Google translate version here:

I will be brief . Did you personally met with Snowden? And if such a meeting , what did you talk about ? If there was no such meeting, is it even possible, as a matter of principle? Talk about - maybe in the detail, what you would want to ask him about?

Thank you.

VLADIMIR PUTIN: No , I am not personally acquainted with Mr. Snowden , never met him . I have a lot more pressing business. He has his own ideas about life , about how he wants to do things, and how to live.

Frankly, this man is not without interest to me. I think that thanks to Mr. Snowden much in the minds of millions of people somehow changed, including from major political figures of our time (as they say in Soviet times , when we remembered Leonid Brezhnev) , and among my colleagues...much has changed, it is certainly true, thanks to him.

For me, I always (not always, but when I came across this ) was curious as to why he did this , for he was quite a young man. What does he have? Nothing. How is he going to live? Where is he going to live? He is 30 years old and has bery little , in my opinion. But then he made ​​that choice for himself. Noble, but difficult. He curious person, interesting, but he has his own business, as I have my own.

We gave him the opportunity to live with us, we, as I already said, we proceed from the fact that, on the territory of the Russian Federation, he will not engage in any anti-American propaganda. All that stuff (ed: likely referring to all the leaks) that is thrown around, everything that is coming out, or was left somewhere worldwide. We do not know where he had left it.

I have already said, I will tell you in what is pretty much operational terms, we do not work with him and have never worked with him...nor do we pester him with all sorts of questions as to what to he has done pertaining to Russia during his service, or where he worked.

He remained in our territory because of the known circumstances. I've already explained this. He must define his life for the future, we are not helping him in this , and do not interfere. We just gave him refuge .