Crypto Blamed for US terrorist attack - World Exclusive

[John Henderson]

On Wed, 12 Sep 2001, Bruce Tober wrote:

> That's the headline I picture on all the tabloids within a fortnight,
> with the subhead:
> Government Ministers to Ban E-mail Encryption (except under strict
> licensing)
> 
> And that will be in the US, the UK and throughout most of the rest of
> the world.
> 
> Comments?

For the foreseeable future, strong encryption will be available to
terrorist groups and no amount legislation is going to alter this.

It is almost certain that new anti-terrorist measures will be introduced,
which infringe on Civil Rights. Clinton introduced the Omnibus
Antiterrorism Bill following the 1993 attack on the World Trade Center,
but despite the subsequent Oklahoma bombings this was defeated.  After
yesterday's catastrophe, there will be a sea change in opinion which will
allow an even more extreme Bill to be enacted this time round.

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John Henderson
IT Services                           Tel  : 01334-462761
University of St Andrews, Butts Wynd  Fax  : 01334-462759
St Andrews, Fife KY16 9AL, Scotland   Email: jth@st-andrews.ac.uk
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