March 03, 2009
Out: Heroin Funding for Jihad
In: DVD Piracy Funding Jihad?
Remember when we were constantly told that driving an SUV was tantamount to funding terrorism? Forget that, with gas prices at near historic lows the funding source of choice for terrorists is, er, pirated DVDs?
Yes, says a new RAND study. Color me, er, skeptical. UPI:
Organized criminal groups are increasingly pirating movies and using the funds to support terrorism, a study from U.S.-based think tank Rand Corp. said.Two comments on methodology that ought to be glaringly obvious. First, how many cases of terrorists being funded by DVD piracy do we have?The non-profit policy-analysis organization released a report Tuesday suggesting that organized criminal groups are increasingly turning to the lucrative and largely unprosecuted street sales of pirated movies as a new revenue source, Rand reported.
The study said there were several cases of criminal groups pirating movies and using some of the funds to support terrorism, including activities by the Irish Republican Army and Hezbollah.Two or three cases do not a trend make nor does it mean that DVD piracy is a major funding source. Where the IRA gets their money these days is anyone's guess. But I'm guessing that DVD piracy would only be a puddle in the sea of Iranian funding for Hezbollah.
The second point I think is obvious, too:
The research, supported by a grant from the Motion Picture AssociationRather convenient conclusions, eh?
Also, I hear that terrorists sometimes use the internet. Probably best to stop using that, too.
By Rusty Shackleford, Ph.D. at 05:35 PM |
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