Terror Network Visualization
January 25, 2006 2:30 AM   Subscribe

Terror Network Visualization. An interactive flash visualiztion of known terrorist links
posted by srboisvert (15 comments total)
 
Mental masturbation
posted by elpapacito at 4:04 AM on January 25, 2006


Since 'terror' means 'terrorism' now, can we start using 'journal' for 'journalism' and 'onan' for 'onanism'?
posted by signal at 4:11 AM on January 25, 2006


If this thing is to be trusted then Saddam did have links to Al Qaeda!

It doesn't actually explain why, which makes the whole thing seem pretty speculative and generally unreliable to me. Unless I've just totally fallen for the liberal brain washing- the detergent the use smells so good :(
posted by public at 4:36 AM on January 25, 2006


All I can find on that Hasan Ghul fellow is that he was arrested in Fallujah. That sounds more like it justifies a link to Iraq rather than to Saddam on this visualisation though.
posted by public at 4:40 AM on January 25, 2006


I think there's a Terror Network somewhere in my 900 channel lineup somewhere.
posted by moonbird at 5:39 AM on January 25, 2006


I think the link goes this way. Saddam Hussein - Hasan Ghul - Ghoulies - Ghoulies Go To College - Kevin Bacon went to college - bin Laden.
posted by dances_with_sneetches at 5:49 AM on January 25, 2006


Am I the only one who gets kinda freaked out when within a few clicks the screen is full of little lines and bubbles and starts slowing down the flash?
posted by goodglovin77 at 6:21 AM on January 25, 2006


Where's ETA? The Tamil Tigers? The Real IRA?

Interesting, but not comprehensive...
posted by plep at 6:26 AM on January 25, 2006


The current iteration of the site is pretty much focused on applying systems to network analysis. We are not a data research group, so take the actual data/connections with a grain of salt. The idea is that one tenuous link between Saddam and Al Qaeda means almost nothing. You have to build up a larger number of connections from varying datasets and actually spend time thinking about the reliability of your sources and the credibility of the information. Only then can you put statistical analysis and social network analysis on top of the process for anything meaningful. We're a small group of guys who have been working on the site for years and it is only now becoming useful. What's more interesting is the meta-metadata. We can watch the server logs, do reverse DNS lookups and correlate search phrases to actual organizations and geolocations. And that's across all domains (.gov, .mil, .com, .org) etc. Makes for some pretty interesting analysis of "watching the watchers". FWIW>
posted by trackingdano at 6:31 AM on January 25, 2006


Where's ETA? The Tamil Tigers? The Real IRA?
Interesting, but not comprehensive...


Sendero Luminosa?
The Tibetan Maoists?

Just to name 2 organizations still active and utterly unrepresented.
posted by Chrischris at 6:50 AM on January 25, 2006


Makes for some pretty interesting analysis of "watching the watchers"

More likely the traffic you see is mostly random desk workers trying to pass some time. Unless you're seeing spikes in traffic from government addresses which do not correlate with the rest of the world or mentions in the press?

Plus the Hasan Ghul link isn't just tenuous, it's based on absolutely nothing other than the guys presence in Iraq, unless you can some cite some other source which says otherwise?

It's not like there haven't been allegations of Al Qaeda operatives (namely Ayman al-Zawahiri) being paid large sums of money by the Iraqi intelligence agency. At least according to the CIA, and that was way back before we even thought about invading liberating the place from Saddam. You don't even appear to have any data on him though.

We are not a data research group, so take the actual data/connections with a grain of salt.

I suppose the idea is that this is just one more way for people to learn about the evil Islamic terrorists. I'm saying that this is more like misinformation - not that I think you are deliberately trying to deceive people.

Analysis of any kind can only be as good as the dataset you are working with and this one seems to be nothing but holes.
posted by public at 6:52 AM on January 25, 2006


Where's ETA? The Tamil Tigers? The Real IRA?


Not to mention the UDA and RHD.
posted by DieHipsterDie at 7:13 AM on January 25, 2006


Not to mention the UDA and RHD.

Sure, they're just glorified drug barons.

What I really want to know is where is George?
posted by twistedonion at 8:07 AM on January 25, 2006


> What I really want to know is where is George?

Bang on. But they don't want to be chased down and locked up without charge do they?
posted by catchmurray at 9:55 AM on January 25, 2006


Very reminscent of they rule, which tracks large corporate interests, think tanks, et al.
posted by whir at 4:47 PM on January 25, 2006


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