Terrorists Use Google Maps To Plot Attacks

Terrorists have found a good use of Google Maps to plot their attacks. This was recently uncovered when British Troops raided homes of insurgents at Basra (Iraq) and recovered printouts and photographs snapped from Google Maps.

These printouts show good details like buildings, vulnerable areas like tents and lavatories. British troops suspect that they use these maps to target weak points like tents and launch accurate mortar, salvo attacks. British security services are worried that terrorists will use Google Maps to figure out details of sensitive infrastructure or even their own base at London.

Google spokesman says: The information could be used for “good and bad” and was available to the public in many forms. “Of course we are always ready to listen to governments’ requests”

In my opinion, Information is equivalent to power. This power is good and sometimes that power is bad. We can’t blame Google for this. If something like this happens here in India, I guess they’ll simply ban Google Maps.

News Source: Telegraph

This post was published by on January 14, 2007

About the Author: Thilak Rao works as a Social Media Expert. He is one of the first professional bloggers from India, and he loves to write, travel and click photos. Follow him on Twitter @thilak

  • http://www.vincentchow.net Vincent

    Even if a certain country bans Google Map, they will have a way to gain access to it. This sounds a little scary.

  • http://tech-buzz.net Thilak

    Vincent: Yeah, that’s certainly true. Here in India, banning sites is as easy as plucking mangoes from a tree.

  • http://garryconn.com/links/ Garry Conn

    Thilak,

    I think we all could have seen that one coming! Google Maps as well as Google Earth for that matter are both very useful programs… So I am not surprised to hear about this. I wonder if it came down to it, if Google would release the privacy protected information to the US Government if requested.

  • http://www.michaelvisser.com.au Michael

    Wonder if anyones done a Google Maps projectiles mash-up. That’d be mad, and scary.

  • http://bryansrants.com/ Bryan

    I really don’t think they should be held responsible. You can use those maps for practically anything, like stated. However, it is quite interesting that they use Google Maps to launch their attacks. I would have never thought of that.

  • Mrexplainall

    I’m not to worried about this…GPS portables have been around a decade and be even more accurate than G-earth !

  • http://www.michaelvisser.com.au/ Michael

    Wonder if anyones done a Google Maps projectiles mash-up. That'd be mad, and scary.