'Guardian': Terrorists use Google Earth in attacks

Report says Aksa Brigades uses program to determine targets; Google: images not exclusive.

By JPOST.COM STAFF
aksa guys wall 298.88 (photo credit: AP)
aksa guys wall 298.88
(photo credit: AP)
The Aska Martyrs Brigades uses Google Earth to help plan Kassam rocket attacks against Israel, the British Guardian reported Thursday. Khaled Jaabari, one of the Fatah-affiliated group's commanders in Gaza told the Guardian that his organization runs details obtained from the Internet mapping program against its own maps in order to determine "sensitive areas." Google refused comment on the report that its satellite imagery was being used to perpetrate terror attacks or confirm whether Israel had asked it to block certain transmissions. Google said that its images were not exclusive and were, in fact, available from "numerous sources." The company said in a statement that it "paid close attention to concerns that Google Earth creates new security risks," and was committed to working with officials to take public safety into account. "Google has engaged, and will continue to engage, in substantive dialogue with recognized security experts and relevant agencies worldwide," it said. Google Earth recently released updated images of Israel, sparking debate over security. While the company said it would be "happy" to address any concerns Israel might have, Professor Gerald Steinberg, chairman of the political science department at Bar-Ilan University in Ramat Gan, discounted the images' importance. 'They are not real-time pictures, and they were not taken yesterday. I don't think this is a major change in security,' he said. David Shamah contributed to this report.