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Slain al-Zarqawi: converged media's first terrorist

Iraqi terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi’s death at the wrong end of a couple of 500-pound bombs earlier this week has caused several media organizations to examine how this murderer was able to spread his message when he was alive.He did, in fact, use streaming media for this purpose.
Written by Russell Shaw, Contributor
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Iraqi terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi’s death at the wrong end of a couple of 500-pound bombs earlier this week has caused several media organizations to examine how this murderer was able to spread his message when he was alive.

He did, in fact, use streaming media for this purpose. Multimedia clips on terrorism-promoting websites, inciting calls to action. Other clips showing beheadings of hostages.

I fear we will be seeing more terrorists use converged media to get their twisted and vicious method out. There is an overlap between their targets of young, potential Jihadists, and these prospective "holy warriors" access to fast Internet connections.

But on the other hand, we shouldn't blame multimedia for spreading al-Zarqawi's evil words, thoughts and deeds. Doing this would be like blaming the printing press or printer's ink for Mein Kampf. Printing presses and printer's ink can be utilitized for good, evil, or so many other goals. Or non goals, if you wish.

Similarly, multimedia is just bits. It's the thoughts those codec-ed images and words carry that's important.  

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