Let the insurgents KNOW that the citizens of Iraq can alert our forces via text messaging.

Is NOTHING covert anymore?

quote:

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Iraqis turn to text messaging to tip authorities
Civilians are able to help warn of attacks without the fear of being tracked down
By ELLEN KNICKMEYER
Associated Press

ISKANDARIYAH, IRAQ - The tip came in fast, telegraph-terse, and discreet. Maj. Mohammed Salman Abass Ali al-Zobaidi of the Iraqi National Guard scrolled down to read it: "Black four-door Excalibur. Behind cinema."

From cell phone screen to local authorities: Acting on the recent text message tip to al-Zobaidi, police in a nearby town tracked down a black car behind the theater and arrested the driver for suspected links to insurgent attacks.

In the volatile Shiite-Sunni area south of Baghdad known as the "triangle of death," Iraqi civilians increasingly are letting their thumbs do the talking, via text messages sent from the safety of their homes, Iraqi security forces and U.S. Marines say.

At a time when U.S. and Iraqi security forces are desperate for information on attacks — preferably in advance — mobile phone text messages allow civilians to pass on information from a discreet distance, their identities shielded from security forces and their neighbors.

Although a cell phone displays the caller's number, phone records are so chaotic in Iraq that chances are slim anyone could track down a tipster. And text messages can be sent to the most trusted officer, a far safer avenue than calling a police station that might be riddled with informants.

"Many, many people tell us about the terrorists with this," al-Zobaidi said, tapping his black cell phone and thumbing down to show more messages.

"All the time, I hear his phone — beep beep beep beep," said Sgt. Eddie Risner of Ocala, Fla., part of a Marine contingent working with the nation's guardsmen to try to block attacks and put a credible Iraqi security force on the street.

Iskandariyah, a mixed Shiite-Sunni city of about 100,000 that controls major transport links between Baghdad and southern Iraq, became notorious last year for its frequent bombings. Marines recorded as many as 200 car bombs and other attacks in a month, including a single bomb last spring that killed dozens of Iraqi recruits.

U.S. and Iraqi officials insist they are getting more tips from Iraqis about insurgent activity since the Americans transferred sovereignty to an interim government last June.

Interior Minister Falah Hassan al-Naqib said recently that calls to an insurgency hot line have produced a number of arrests, although officials refuse to give figures.

In Iskandariyah, Marines of the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit say they've halved the daily attack rate — in large part through constant patrols devoted to hunts for bombs, weapons caches and possible insurgents.

On this day, Marines found three bombs the hard way — by running across them on patrols, and by having at least one blow up as they drove by. There were no injuries.

The fourth bomb of the day was the biggest: a vehicle packed with 10 to 15 100mm mortar rounds.

Marines found that the easy way — a teenager tipped off Iraqi police, who called the Americans. They blew up the bomb remotely, creating a blast that stopped pedestrians and sent flocks of startled birds into the air.

Al-Zobaidi, the Iraqi National Guard local commander, put up fliers when he took the position, succeeding a brother who had been assassinated in the same post.

The fliers had al-Zobaidi's cell number, and encouraged residents to get in touch if they knew of impending attacks.

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Story

I think this might be a case of getting the word out to Iraqi residents as much as possible. Every Iraqi citizen if they are aware of this can be their own eyes and ears and send info in discreetly. How are the terrorists going to get at everyone with a cell phone? and if they don't, and there are lots of people with cell phones running around, (and cell phones have been selling like hotcakes over there from what I hear) then those people will be able to have some impact in their own defense.

So I can see how publishing the story isn't necessarily a bad thing then.

The insurgents probably knew this already. Not much they can do about it, although I would suppose one could try some disinformation and try to set up an ambush or two.

I'm in general agreement that we talk too much though. There is no way that I, as a civilian, should know that we are planning to use hit squads in Iraq.

of course not, Thud, but civilians using cell phones to alert the military that terrorists are planning to strike is another thing entirely.