From: Sandy <72114.1712@CompuServe.COM>
Date: Fri, 1 Oct 93 12:53:38 PDT
To: <cypherpunks@toad.com>
Subject: TRAVELLER'S ADVISORY
Message-ID: <931001194816_72114.1712_FHF24-4@CompuServe.COM>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


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  SANDY SANDFORT               Reply to:  ssandfort@attmail.com
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Punksters,

Here's a scary (but so far imaginary) news item:

                    MILLIONAIRE HIPPIE HACKER
                     ARRESTED FOR SMUGGLING
                          WAR MATERIEL

    (San Francisco)  Silicon Valley entrepreneur and
    self-styled "cypherpunk," John Gilmore, was arrested
    today at San Francisco International Airport.

    A Secret Service spokesperson said Gilmore was
    attempting to smuggle restricted software to England
    where he was to have been a speaker at a hackers'
    conference.  The spokesperson added that the Secret
    Service has reason to believe that Gilmore intended to
    meet with members of a radical Islamic terrorist group,
    but declined to elaborate on this charge.

    Apparently, airport security personnel received an
    anonymous tip that Gilmore had hidden the software in
    his laptop computer.  The computer and several computer
    disks were seize as evidence.

Think it couldn't happen?  I'm not so sure.  It would be child's
play to plant PGP in someone's seized laptop or to put a PGP disk
in their luggage.  While they were at it, a little marijuana or
crack cocaine could be put in there too.  Think of the photo op
as John is lead away in handcuffs.  What a PR coup for the Feds.

I think this is a real danger for outspoken Cypherpunks or other
high-profile individuals such as Phil Zimmermann.  Unfortunately,
I don't have any bullet-proof solutions.  Suggestions?

 S a n d y

>>>>>>    Please send e-mail to:  ssandfort@attmail.com    <<<<<<
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