Snowden Leaks Didn’t Make Al Qaeda Change Tactics: Report

There is no evidence that Edward Snowdens revelations about NSA spying inspired Islamic terror groups to hide their electronic communications behind more sophisticated encryption software, according to a new analysis that challenges other recent research and assertions by U.S. officials about the impact of the leaks.

The analysis by Flashpoint Global Partners, a private security firm, examined the frequency of releases and updates of encryption software by jihadi groups and mentions of encryption in jihadi social media forums to assess the impact of Snowdens information. It found no correlation in either measure to Snowdens leaks about the NSAs surveillance techniques, which became public beginning June 5, 2013.

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Evan Kohlmann, a Flashpoint partner who also is a NBC News terrorism consultant, acknowledged that there has been a flurry of releases of encryption software by al Qaeda and other Islamic terror groups, including ISIS, since Snowden went public, but said most have simply extended the existing scheme to new devices or technologies, such as cell phones, chat software and SMS messaging (texting).

Nothing has changed about the encryption methodologies that they use, he said. Its difficult to reconcile with the claim that they have dramatically improved their encryption technology since Snowden.

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Al Qaeda and its affiliates have developed and used different types of encryption software since at least 2007, beginning with a product known as Asrar al-Mujihideen (Secrets of the Mujahideen) that was released by administrators of a now-defunct al Qaeda web forum known as al-Ekhlaas, according to the Flashpoint analysis.

The software was quickly endorsed by al Qaeda affiliates like al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) and al-Shabab in Somalia. When al-Ekhlaas collapsed, a prominent online jihadi media unit called the Global Islamic Media Front (GIMF) took over its development and began strengthening its capabilities. It also introduced new products, including Asrar al-Dardashan (Secrets of Chatting) in February 2013, four months before the Guardian newspaper broke the first Snowden story.

The report appears certain to add fuel to the debate over what U.S. officials say was significant damage to national security caused by Snowdens disclosure of classified spying programs by the NSA.

U.S. government officials have consistently invoked the terrorist groups to dramatize the damage allegedly caused by the leaks.

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Snowden Leaks Didn't Make Al Qaeda Change Tactics: Report