back to article Teen in the dock on terror apologist charge for naming Wi-Fi network 'Daesh 21'

An 18-year-old broke France's anti-terror laws by naming his home Wi-Fi network "Daesh 21" – after the medieval murder bastards ISIS. The unnamed teen was given a three-month jail sentence, suspended for now, after he was found guilty of essentially publicly condoning a terrorist act or group. According to daily newspaper The …

  1. Adam 52 Silver badge

    This story seems to be repeated by a number of news sites, but none of the big French papers and the more reputable French papers are keen to point out that they aren't reporting first hand.

    But if true it would be interesting to know how the court drew any conclusion about support from just one noun.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Does it count as support if direct all traffic to a suitable "educational" target?

      Does it count as support if I make it open, allow anyone to connect, but redirect all web traffic to a goatse.cx (or wherever that wonderful picture resides today)?

      I used to have that set-up (with a different SSID). You needed a VPN to get out. Anyone without credentials on the VPN concentrator had a choice of goatse or goatse for their afternoon browsing session.

      1. This post has been deleted by its author

      2. Bernard M. Orwell

        Re: Does it count as support if direct all traffic to a suitable "educational" target?

        "redirect all web traffic to a goatse.cx"

        Well, I guess its a strategy to be arrested for Making an Obscene image under the UK Extreme Pornography laws instead of being arrested as a terrorist sympathiser under s.44/45.

        Comedy is a hard career choice these days, it appears!

    2. streaky

      it would be interesting to know how the court drew any conclusion about support from just one noun

      It would be interesting to know if the French media, police or courts know that daesh is a word that IS find offensive and if they know that's the reason the name is used in western media - because it actively pisses them off.

      Using the word daesh in an IS controlled area will get you relieved of your tongue.

  2. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Next time...

    ..try "The terrorist organization that cannott be named".

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Next time...

      You mean The Knights Who Say Ni?

      1. Hans 1
        IT Angle

        Re: Next time...

        >You mean The Knights Who Say Ni?

        IT!

      2. bombastic bob Silver badge
        Devil

        Re: Next time...

        Ecky ecky pkang ZOOOM boing...

      3. Daniel B.

        Re: Next time...

        You mean The Knights Who Say Ni?

        The BOFHen who say LART!

    2. JeffyPoooh
      Pint

      Re: Next time...

      At your office...

      Rename your Phone to "Free Pr0n".

      Switch on the 'Personal Hotspot' feature (with a password of course).

      Start Timer, and measure time until somebody cries out or laughs loudly.

    3. PNGuinn
      Mushroom

      Re: Next time...

      Or Robin Hood Airport <postcode>.

      For crying out loud - this is just giving the terrorist b******ds a propaganda victory.

      Maybe the internets will explode as a result. Someone should be banged up for aiding tererists.

      I sometimes wonder who the real enemies are. This was a somewhat mocking joke at the expense of a bunch of particularly evil killers. Getting upset at that kind of thing is what THEY excel at.

      Only icon suitable for that kind of stupidity.

      NB.

      1. READ THE KEY TO THE ICONS. SECURITY CLOWNS. IT'S HYPERBOLIC COMMENT - NOT A THREAT - YOU'RE NOT WORTH A SPENT MATCH.

      2. AS FAR AS WE KNOW ISIS DON'T HAVE A NUCLEAR DEVICE. FRANCE DOES. GET THE INFERENCE?

  3. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Weird

    Daesh would hate him for calling it that.

    Incidentally there's a station in lincolnshire where you can pick up a wifi network called MI5 Surveillance.

    1. VinceH

      Re: Weird

      One of mine is called GCHQ_Monitoring_Hub_something (something being a random number/letter sequence).

      1. Bodge99

        Re: Weird

        I've got:-

        We_Can_Hear_You_Having_Sex

        and

        Police_Surveillance_Van_No-1

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: Weird

          > Police_Surveillance_Van_No-1

          Familiarise yourself with Section 90 of the Police Act 1996 - then change it to GCHQ or something which won't get you a substantial fine for an offence which will continue to cause you hassle for years. Most coppers will just laugh, but there's one in every nick who'll pursue that.

        2. Jamie Jones Silver badge

          Re: Weird

          I used to run with that too! (Well, somethinng like SW Police Sureveilance van #6)

          (I currently use "The Aslyum")

          I wonder if we could be done for impersinating a police officer?

      2. Adam JC

        Re: Weird

        You should set it to GCHQ_Monitoring_Hub_117

        That way, it would suggest there are at the very least another 116 floating about somewhere.... ;-)

        1. David 132 Silver badge
          Boffin

          Re: Weird

          @Adam JC You should set it to GCHQ_Monitoring_Hub_117

          That way, it would suggest there are at the very least another 116

          Ahem...

          German Tank Problem

          1. Flip
            Thumb Up

            Re: Weird

            @David 123: Thank you for that link! Very interesting subject.

        2. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: Weird

          116? They're called ANPR/aka. Tax Disc Evasion cameras, and there are about 117,000 of them. They clock you in, they clock you out, they are strategically placed at 'pinch points' - all towns will have them on roads in/out of said town. Welcome to Britains' Open Prison, its here, working now, with TM in as Prison Governor.

          1. d3vy

            Re: Weird

            "They're called ANPR/aka. Tax Disc Evasion cameras, and there are about 117,000 of them"

            Pay your f*cking VED.

    2. intlabs

      Re: Weird

      I've had theresa_may for my wide open SSID for the last couple of years. Do I need to set up a captive portal for the six regular visitors to my network just to emphasize that this should not be seen as endorsement?

      1. macjules

        Re: Weird

        Presumably nobody wants to go near it?

        1. Ole Juul

          Re: Weird

          One of mine says "VIRUS ALERT!". I was hoping that it would scare people away or get a giggle. However, I would not expect to be charged with false advertising or causing public panic. Presumably the young French chap had the same idea. I am certainly not spreading or promoting any virus.

    3. Ian Bush
      Black Helicopters

      Re: Weird

      Never knew where Mike Corley was, live and learn ...

      1. This post has been deleted by its author

    4. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Weird

      "MI5 Surveillance".

      That's what I call mine! I like to hope it keeps the local terrorists occupied...

  4. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Bollocks

    I need to stop calling my mobile hotspot NSA_5eyes

    1. Empty1

      Re: Bollocks

      And mine - "tv detector van"

      1. Jason Bloomberg Silver badge
        Devil

        Re: Bollocks

        And mine - "tv detector van"

        "iPlayer_Monitoring_Hub" might be more appropriate to get a rise out of someone these days.

  5. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    B team?

    Is the B team editing articles today? Or are we down to the C team?

    "the medieval murder bastards" - perhaps missing an "ing"?

    "he did note pose a terrorism" - too many "e"s?

    "he was not terrorist" - too few "a"s?

    You, sir, are a terrorist against the English language. Yes, I'm well aware there is a Tips and corrections link, but that would involve linking web browsing with email. A web form would be so much better!

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: B team?

      Not if "murder bastard" is being treated as a noun. You could be a "murder king" or "murder facilitator" for instance, so I guess you can also be a "murder bastard".

    2. P. Lee

      Re: B team?

      or perhaps there is a missing hyphen between "medieval" and "murder."

    3. VinceH
      Coat

      Re: B team?

      ""he did note pose a terrorism" - too many "e"s?"

      But "he did note pos a terrorism" makes no sense!

  6. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    medieval murder bastards

    I believe the correct term is, "dickless nutjobs".

    1. Hans Neeson-Bumpsadese Silver badge

      Re: medieval murder bastards

      ...would be an excellent name for a rock band

      1. BongoJoe

        Re: medieval murder bastards

        ...the name of which I won't be embroidering on the back of my denim jacket.

        1. Tom 7

          Re: medieval murder bastards

          I think it would go well on the back of the Red Hunting jackets tho!

      2. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: dickless nutjobs

        > ...would be an excellent name for a nu rock band

        FTFY

        Medieval Murder Bastards is allright but surely it's already taken.

      3. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: medieval murder bastards

        > ...would be an excellent name for a rock band

        All female members?

      4. Ken Moorhouse Silver badge

        Re: medieval murder bastards

        ...would be an excellent name for a rock band

        ...or a Nick Cave album

      5. Scott 53

        Re: medieval murder bastards

        I'd go with Mediæval Murder Bastards myself, for added mediævality.

    2. Ken Hagan Gold badge

      Re: dickless nutjobs

      Sadly for many women who were unfortunate enough to have been living in the affected areas, these particular nutjobs are sufficiently non-dickless that their dick-related activities are on a par with their murderous ones. Kinda makes a mockery of any pretence they might have of being true to Islamic principles, but no surprise there.

      Perhaps sex-mad homocidal heretics would be a more accurate term. I dunno. It's a tough one.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: dickless nutjobs

        That's no way to talk about Saudi/Qatari/CIA financed Assad-ousting friends!

        I will have you done for hate speech!

  7. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    FFS

    Should really set my phone sharing said to something else then.. its currently on "Daeshingthroughthesnow"

    1. Lapun Mankimasta

      Re: FFS - "Daeshingthroughthesnow"

      sorry, "snarlingasyougo" is already taken. Could try for "ïfsomeonegetsinyourway" or "shovethesoandso", and you'd just be in time for Christmas!!!

  8. Mark Simon

    Daesh it all …

    If I used “Far Queue” for an SSID, could I get into trouble for that?

    1. Magani
      Megaphone

      Re: Daesh it all …

      If I used “Far Queue” for an SSID,

      Much safer to call it 'Far Canal'.

    2. Wensleydale Cheese

      Re: Daesh it all …

      Fork handles

  9. Fred Dibnah

    Routing update

    Turn off that evil routing protocol ISIS, that'll stop the terrorists.

  10. Destroy All Monsters Silver badge
    Big Brother

    If you have run out of things to do, go all Robespierre on SSIDs

    If this is true, the European Court of Human Rights might have to say something about this.

    If SSID naming is now considered "terrorism", then so will be farting in the street if one of the Pig Disgusting French Politicians is nearby, very soon.

    (Of some interest: Why you might have heard some French politicians calling Isis 'Daesh')

    1. Dr_N

      Re: If you have run out of things to do, go all Robespierre on SSIDs

      "so will be farting in the street if one of the Pig Disgusting French Politicians is nearby, "

      Farting is fine. It's burping that the French class as disgusting/criminal.

    2. Yet Another Anonymous coward Silver badge

      Re: If you have run out of things to do, go all Robespierre on SSIDs

      Just change the SSID to "Vichy"

    3. PNGuinn
      Pint

      Re: If you have run out of things to do, go all Robespierre on SSIDs

      "If SSID naming is now considered "terrorism", then so will be farting in the street if one of the Pig Disgusting French Politicians is nearby, very soon."

      Is it still ok to take a public piss in the gutter in front of them?

      It's france, after all.

      >> Bladder food for the occasion

    4. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      @Why you might have heard some French politicians calling Isis 'Daesh'

      Australians are more straightforward.

      Tony Abbott, Australia's prime minister, says he will now refer to Isil as "Daesh" because the jihadists hate the term and "what they don't like has an instinctive appeal to me".

  11. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Ah, oh dear...

    I better not change my SSID to "Sleeper Cell" then.

  12. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    And yet

    ANOTHER fucking pointless prosecution for being a bit of a nob.

    Another step closer to the free speech curtailed, everything is offensive and "we can invent laws as we see fit" society.

    Glad I wont be around much longer. In the last almost 50 years, I've seen society go to shit and the SINGLE root cause is the fucking idiots who believe they govern us.

    FUCK the political elite and their self imposed values.

    1. Arthur the cat Silver badge

      Re: And yet

      Citizen cornz 1, report at once to your nearest re-education centre, you are obviously are suffering from incorrect attitudes. You WILL love Big Sister. You WILL accept joyfully what our glorious and infallible government allots you. You WILL enjoy free speech while not saying anything contentious.

      [Wish I could put a joke icon on this.]

    2. JLV

      Re: And yet

      >In the last almost 50 years, I've seen society go to shit

      Upvoted you because you are correct in criticizing this waste of judicial activity. Still, it hardly seems fair to criticize our particular point in time so harshly, esp in comparison to such preceding jewels as:

      - McCarthy's witchhunts (50s)

      - The Japanese internment camps during WW2 (happened in Canada too, not just the US)

      - the hounding of Alan Turing (50s)

      - not to mention the much greater tolerance for enemy civilian casualties, which were either ignored or indeed actively pursued as policy all the way into the 80s

      I ain't no millennial myself, but no need to get all back-in-my-days on us. Terrorism has always been a challenge to deal with if also trying to respect civil liberties. How did Europe fare in the time of Anarchists? What about France during the heyday of the OAS, where French people killed hundreds of other French to keep France fighting in Algeria? England and Northern Ireland during the Troubles? Bloody Sunday?

      Are we doing well, now? The jury's definitely out - in some way we are, comparatively - I think there are (mostly) more legal safeguards when people actually go on trial. In others, such as our capacity for, and use of, mass surveillance? Not so great.

      There are no easy answers but I agree the SSID farce is probably not all that helpful.

      1. DropBear

        Re: And yet

        "Still, it hardly seems fair to criticize our particular point in time so harshly, esp in comparison to such preceding jewels..."

        I will not deny that the tendency to do this sort of thing is not new. What definitely IS new though is the greater and greater ease with which new technical means facilitate global surveillance and power abuse. And that seems hell-bent on blowing up in our faces some time real soon, if things keep going the way they have been lately...

  13. cd

    Daeshed Hopes

    We have met the terrorists and they is us.

    1. Anonymous IV
      Unhappy

      Re: Daeshed Hopes

      Very worryingly, quite close to GCHQ in Cheltenham this morning I saw a coach bearing the title:

      Daish Holidays

      I don't dare make any comment...

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Daeshed Hopes

        Well, every morning I enjoy my Daish Pastry!

        With bacon!

  14. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    What I want to know...

    Was this kid full-blooded French, some kind of foreigner, or an actual Muslim immigrant?

    It makes a difference. I want to know exactly what sort of hysteria earned him a 3-month jail sentence.

    1. Steven Roper

      Re: What I want to know...

      What difference does it make? What if the kid was "full-blooded French" (by which I assume you mean he's a Privileged White Male™) would that change the outcome? The only difference I can see here is that if the kid was Muslim, that would be an excuse for regressive-left virtue-signalling sycophants to play the racism card in his defence - who would say nothing if he turned out to be non-Muslim.

  15. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    In my old neighborhood there is a WIFI called "Bates Motel".

    1. d3vy

      A WiFi what?

      1. Daniel von Asmuth

        oops

        I have had a terrorist on my home page for over a decade. What is freedom of expression when saying something positive about a terrorist or terrorist group is a punishable offence? Do you suppose Modern Murder Bastards are nicer than their mediaeval brethren?

  16. Adrian Midgley 1

    To have a plausible backronym,

    almost anyone sufficient sense must have.

  17. Nick Kew
    Coat

    Hmmm .... just speculatin'

    Should I name my wifi AlQaeda or somesuch? Can't see plod taking any notice.

    On the other hand, call it Lolita2002 and one could be stuffed for life.

    Maybe I'll call it UpTheTrump and see what anyone makes of that. Or on second thoughts, that has a rather short shelf life, regardless of the outcome of their election.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Hmmm .... just speculatin'

      Labeling anything with Trump could lead to property damage

      http://www.conservativedailynews.com/2016/10/watch-trump-car-destroyed-in-black-neighborhood/

      (Actually a fake video I hear, all tricks are good to go)

    2. Lapun Mankimasta

      Re: Hmmm .... just speculatin' oh for pity's sakes!!!

      Just call it TheTrumpOfDoom or TheLastTrump or something of the sort

  18. Frank N. Stein

    The French Authorities don't have enough real Police work to do? No. So, rather than nod this one off to some senior citizen with no hobbies not minding their own biz, let's arrest a chap for what he named his WiFi Network? Taking France off the Tour list.

    1. Hans 1

      In France, you have to have cash, I think it is a tenner, and ID, at all times when out and about.

      French police can arrest anybody, needless to provide any grounds.

      The arrested Keziah Jones in Paris, iirc, some years ago, because, well, he was not white and had no id.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        > Keziah Jones

        Isn't that a witch from Arkham?

        And she has a little dog called Brown Jenkins or something. Probably a specialist at horror house continuous builds...

        1. Shooter

          Re: Keziah Jones

          Close. Keziah Mason is the witch you're thinking of. Keziah Jones sounds like a hip-hop artist.

      2. Yet Another Anonymous coward Silver badge

        >French police can arrest anybody, needless to provide any grounds.

        Unless they are dressed as German infantry

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          That's actually Prussian infantry. And they will never pass the tranchées.

  19. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    who sees a wifi network called that and then calls the police.

    ... the level of stupid is pretty high. If it was a real connection its like calling your wifi "terrorists r us".

    The person who reported this should be getting a fair amount of shame for their "think of the children"... "OMG its an arabic word, terr-ist".

    Sadly these muppets just dont get that they work for the bad guys by curtailing our values and our free speech etc etc ... freedom to make (bad / in poor taste) jokes.

    Offense is taken, not given.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: who sees a wifi network called that and then calls the police.

      Call your hotspot Al-Khwārizmī, get carried away in the blue party van.

      1. Yet Another Anonymous coward Silver badge

        Re: who sees a wifi network called that and then calls the police.

        Tough on maths, tough on the causes of maths

      2. John H Woods Silver badge

        Re: who sees a wifi network called that and then calls the police.

        "Call your hotspot Al-Khwārizmī" -- AC

        No need to stop there, Unicode works fine: محمد بن موسى الخوارزمی

        1. Yet Another Anonymous coward Silver badge

          Re: who sees a wifi network called that and then calls the police.

          >No need to stop there, Unicode works fine: محمد بن موسى الخوارزمی

          That would get you arrested by the language police.

          The CRS might be tough but they are nothing compared to l' Académie française

    2. gnasher729 Silver badge

      Re: who sees a wifi network called that and then calls the police.

      Well, the guy who named his SSID after the barbaric murdering bastards clearly did that to annoy his neighbours. If I was one of the neighbours, I would feel very tempted to annoy him back. How would I do that? The childish way, using the SSID "Daesh fuck their little sisters"? The vigilante way, getting a baseball bat and waiting until he comes home in the dark? Or informing the cops?

      I would take into consideration that he is a nut job (evidence clearly visible), and that he might be a dangerous nut job. That removes method 1. I would also take into consideration that the police doesn't like vigilantes and method 2 would likely hurt me more than him. That leaves method 3 - call the cops. Has nothing to do with "think of the children", only has to do with "don't be an asshat".

  20. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    My neighbour has a wifi network named "Little England", since I live France, should I call the police ? With Brexit and shit, they might think ...

    1. Destroy All Monsters Silver badge

      Go all Jeanne Darc on him and boute les anglais hors de France!

  21. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Got someone you hate?

    Rename their WiFi SSID to Daesh 21, grab the popcorn and then sit back and watch as the authorities beautifully demonstrate just how fucking retarded this zero tolerance bullshit is...

    1. gnasher729 Silver badge

      Well, anonymous coward, you are assuming that the cops are brainless idiots. Which shows that you are a brainless idiot, and when you get caught, first you get done for supporting terrorists, and second for trying to pervert the course of justice.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Did you mean "support the perverted course of justice"

  22. This post has been deleted by its author

  23. Pompous Git Silver badge

    Odd thing

    Daesh is a word concocted by Khaled al-Haj Salih, the Syrian activist in 2013 as a calculated insult to ISIS. Presumably it's illegal to insult ISIS in France. Go figure...

    1. Flocke Kroes Silver badge

      Re: Odd thing

      Read the bit of the article that says "...if they provoke or praise terror activities..."

      Yes, it is illegal in France to call Daesh Daesh. We have a similar law in the UK, but it does not apply to politicians because ... erm ... err ... well I am sure there must be a good reason.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Odd thing

        Yes, it is illegal in France to call Daesh Daesh.

        No, it isn't. It's the government-preferred term for jounalists to use, because it sounds like another arabic word meaning "those who sow dissention".

        1. Destroy All Monsters Silver badge

          Re: Odd thing

          > "those who sow dissention"

          So, neocons?

        2. Yet Another Anonymous coward Silver badge

          Re: Odd thing

          So wouldn't that be provoking them ?

  24. GrapeBunch

    100-yard dash

    With that title he could get done for five crimes: supporting terrorism; reverting the course of justice; using a non-SI unit; using a foreign language; using sounds that don't exist in French (where we write 'sh', they would write 'ch' to make the same sound). Godwin's Law: it's a brick house, just the same.

  25. scrubber
    Facepalm

    Je suis Charlie

    I seem to recall some procession in favour of freedom of expression after the Charlie Hebdo attacks, was that just political posturing?

    1. Destroy All Monsters Silver badge
      Holmes

      Re: Je suis Charlie

      Well, the BDS movement has been declared "hate speech" in La France.

      ... so, um, err... YES!!!

  26. This post has been deleted by its author

  27. MNGrrrl
    FAIL

    A most dangerous game

    France has helped terrorists in the past: Specifically, America during the war of independence. Should we ban anyone who expresses support for the United States in any way? Should France arrest itself? Because that's the only way actions like this can be morally cohesive. Of course, they won't, so it's not just morally incoherent but it's also prejudicial in a legal sense. It may not be politically convenient to admit, but terrorism *is* an effective method of political change when all other methods have failed. We can denounce it, but we cannot ignore it -- and we cannot answer it with silence and expect a peaceful outcome. Stopping terrorism is about making sure those other methods *don't* fail.

    -

    It is not a free and democratic society as long as someone can say they sympathize with a terror group and then find themselves in legal trouble. If they actually *fund* terrorism, give *substantive* material support in some fashion, or incite or advocate specific acts of violence, then there is a strong moral basis for punishing them. The mere expression of an opinion, however offensive, distasteful, immoral, etc., should never be a crime.

    -

    This law may have been passed out of a desire to remove terrorism from the public conversation, ostensibly to curb support for it, but the fact is, we can't beat terrorism by closing our eyes, plugging our fingers in our ears, and arresting anyone who doesn't follow suit. Terrorism is an idea, and ideas can only be defeated with better ideas. The freedom of speech and the civil liberties that a democratic society depends on is the best antidote to not just terrorism, but political violence of any kind, domestic or foreign.

    -

    Violence starts when people stop talking, for whatever reason, and violence ends when people start talking. This isn't just about terrorism, this is about the fundamentals of what it takes to make a society. Any society. Society doesn't start until the transition from vigilantism to the rule of law. We develop judges, juries, and trials. We resolve our differences with words, not guns. Violence decreases whenever there is an increase in communication -- when we allow people to peacefully protest, they are less inclined to violently revolt. Even if the trials are rigged, unfair, even if we have secret courts and gross perversions of justice... that system is still better than vigilantism. Every move towards communication, even with a lot of political corruption, is a step towards a greater peace. The reverse is also true: When people feel ignored, when they are afraid to speak out against injustice, they are liable to take justice into their own hands. Fundamentally, this is what leads to terrorism: A sense of powerlessness. It crosses boundaries of social class and economics -- rich and poor alike will revolt if they feel ignored.

    -

    When the citizens of France read stuff like this, that's what some of them are going to feel. They're being disenfranchised; Ostensibly on the basis of religious preference. The intention may very well be to prevent violence, but that's not how it will be interpreted or how it will end up. They might as well be slapping up recruitment posters for ISIS because that's who is joining them: People who feel the government is ignoring or persecuting them. And seeing stuff like this is just reinforcing that. It's like the racially-motivated violence happening in this country: It's not just one thing, but a thousand papercuts that eventually drive people to radicalize. Everytime something like this happens, it's another papercut, and thanks to the miracles of confirmation bias -- de-escalation becomes exponentially more difficult the more it happens.

    -

    I know it's "just" a wifi network name, but look at it through the eyes of our abstract disenfranchised citizen who reads this and thinks "If they're willing to go to such lengths for merely mentioning it..." And then they're going to be afraid. I know, you may think this is a good thing: People who sympathize with terrorists *should* be afraid, but it's the wrong answer because fear is what drives radicalization. To fight radicalization, we need to engage the segments of the population that are vulnerable to it and make them a part of the political process. We have to make them feel included, not excluded. They have to feel safe enough to come forward and air their greviances, whatever they are.

    -

    Right now, peace can be had in France at a bargain price. But that price is going up with every news story like this, every act of overt discrimination and prejudice. The citizens of France may not like what the price will become if they keep ignoring the inequities in their country much longer. And the same can be said of many, many other countries right now. Legal actions like this are playing a most dangerous game, and the only winning move for this game... is not to play.

    -

    1. Rattus Rattus

      Re: A most dangerous game

      I wish I could upvote that ten times over.

  28. Slx

    It seems a bit harsh!

    Wouldn't telling him to "cop the feck on!" and leaving it at that be more than enough ?!

    I thought France was supposed to be all about freedom of speech and satirising these organisations?

    If you start putting words like this on some kind of pedestal, you're giving those organisations way too much power and respect.

  29. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Ex prime minister.

  30. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    I couldn't help but think of this.

    In the Orwellian UK, failing to hand over a password is a jailable offense.

    So, with this in mind, what if you set your WiFi SSID as a string of text that had been encrypted with say, AES or Blowfish?

    E.g. blowfish(passswod,Police are stupid) > encrypted output > new SSID name

  31. Bucky 2

    I thought "Daesh" was the way folks from Massachusetts pronounce "Darsh."

    If you connect to that SSID, you're going to have a bad time.

  32. s. pam Silver badge
    Holmes

    So I guess SO-15 will be coming to my house?

    If I named a network DaeshBag or DaeshArseBug?

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