FBI May Have Datamined Grocery Stores With Help From Credit Companies

An anonymous reader writes "Recent media reports indicate that in 2005-06, the FBI went trawling through grocery store records in order to track down Iranian terror cells. They hoped to locate 'Middle-Eastern terrorists' through the purchase of specific food items. Many of these items, though, are not sold through big-box supermarket chains, and the majority of mom and pop ethnic markets do not have the detailed computer purchase histories that Safeway or Whole Foods have. What the FBI seems to have done is instead put together a list of everyone who shopped at a Middle Eastern food market. All signs point to the credit card companies providing this data, and not the individual stores. If so, this could be the tip of a (potentially illegal) data-mining iceberg."

In Other News...

[Mr_Perl]

Falafil Inc. sues the FBI for defamation of character and loss of business.

Datamined Grocery Stores

[smittyoneeach]

data-mining iceberg lettuce hovercraft eel overflow

Falafels, eh?

[shrubya]

Better put Bill O'Reilly [google.com] on the airport watch list then.

Comment removed

[account_deleted]

Comment removed based on user account deletion

Re:Alienation

[ByOhTek]

because, non-middle easterners might like the food.

And thus, even though not ME, they must be terrorists too!

*sigh* I didn't realize I was a terrorist :-( It's just that the food is so yummy.

Good thing. . .

[smooth wombat]

I always use cash when I go to Achmed's Food Emporium with his "special" back room full of "good deals".

Re:What?

[downix]

Mohammad Atta ate for his last dinner...

at Pizza Hut across the street from the Portland Mall, in front of the South Portland Cinema, next to IHOP and a gas station. (I know that exact Pizza Hut) We must get the records of everyone that eats pizza, shops at a mall, watches movies, enjoys breakfast and buys gas!

Patiently waiting...

[NetDanzr]

I'm patiently waiting for the FBI to knock on my door and arrest me for all the ingredients I used (digested) in my attempts to create the perfect stink bomb.

Re:Alienation

[djasbestos]

Seriously. Shawarma with saffron rice FTW.

I guess I am a bad American for liking terrorist food...hummus...Hamas...same thing, right?

Re:Alienation

[MBCook]

Ketchup. They're seeing who isn't buying enough.

Ketchup has natural mellowing agents that help to keep you satisfied with our government and able to accept what happens to you.

-- A message from the Ketchup Advisory Board

(This is well documented. See here [publicradio.org] and here [publicradio.org], for example.)

Driving While Black replaced---

[Anonymous Coward]

with Eating While Muslim

Re:In Other News...

[show me altoids]

Falafil Inc. sues the FBI for defamation of character and loss of business.

I really falafel about this.

Re:Alienation

[idontgno]

You forgot to mention "Speak only English, just like Jesus did." [wisdomquotes.com]

Re:Alienation

[Anonymous Coward]

Will I be subject to arrest for having a copy of Disney's Aladdin in my home?

No, but you will be subject to arrest if you have the sequels. The bad taste police will be by shortly to confiscate those DVDs as well as the parachute pants you still have in your closet. Thank you, and good day.

Want to subvert the FBI?

[ThatsNotFunny]

Every once in a while, buy a little bit of ham.

Re:In Other News...

[rvw]

Falafil Inc. sues the FBI for defamation of character and loss of business.

Hey man have you ever see a falafel explode? I sure don't want to be around! And if they're still frozen, you will never know what hits you if a mad falafel-seller comes after you. Man this is really dangerous!

Re:Just another reason I pay cash when possible.

[VGPowerlord]

Of course not, he accesses /. through cash.

Re:Reality

[Anonymous Coward]

How are EITHER more threatening than Canadians?!

Re:in-store discount cards are great!

[Anonymous Coward]

Use it to buy wire, a clock, chlorine bleach, sugar and ammonia. ... and some popcorn.

Re:Garbage in - garbage out.

[trolltalk.com]

SELECT * WHERE (color NOT 'white') AND (pol_aff NOT 'GOP') OR (pac_funding < 100000);

Re:In Other News...

[cayenne8]

Shit....I'm now on the hummus watch list from last week's football game parties!!!!

Re:Because

[Anonymous Coward]

Possibly when you brag on the Internet that you own several unregistered guns.

Or do you really think your packets don't route through the NSA and that government agencies don't datamine online forums?