17-year-old Bitcoiner faces prison for tweeting about... You guessed it! Bitcoin

[mufa23]

He wasn't charged for using or talking about Bitcoin. He was charged for aiding and abetting a "terrorist" organization.

[pawel7777]

Kid was helping these lunatics, he should be tried as an adult black male:

The kid was trying to help them (in his own mind), but that's not where those lunatics receive the real help.

[the joint]

The focus of this article is hardly about Bitcoin.  I do not see any spin whatsoever being cast about Bitcoin.  There's nothing here that intentionally casts BTC in a negative light, and omitting any mention of BTC would necessarily omit from the article the reasons for which the boy was actually charged.

The article is about an ISIL sympathizer who tried to directly provide information that could be used to propel terrorists activities using social media.  That's it.

[newflesh]

Kid was helping these lunatics, he should be tried as an adult black male:

Those loons probably have enough $$$ from the US government, no need for them to worry about collecting a few satoshis from wannabe jihadists.

[Gleb Gamow]

OP, is guys like you that make Bitcoiners seem like whinny cultists.
He's giving ideas to terrorists in how to fund their killings. He would have faced prison if he told them to use Kickstarter. You are stretching this way too much.
But yeah prison is too much, specially for some dumb teen.

Obviously, somebody doesn't know the OP.

[Elwar]

It would have been worse if he had aided and abetted them by providing them with weapons and money.

What charges should be brought against those that do that?

[Gleb Gamow]

The focus of this article is hardly about Bitcoin.  I do not see any spin whatsoever being cast about Bitcoin.  There's nothing here that intentionally casts BTC in a negative light, and omitting any mention of BTC would necessarily omit from the article the reasons for which the boy was actually charged.

The article is about an ISIL sympathizer who tried to directly provide information that could be used to propel terrorists activities using social media.  That's it.

Don't worry, the other periodicals with pick up the mantle: http://fusion.net/story/149244/teen-who-tried-to-give-isis-bitcoin-advice-pleads-guilty-to-supporting-terror/?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=thisisfusion&hootPostID=0c30f1d9d59b1b6e1963372f01d33f25

“New developments in Bitcoin have allowed marketplaces that run on whatever law system the individuals choose,” he wrote. “This instantly allows for shari’ [Islamic Law] only compliant markets that cross all borders, nation state regulations, send money instantly, and are untrackable by kafir governments.”

Amin also blogged for a site called Coin Brief. The site has since removed his articles, but a Google Cache snapshot shows Amin’s pieces included a story on OpenBazaar, the Bitcoin-based “police-proof” website that just raised $1 million from venture fund Andreessen Horowitz.

[leopard2]

if you ask me, I would put EVERY PERSON who supports IS, in Europe/US/no matter where, into a plane and parachute them over IS controlled territory

that would eliminate the danger for us, and at the same time teach them an excellent lesson

putting them in jail or stopping them from leaving is idiotic, we are just creating time bombs....let them go...one way ticket to IS land  

[the joint]

The focus of this article is hardly about Bitcoin.  I do not see any spin whatsoever being cast about Bitcoin.  There's nothing here that intentionally casts BTC in a negative light, and omitting any mention of BTC would necessarily omit from the article the reasons for which the boy was actually charged.

The article is about an ISIL sympathizer who tried to directly provide information that could be used to propel terrorists activities using social media.  That's it.

Don't worry, the other periodicals with pick up the mantle: http://fusion.net/story/149244/teen-who-tried-to-give-isis-bitcoin-advice-pleads-guilty-to-supporting-terror/?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=thisisfusion&hootPostID=0c30f1d9d59b1b6e1963372f01d33f25

“New developments in Bitcoin have allowed marketplaces that run on whatever law system the individuals choose,” he wrote. “This instantly allows for shari’ [Islamic Law] only compliant markets that cross all borders, nation state regulations, send money instantly, and are untrackable by kafir governments.”

Amin also blogged for a site called Coin Brief. The site has since removed his articles, but a Google Cache snapshot shows Amin’s pieces included a story on OpenBazaar, the Bitcoin-based “police-proof” website that just raised $1 million from venture fund Andreessen Horowitz.

Yeah...some journalists are bound to start veering towards irrelevancy.  Still, this new reference doesn't seem to spin much, either.  The first half you mention is a direct quote from the kid's posting.  The second half arguably starts fueling one's imagination, but I'd say it also (arguably) doesn't.  It's information that highlights that his tweet wasn't a one-time promotion, and that he sought alternative avenues to distribute his information.

However, I wouldn't be surprised to see a few truly-sensationalist articles come from this event.

I'm curious:  In your opinion, how slanted to you personally believe these articles are?

Edit:  If you want to read some slant, check out my BTC Mag article on early payment processors 

[QuestionAuthority]

I just heard the news say that he had a contact in Isis and was recruiting and taking donations for them. I love a good conspiracy as much as the next guy but it sounds like he really is guilty.

[The Sceptical Chymist]

Kid was helping these lunatics, he should be tried as an adult black male:

I truly laughed out loud at your post, sir.  Thank you for making my day, sick as it is.

[RaginglikeaBoss]

Kid was helping these lunatics, he should be tried as an adult black male:

I truly laughed out loud at your post, sir.  Thank you for making my day, sick as it is.

The rest of the world calls the U.S. an imperialistic empire, I just say we're a tad racist but working on it.  Haha, could not stop laughing.

[TheButterZone]

Tweet a link to bitcoin.org, go to prison?

[the joint]

Tweet a link to bitcoin.org, go to prison?

That's nothing at all what this kid did.  Take a look at the article.  It wasn't even a mere description of how ISIL could use BTC to their advantage.  It was more like a, "Hey, *nudge nudge*, here's your "how-to" guide, and I even convinced this other dude I know to come join you guys!"

[MicroGuy]

This entire problem could be solved if Twitter would simply get off their lazy asses and create word filters. They have computer coders that are intelligent enough so that tweets containing the word "bitcoin" can be filtered when used in conjunction with "terrorist related" text content.

[Lorenzo]

http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2015/06/jihadist-us-teen-faces-prison-for-blog-tweets-about-encryption-and-bitcoin/

Dana Boente, the US Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, said the youth's guilty plea "demonstrates that those who use social media as a tool to provide support and resources to ISIL will be identified and prosecuted with no less vigilance than those who travel to take up arms with ISIL."

According to the defendant's signed "Admission of Facts" filed Thursday, Amin started the @amreekiwitness Twitter handle last June and acquired some 4,000 followers and tweeted about 7,000 times. (The Twitter handle has been suspended.) Last July, the teen tweeted a link on how jihadists could use Bitcoin "to fund their efforts."

But, if you're a US banker...

But, if the teen would've tweeted how US dollars could be used to fund said efforts...

Surprised to see that this thread from a while back hasn't been mentioned yet:

http://www.cnn.com/2014/11/13/world/meast/isis-currency/index.html?hpt=hp_c2

ISIS is planning to mint its own currency in gold, silver and copper, the group said Thursday.
Its aim is to stay away from the "tyrant's financial system," ISIS said in a statement. It said it would issue another statement to explain the new currency's exchange rate, and where it can be found.

Sounds like they are printing their own kind of FIAT. More scamcoin. I think this is a great opportunity to show them Bitcoin and get some users from the Middle East. The anonymity and low fees are sure to be a turn on. How can we spread the word and help Bitcoin go TO THE MOON!?

In that thread, most of the discussion was theoretical in nature. The same information was being discussed, but it all depends on how the information is framed. There's a fine line between simply discussing things in a general manner and directly aiding ISIS by providing technical support. In both cases, the information could perceived as being beneficial to ISIS but only in the latter case are the actual intentions of the author made clear and obvious.

Also, reading further down the page it seems that this teen took a step further than merely providing information about how Bitcoin could be used for the benefit of ISIS:

Amin is also accused of radicalizing an 18-year-old Virginia youth, Reza Niknejad, who traveled to Syria in January to join ISIL. Niknejad was charged Wednesday with conspiring to provide material support to ISIL and conspiring to kill and injure people abroad. Amin admitted that he helped Niknejad get a mobile phone, assisted him with travel, and hooked him up with ISIL supporters overseas.

[Bit_Happy]

It would have been worse if he had aided and abetted them by providing them with weapons and money.

What charges should be brought against those that do that?

Wow, that looks like American hero John McWar! What he he doing in the company of such bad men? 

[cinnamon_carter]

i believe the actual number of people joining these so called 'terrorist ' groups is very small ,

it is likely a disinformation stream being put out by 3 letter government agencies who want to continue to justify war and other crimes -- popularized by mainstream and even non mainstream media as real so it must be real of course .....

also if you research carefully you can see traces of many known so called terrorist organizations with 'strange' things at their time of start up..... 

some of them may have been started by intelligence agencies of the US or other nations

a honeypot

they justify this by saying , well there are some real crazy people out there that will want to form a group

let's form our own group for them to join before they form their own

then we can at least keep an eye on these 'people'   


if you examine world history this has happened over and over and over in various places and ways

just a newer media sensationilized version of old old school psy op


finally, even the fbi admitted recently that they have yet to foil any true terrorist plot since 9/11

everything they foiled was a sting operation set up by them



just think long and hard about what a terrorist is defined in the dictionary as and what the fbi calls one

there are terrorists out there , no doubt ,

most americans are so busy trying to work to pay their bills and logging into facebook to waste time they cant even look away from their phone or job long enough to do anything


think of who the real terrorists are

think of who has benefited most --- financially and in power grabs ---- since the war on terror

99% of Americans need to carry around a jar of smelling salts to wake up to what is happening

[nextgencoin]

I'm all for freedom but if someone aids an organisation like ISIS they should get into trouble. Prison time, no, how about deporting their ass thats the real solution here. You want to live with Raghead terrorists, be my guest, off you go. Liberals are too PC to offer this option. Why the hell should the tax payer pay for some kid to be in prison for 10 years. The best lesson would be to make these people live in these god forsaken countries with no hope to come home.


Of course as the US government has shown to of also aided ISIS then they should go too...

[nextgencoin]

This entire problem could be solved if Twitter would simply get off their lazy asses and create word filters. They have computer coders that are intelligent enough so that tweets containing the word "bitcoin" can be filtered when used in conjunction with "terrorist related" text content.

Why do you want MORE censorship and clamping down on free speech?

So you know Libertarians and many of their interests are starting to come under the umbrella 'domestic terrorism'. So basically you are saying anyone with Patriotic Libertarian beliefs or simply critics of the government and the current financial system should be blocked from even mentioning Bitcoin. 1984 next stop..