Muslim radicals' appetite for sexual explicit material means their reputations can be undermined through charges of hypocrisy, according to a document released by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden. November 27, 2013 3:13 AM PST National Security Agency buildings. (Credit: NSA) The National Security Agency monitored and spotlighted six Muslims' online pornography practices and financial misdeeds so their authority could be undermined by showing hypocrisy, according to a new report. The "radicalizers appear to be particularly vulnerable in the area of authority when their private and public behaviors are not consistent," the Huffington Post reported Tuesday, quoting from an October 3, 2012, report released after former NSA contractor Edward Snowden leaked it. Related stories Microsoft said to beef up its Internet encryption Fiber-optic cables could be the key to NSA snooping Zuckerberg says US 'really blew it' on surveillance programs NSA slapped malware on 50,000+ networks, says report Vulnerabilities included using donations for personal expenses, charging exorbitant speaking fees, and "viewing sexually explicit material online or using sexually explicit persuasive language when communicating with inexperienced young girls," the document said. "Some of the vulnerabilities, if exposed, would likely call into question the radicalizer's devotion to the jihadist cause, leading to the degradation or loss of his authority," the document said. The government didn't deny the surveillance. Shawn Turner, director of public affairs for National Intelligence, told the Huffington Post in a statement: Without discussing specific individuals, it should not be surprising that the US government uses all of the lawful tools at our disposal to impede the efforts of valid terrorist targets who seek to harm the nation and radicalize others to violence. However, the electronic surveillance triggers concern among those who fear the NSA will abuse its online data-gathering power. In the 1960s and 1970s, the NSA spied on Martin Luther King, Jr., two senators, Muhammad Ali, and journalists from the New York Times and the Washington Post. The National Security Agency in about 1950 (Credit: NSA)

Muslim radicals' appetite for sexual explicit material means their reputations can be undermined through charges of hypocrisy, according to a document released by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden.

November 27, 2013 3:13 AM PST

National Security Agency buildings.

(Credit: NSA)

The National Security Agency monitored and spotlighted six Muslims' online pornography practices and financial misdeeds so their authority could be undermined by showing hypocrisy, according to a new report.

The "radicalizers appear to be particularly vulnerable in the area of authority when their private and public behaviors are not consistent," the Huffington Post reported Tuesday, quoting from an October 3, 2012, report released after former NSA contractor Edward Snowden leaked it.

Related stories

• Microsoft said to beef up its Internet encryption


• Fiber-optic cables could be the key to NSA snooping


• Zuckerberg says US 'really blew it' on surveillance programs


• NSA slapped malware on 50,000+ networks, says report

Vulnerabilities included using donations for personal expenses, charging exorbitant speaking fees, and "viewing sexually explicit material online or using sexually explicit persuasive language when communicating with inexperienced young girls," the document said.

"Some of the vulnerabilities, if exposed, would likely call into question the radicalizer's devotion to the jihadist cause, leading to the degradation or loss of his authority," the document said.

The government didn't deny the surveillance. Shawn Turner, director of public affairs for National Intelligence, told the Huffington Post in a statement:

Without discussing specific individuals, it should not be surprising that the US government uses all of the lawful tools at our disposal to impede the efforts of valid terrorist targets who seek to harm the nation and radicalize others to violence.

However, the electronic surveillance triggers concern among those who fear the NSA will abuse its online data-gathering power. In the 1960s and 1970s, the NSA spied on Martin Luther King, Jr., two senators, Muhammad Ali, and journalists from the New York Times and the Washington Post.

The National Security Agency in about 1950

(Credit: NSA)