Shannen Rossmiller

Shannon is such an interesting character. I've emailed her a few times asking for an interview, but sadly, she died before I was able to get her on the show. However, the podcast Spycast did an interview with her back in 2011, and here she is explaining what she did.

Shannon is such an interesting character. I've emailed her a few times asking for an interview, but sadly, she died before I was able to get her on the show. However, the podcast Spycast did an interview with her back in 2011, and here she is explaining what she did.

One of the things I've got is I have notebook after notebook after notebook. And they're all dated in chronology for the different things that I'm doing at the time. So they're my records.

One of the things I've got is I have notebook after notebook after notebook. And they're all dated in chronology for the different things that I'm doing at the time. So they're my records.

They're my records of the identities I use, that I create, that has the different, you know, backgrounds as far as their cultural, their tribal, their clan, any of their, anything that I need to make that individual identity have all the appearances of being a real person sitting behind a computer screen in whatever part of the world I'm purporting to be from.

They're my records of the identities I use, that I create, that has the different, you know, backgrounds as far as their cultural, their tribal, their clan, any of their, anything that I need to make that individual identity have all the appearances of being a real person sitting behind a computer screen in whatever part of the world I'm purporting to be from.

She was pretty meticulous at building believable personas to act like in these areas of the internet, building backstories and keeping records of who this person is. She looked up how to hide her IP address so it didn't look like she was connecting to these sites from her Montana home. She learned what a proxy was and how to connect to one and appear to be coming from Canada.

She was pretty meticulous at building believable personas to act like in these areas of the internet, building backstories and keeping records of who this person is. She looked up how to hide her IP address so it didn't look like she was connecting to these sites from her Montana home. She learned what a proxy was and how to connect to one and appear to be coming from Canada.

So Shannon made sure that when she was online, her virtual location matched up with the fake identity that she was using on the forums. She knew she was going into the belly of the beast and wanted to be extra careful so that her family would be safe. But here's the thing, in the wild world of the internet, you don't have those usual cues to tell if someone is lying or not.

So Shannon made sure that when she was online, her virtual location matched up with the fake identity that she was using on the forums. She knew she was going into the belly of the beast and wanted to be extra careful so that her family would be safe. But here's the thing, in the wild world of the internet, you don't have those usual cues to tell if someone is lying or not.

No facial expressions, no tone of voice. It's just words, black and white, on a screen. That just makes everything way more complicated. It might sound fairly easy now, but back then, not many people were making up fake personas and connecting through proxies to infiltrate a terrorist group. Shannon was doing stuff on her own, treading new and shaky ground.

No facial expressions, no tone of voice. It's just words, black and white, on a screen. That just makes everything way more complicated. It might sound fairly easy now, but back then, not many people were making up fake personas and connecting through proxies to infiltrate a terrorist group. Shannon was doing stuff on her own, treading new and shaky ground.

She was entering a dark and dangerous part of the internet. She was well aware that what she was doing wasn't exactly the safest bet, but she couldn't help herself. Once she took that leap, there was no turning back. One person who became very interesting to Shannon was a guy who went by the username Abu Khadija. Now, he was a person who had a history of terrorist activity. She found him online.

She was entering a dark and dangerous part of the internet. She was well aware that what she was doing wasn't exactly the safest bet, but she couldn't help herself. Once she took that leap, there was no turning back. One person who became very interesting to Shannon was a guy who went by the username Abu Khadija. Now, he was a person who had a history of terrorist activity. She found him online.

and saw he was actively contributing to the Jihad Encyclopedia. And she discovered he was connected to Abu Hamza. He was an Islamic preacher who wore a prosthetic hook on his left arm. He was involved in all sorts of suspicious terrorist activities in the UK and the US. Shannon discovered that Abu Khadija's real name was Osama Abdullah Kasser.

and saw he was actively contributing to the Jihad Encyclopedia. And she discovered he was connected to Abu Hamza. He was an Islamic preacher who wore a prosthetic hook on his left arm. He was involved in all sorts of suspicious terrorist activities in the UK and the US. Shannon discovered that Abu Khadija's real name was Osama Abdullah Kasser.

he was known and respected in this online community that she wanted to be involved with. So she wanted to get connected with him because maybe if he trusted her, she could get some information that was useful. She wasn't exactly sure, but thought to try. So Shannon made a plan to get closer to this Kasser guy. Shannon created an online persona calling herself Abu Zidah.

he was known and respected in this online community that she wanted to be involved with. So she wanted to get connected with him because maybe if he trusted her, she could get some information that was useful. She wasn't exactly sure, but thought to try. So Shannon made a plan to get closer to this Kasser guy. Shannon created an online persona calling herself Abu Zidah.

It's common for jihadists and Al-Qaeda members to use fake names, and this one fit right in. She pretended that she was a recruiter for a new group of Islamic guerrilla fighters based in Canada. Now, Shannon, acting as Abu Zita, was able to attract Kasser with her posts. They started emailing each other, but she was like, oh, no, shh, don't talk here. It's not safe. Email leaves a record.

It's common for jihadists and Al-Qaeda members to use fake names, and this one fit right in. She pretended that she was a recruiter for a new group of Islamic guerrilla fighters based in Canada. Now, Shannon, acting as Abu Zita, was able to attract Kasser with her posts. They started emailing each other, but she was like, oh, no, shh, don't talk here. It's not safe. Email leaves a record.