<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"> <html> <head> <meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1"> </head> <body text="#000000" bgcolor="#ffffff"> <h2 class="article-intro-text">Crackdown on Basque separatist IT experts runs foul of open source advocates.</h2> <div class="article-gallery-embed"> </div> Spanish authorities were forced to apologise for using the codename Linux to describe raids on suspected terrorists that netted a "top IT expert" for <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ETA" title="ETA" target="_blank">Basque separatist group ETA.</a> <a href="http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/01/12/spain_anti_terror_forces_regret_operation_linux/" title="The Register report" target="_blank">British news site The Register reported</a> that Cenatic – a Spanish Government project "to promote knowledge and use of open source software in all areas of society" – issued a statement defending the use of the term Linux in the context of the raids. <a href="http://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?hl=en&sl=es&tl=en&u=http://www.cenatic.es/que-es-cenatic&rurl=translate.google.com&twu=1&usg=ALkJrhiZhlmrCLJqckHZfngRToTmX3bZ8A" title="Cenatic" target="_blank">Cenatic</a> said in a statement <a href="http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=es&tl=en&u=http://www.cenatic.es/sobre-el-sector-del-sfa/aclaracion-del-ministerio-del-interior-sobre-la-denominacion-policial-de-la-ultima-operacion-desarrollada-contra-la-banda-terrorista-eta" title="Cenatic statement" target="_blank">(translated by The Register using Google)</a> that the name was chosen because Government security forces used Linux tools for their anti-terror research. "The Home Office is grateful for the free development of technology based on the Linux operating system, driven by users, organisations and businesses, and is an extremely useful tool for research by the Forces and State Security Forces to ensure the safety of citizens," the Cenatic statement read. "The Ministry of Home Affairs regrets the coincidence between the trade name of some companies and other organisations and the damage it may cause." <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.itnews.com.au/News/244581,spain-apologises-for-linux-anti-terror-codename.aspx">http://www.itnews.com.au/News/244581,spain-apologises-for-linux-anti-terror-codename.aspx</a> <pre class="moz-signature" cols="72">-- "I would rather deal with a correct asshole than a polite dipshit ANY AND EVERYDAY" Brian K. White </pre> </body> </html>