NSA harassing crypto software writer over export (fwd, sci.crypt)

- NSA harassment alive and well
- is this company a `small fish'? doesn't NSA have something better to do?
- his request is overbroad, but still needs some kind of help
- maybe the laywers on the list can help out too

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From: grady@netcom.com (Grady Ward)
Subject: help me fight NSA
Organization: Moby lexicons
Date: Mon, 13 Sep 1993 23:54:54 GMT


An individual at the NSA has recently been warning
my publisher of Moby Crypto that they will be breaking
the law if they export the product.

Since I do not include any executables, only source
and other documentation that routinely appears in
textbooks that are exported, I think this hasseling 
is unwarranted and unconstitutional.

Since knocking heads with the NSA may result in
some kind of process, I need some assistance to
bolster my case.

What you can do: please send me a reference on every
book or magazine article you are aware of that
contains any 'source code'.  The code can be a fragment
or in any computer language as long as it implements
encryption or other material that would be
export controlled if incoporated in an executable.

I think collecting a large number of these citations
will help my attornies in pointing out the absurdity
of the situation to government attornies if necessary.

Please e-mail any citations that you have.  Thanks
ahead of time.

Grady Ward   grady@netcom.com

What exactly is "Moby Crypto"?  Is it a book?  A disk?

The current law can be interpreted to mean that a piece of code on
paper is legal, but on a disk is not.  Clearly, this is what the NSA
is doing.  Stupid?  Yes, IMHO.  But the government has refused to see
it this way.  This person does not need lawyers.  He needs
congresscritters, preferably a majority of them :-/

		Marc

What exactly is "Moby Crypto"?  Is it a book?  A disk?

The current law can be interpreted to mean that a piece of code on
paper is legal, but on a disk is not.  Clearly, this is what the NSA
is doing.  Stupid?  Yes, IMHO.  But the government has refused to see
it this way.  This person does not need lawyers.  He needs
congresscritters, preferably a majority of them :-/

>> I think collecting a large number of these citations
>> will help my attornies in pointing out the absurdity
>> of the situation to government attornies if necessary.

He is naive if he things proving that a law is absurd is sufficient to
nullify it.

		Marc