A report from Spiegel online points to someone who isn't that bright theorizing that Grand Theft Auto IV's designers were inspired by attacks from the Osama bin Laden lead terrorist group. Spiegel cites a member of a message board populated by "cyber-jihadists and al-Qa[e]da sympathizers" who contends that GTA IV's use of cellphone triggered bombs "shows the power and effectiveness" of, well, something Al-Qaeda related that is just too dumb to reprint.

The theory is fleshed out by evidence that things explode in GTA IV. Compelling stuff. You've given us a lot to think about this day, random internet moron.

Was Grand Theft Auto IV Inspired by Al-Qaida? [Spiegel via GamePolitics]

World of Warcraft, Now More Terrorist Insightful Than Ever

Retro Terrorism, part II

Those of you read closely might have noticed that yesterday's mention of the Bandai Airport Panic LCD Game included a coy "part I" in its title. That's because I had another early videogame with airport terrorists up my sleeve.

Activision gets the credit for being the first third-party developer, but Apollo followed shortly after, in 1981 (Imagic was also started in that year, by a second round of dissatisfied Atari developers).

One of their games was Lost Luggage another Kaboom! clone, this one challenges the player to retrieve luggage from an an airport carousel. Three of the game variations offer the additional challenge of a "terrorist suitcase." The terrorist suitcase is always black, and looks different from the rest. Normally, you lose a life for every bag you miss. Three misses and the game is over. But if you miss the terrorist suitcase, the game is over immediately.

It's a simple but reasonably effective way to communicate the urgency of threat. If only the terrorists would all use distinctive, color-coordinated suitcases...

Lost Luggage [Atari Age]

Retro Terrorism, part I

I'm very interested in airports and airport security. In fact, at Persuasive Games we have made not one but two games about airport security. But, what about earlier games about airports and terrorism?

As a part of their series of solar powered LCD handheld games, Bandai released Airport Panic in 1982. One of the neat things about this game is that it had two game levels, and the scene changed depending on which one you were on.

In the first, you have to cross the tarmac to the plane while avoiding the hijacker's bombs. Then you board the plane (this is where the scene changes) and have to traverse the rows to shoot the hijacker and "rescue the stewardess and the passengers."

When Gonzalo Frasca showed me this game today, I was reminded me that I actually have one, fully packaged, somewhere in my collection stash. I should find it and take it on my next flight. You don't need to go to those extremes though. You can download the manual scans and a PC emulator.

Bandai Solar Handheld Simulator Downloads [ via Ludology.org]

Tabloidish UK paper The Sun reports that the DS, Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 have been banned from UK jails over fears they could be used to plan terror attacks.

The fear stems from the discovery that all three devices contain software that "enables users to send or receive radio signals" and that they could be used to talk to fellow conspirators to "plot carnage." The Playstation 2 also faces a possible ban, the paper reports.

A source said: "The technology in the new generation of computer games makes them a security risk.

"There is concern that top terror suspects have been using systems already in jails. Radio software is an integral part of the equipment."

A secret security bulletin warns that planned advances in computer games technology could mean ALL systems being barred.

And here I always thought Osama was just a fan of BioShock.

Xbox banned in jail terror fear [The Sun]

Airport Evacuated Over Handheld Game

At this point in my airport adventures, I can only laugh when I see a story like this. Apparently a screener at the Long Beach Airport in California saw something suspicious in a piece of checked baggage around 9:30 am this morning and immediately called for an evacuation of the terminal, stranding five arriving planes on the tarmac as the authorities were brought in. The police, firefighters, and the bomb squad all rushed to the scene, only to determine after 90 minutes that the device in the bag belonging to someone working for, "some sort of game or toy company," turned out to be a handheld video game of unknown make and model in raw form, complete with exposed wiring.

While I can certainly see the need for such precautions, I like to think of this as gaming's way of getting revenge for my past month of delayed, missed, rescheduled, rerouted, and just plain over expensive airplane flights. Video games got my back, yo.

Game in bag prompts airport evacuation [Houston Chronicle - Thanks Randy!]

Teen Arrested for Counterstrike Map

"Terrorist Attack" Hits Second Life

Counter-Strike: State Funded Terrorist Training Tool

British Parliament Member Calls for "Night of Bush Capturing" Probe

Microsoft: The Fun Starts on Nine One One.

WoW = Terrorism

PSP = Terrorism

CORRECTION: Hip-Hop Enthusiast Using Video Games For Recruitment

WoW Guild Admits 'Terrorism' Was a Hoax

Terrorist Guild Holds WoW Server Hostage