MANHATTAN. Google Earth should blur images of potential terrorist targets from its satellite mapping Web site, a state lawmaker said yesterday.
Assemblyman Michael Gianaris, D-Queens, said the detailed aerial views of locations such as power plants, airports, transportation hubs, stadiums and other landmarks should be restricted after reports that the men who were plotting to blow up a pipeline at JFK Airport used the site to plan their attack.
“We dodged a bullet this time, but might not be as lucky in the future,” Gianaris said. “We cannot wait for disaster to strike before taking commonsense steps to avoid facilitating an attack.”
Gianaris said he wrote three letters to Google prior to the site’s launch warning the company of the potential security risks.
“The imagery visible on Google Earth and Google Maps is not unique: commercial high-resolution satellite and aerial imagery of every country in the world is widely available from numerous sources,” said Google spokeswoman Megan Quinn in an e-mail yesterday. “Additionally the imagery in Google Earth is not real-time but rather anywhere between six months and three years old. Indeed, anyone who flies above or drives by a piece of property can obtain similar information.”
