Actually, that was my point. I don't think that AQ has the ability to conduct this type of operation. They are very good at recruiting young males to become jihadists and martyrs. KGB and Mossad strategy starts with building personal friendships with targets in a non-threatening manner. Even the dumbest and most vulnerable clerk would be a very hard, if not impossible, sell. The KGB would start out with "We want peace and disarmament just as much as you. We really need to cooperate to make sure this happens..." There's nothing about AQ that ISN'T killing people or blowing up things. It's not like there's a "Civil Division" of AQ that goes around building schools or hospitals.

There's very little opportunity for a clerk to approach AQ volunteering to help in exchange for money. Many of the worst U.S. spies simply walked up to a Russian embassy or consulate somewhere and offered their help. Last I checked, there wasn't an AQ Economic Mission on K Street.

I realize this latest discussion is a long way off from the subject of iris scanners. But, I think we've hit on the notion that there are an awful lot of clerks out there who are vulnerable toexploitation; and, that we're lucky that AQ apparently does not yet understand how to exploit that vulnerability.