Tim Barrus, the New York Times

For Ben Hubbard

I am a communist. If I was someone working for organized crime in (pretend) Azerbaijan, and I had been checking you out to see if you could be used to facilitate the taking of data, and if you fit the profile, you are going to be approached with tidbits. You already know criminals are effective. Why would I work for Microsoft when I could get three times that working on my computer safely at home. Friends in the Middle East. There is no such thing as safely. News orgs have slashed the number of people they have working in that part of the planet. There are less people now to fish with. The country you discuss, does a whole lot more than hack a phone. They kill people every day. How does the outrage exist. You knew you would be hacked. Only a matter of time. You knew that, too. You know a lot you are not telling us. I have been hacked so many times (mostly by the “National Bank of China,” go figure), I only use burners. Even if I only want to contact my kids. Organized crime has spent the time and the money needed to learn new strategies to steal and kill. Americans could not find Azerbaijan on a map. Symbolisms. I love NYT, but your publication does not have the resources to find your body buried in the concrete of a new hospital in Yasuj. If I was someone who had relationships with criminals embedded in government, I would know more about you than you do. I would know where your kids go to school. But I would conclude you cannot be trusted because you published this piece.