--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: ISIS went to school on how we were…" description: "\"ISIS went to school on how we were collecting intelligence on terrorist organizations by using telecommunications technologies. And when they learned t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54e/michael-morell-26084_able_isis-went-to-school-on-how-we-were-colle_2704547.jpg" --- # ISIS went to school on how we were collecting intelligence… ![“ISIS went to school on how we were collecting intelligence on terrorist organizations by using telecommunications technologies. And when they learned that from the [Edward] Snowden disclosures, they were able to adapt to it and essentially go silent.” quote by Michael Morell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54e/michael-morell-26084_able_isis-went-to-school-on-how-we-were-colle_2704547.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54e/michael-morell-26084_able_isis-went-to-school-on-how-we-were-colle_2704547.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54e/michael-morell-26084_able_isis-went-to-school-on-how-we-were-colle_2704547.jpg) > “ISIS went to school on how we were collecting intelligence on terrorist organizations by using telecommunications technologies. And when they learned that from the \[Edward\] Snowden disclosures, they were able to adapt to it and essentially go silent.” [Michael Morell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker notes that ISIS adapted to intelligence collection methods after Snowden's disclosures, learning to go silent. **In simple terms:** ISIS learned to evade surveillance after Snowden leaks. Key Takeaway Stay vigilant to evolving security threats. Themes security intelligence terrorism Mood analytical serious Type informative strategic When to use this quote - policy briefings - academic courses - media analysis - government training Key Concepts adaptation information warfare Questions to Reflect On - How do intelligence agencies adapt to new threats? - What ethical concerns arise from surveillance adaptations? A Different Perspective May oversimplify complex terrorist behavior. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Able](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/able/) [Collecting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/collecting/) [Disclosure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disclosure/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/edward-snowden/) [Isis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/isis/) [Isis Went](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/isis-went-2759669/) [Organization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/organization/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [Silent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/silent/) [Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/snowden/) [Snowden Disclosures](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/snowden-disclosures-2759670/) [Technology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/technology/) [Telecommunications](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/telecommunications/) [Terrorist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrorist/) [Terrorist Organizations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrorist-organizations-719390/) ## Related quotes > [ Companies made these decisions about encryption when they were finding it very difficult to sell their products overseas because the \[Edward\] Snowden disclosures created… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morell/companies-made-these-decisions-about-encryption-when-they-were/) [Michael Morell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morell/) > [ The \[Edward\] Snowden disclosures created this perception that people's privacy was being put at significant risk. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morell/the-edward-snowden-disclosures-created-this-perception-that-people-s/) [Michael Morell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morell/) > [Do I believe Edward Snowden contributed to the rise of ISIS? Yes. Would they have gotten there without the help he provided them? Probably.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morell/do-i-believe-edward-snowden-contributed-to-the-rise-of-isis-yes-would/) [Michael Morell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morell/) > [ The situation they \[journalists and Edward Snowden\] were in was incredibly heightened. The stakes were high. There was a lot of pressure, a lot… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zachary-quinto/the-situation-they-journalists-and-edward-snowden-were-in-was/) [Zachary Quinto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zachary-quinto/) > [ It's not exactly an interview that's going on \[in documentary\]. I guess we do ask Edward Snowden some questions and we're recording him answering… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-leo/it-s-not-exactly-an-interview-that-s-going-on-in-documentary-i-guess/) [Melissa Leo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-leo/) > [In my estimation, there has not been in American history a more important leak than Edward Snowden's release of NSA material, and that definitely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-ellsberg/in-my-estimation-there-has-not-been-in-american-history-a-more/) [Daniel Ellsberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-ellsberg/) > [I was really not familiar at all with Edward Snowden. I like to get that right out of the way and really learned most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-leo/i-was-really-not-familiar-at-all-with-edward-snowden-i-like-to-get/) [Melissa Leo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-leo/) > [The government now requisitions the publics' telephone records and sifts through its emails. It labels whistle-blowers such as Edward Snowden as traitors, even though…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-giroux/the-government-now-requisitions-the-publics-telephone-records-and/) [Henry Giroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-giroux/) > [ \[Edward Snowden and his team\] they're great characters. They're fascinating people. They were in an extraordinary situation. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zachary-quinto/edward-snowden-and-his-team-they-re-great-characters-they-re/) [Zachary Quinto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zachary-quinto/) > [There's a lot of important issues being brought to the world about America's role in proliferating weapons, about the lack of responsibility of anyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-lawson/there-s-a-lot-of-important-issues-being-brought-to-the-world-about/) [Guy Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-lawson/) > [Edward Snowden has inspired changes and awareness, which is very important in this day and age, and sometimes egos need to be set aside,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/birgitta-jonsdottir/edward-snowden-has-inspired-changes-and-awareness-which-is-very/) [Birgitta Jonsdottir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/birgitta-jonsdottir/) > [Patriots don't go to Russia. They don't seek asylum in Cuba. They don't seek asylum in Venezuela. They fight their cause here. Edward Snowden…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kerry/patriots-don-t-go-to-russia-they-don-t-seek-asylum-in-cuba-they-don-t/) [John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kerry/) > [It certainly woke me up to how vulnerable we all are. I think I was much more cavalier about it before I started working…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zachary-quinto/it-certainly-woke-me-up-to-how-vulnerable-we-all-are-i-think-i-was/) [Zachary Quinto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zachary-quinto/) > [I am incrementally a pessimist, but I see the international debate that Edward Snowden has engendered, and I think this is exactly where the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-savage/i-am-incrementally-a-pessimist-but-i-see-the-international-debate/) [Adam Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-savage/) > [Despite Russia's move to raise interest rates this week, the value of the ruble has continued to crash. Russia's economy is so bad, Edward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-fallon/despite-russia-s-move-to-raise-interest-rates-this-week-the-value-of/) [Jimmy Fallon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-fallon/) ## More by Michael Morell > [I'm concerned, too, about ISIS' ability, right, to infiltrate people. But we have got some very effective, robust processes for vetting people. We brought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morell/i-m-concerned-too-about-isis-ability-right-to-infiltrate-people-but/) [Michael Morell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morell/) > [ The \[Edward\] Snowden disclosures created this perception that people's privacy was being put at significant risk. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morell/the-edward-snowden-disclosures-created-this-perception-that-people-s/) [Michael Morell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morell/) > [If you were watching CNN, they were saying the NSA is listening to your phone calls. 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It's got to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morell/you-have-to-have-a-military-and-intelligence-approach-to-removing/) [Michael Morell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morell/) > [ Donald Trump didn't even understand, right, that \[Vladimir\] Putin was playing him. So, in Putin's mind, I have no doubt that Putin thinks that… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morell/donald-trump-didn-t-even-understand-right-that-vladimir-putin-was/) [Michael Morell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morell/) > [I want the vetting to be solid. But I also want to bring these people in because not bringing them in sends a message,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morell/i-want-the-vetting-to-be-solid-but-i-also-want-to-bring-these-people/) [Michael Morell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morell/) > [As far as Paris goes, we don't know for sure yet how these guys communicate among themselves and how they communicated back to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morell/as-far-as-paris-goes-we-don-t-know-for-sure-yet-how-these-guys/) [Michael Morell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morell/) > [Do I believe Edward Snowden contributed to the rise of ISIS? Yes. Would they have gotten there without the help he provided them? Probably.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morell/do-i-believe-edward-snowden-contributed-to-the-rise-of-isis-yes-would/) [Michael Morell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morell/) > [ \[Hillary Clinton\] never misused \[ information that the Central Intelligence Agency has\]. She always protected it. I would trust her with the crown jewels… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morell/hillary-clinton-never-misused-information-that-the-central/) [Michael Morell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morell/) > [ Companies made these decisions about encryption when they were finding it very difficult to sell their products overseas because the \[Edward\] Snowden disclosures created… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morell/companies-made-these-decisions-about-encryption-when-they-were/) [Michael Morell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morell/) > [One of the lessons we've learned from the last 25 years of terrorism is that groups that have safe havens are able to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morell/one-of-the-lessons-we-ve-learned-from-the-last-25-years-of-terrorism/) [Michael Morell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morell/) > [Intelligence officers are supposed to put the facts on the table and really walk away from the policy discussion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morell/intelligence-officers-are-supposed-to-put-the-facts-on-the-table-and/) [Michael Morell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morell/) > [ Look at it from \[Vladimir\] Putin's perspective, right. He's a trained intelligence officer, worked for the KGB, very talented, manipulated people much smarter than… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morell/look-at-it-from-vladimir-putin-s-perspective-right-he-s-a-trained/) [Michael Morell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morell/) [Explore all 22 Michael Morell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morell/) ## More Able quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. 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I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. 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