But the disappointing part is that this "data mesh" apparently had nothing to do with the NSA or with automated surveillance in any way: according to this article[1], it was just a matter of some rather uninspired BKA types sitting on their hind quarters, typing a few words into Google, and stumbling on his public writings (or things others had written about him). In the old days, they would have trolled a few bars, planted a few informants here and there, and come up with pretty much the same quality of "evidence" and "leads". (And, thinking back to the anti-RAF days, they quite frequently did).

Orwellian references seem definitely overdrawn, in regard to this case.

[1] http://www.taz.de/!3471/