Indian president warns against Google Earth

CNET news

By Dinesh C. Sharma
Special to CNET News.com

Published: October 17, 2005, 8:17 AM PDT

Indian President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam has joined the list of government officials charging that the geographic details provided by Google Earth's satellite imaging program pose a security risk.

"Developing countries, which are already in danger of terrorist attacks, have been singularly chosen," Kalam said.

Kalam, who is also the supreme commander of India's armed forces, made the comment over the weekend while addressing the nation's top police officers at the Vallabhabhai Patel National Police Academy at Hyderabad. Google has an engineering center in Hyderabad and another in Bangalore.

Google did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Government officials in other countries, including South Korea and the Netherlands, have made similar complaints . . .