The Christian Science Monitor reported that counter-terrorism agents have been using handset location technologies to locate terrorists, disrupting attacks and breaking up terrorist cells in the process. Commerically-available products that could aid in this effort include the Ericsson Mobile Positioning System which also has commercial and emergency services applications.
This is not the first time that al Qaeda and other terrorist groups have underestimated the technical capabilities of the intelligence community. Back in March, we pointed out that al Qaeda operatives had been busted because they used the same SIM cards in multiple handsets. You could conclude from reading both articles that the FBI and the CIA have a superior understanding of the technologies behind mobile and satellite phone systems.
Other reports have indicated that al Qaeda leaders shy away from using electronic communications. Lets hope that the lower level al Qaeda personnel keep thinking that there is such a thing as security through obscurity.