Ehtyar: not only the cryptography community... I don't even dare think about the consequences of anybody being able to factor 1024-bit RSA in realistic time.

My point was simply to discount the kind of person who uses the https protocol without the faintest idea how things work in the background, who would most likely be entirely unperturbed by that kind of news, up until their browser stops recognising new CAs.
The conspiracy theorist in me has always taunted me with the idea that something like Digital Fortress could potentially exist, but i usually just tell it to shutup and go find something more realistic to ponder.....*touch wood*

I meant more from the point of view of being able to track down the blackmailer and using old fashioned methods of getting the key.

Apologies for my denseness today 

Ehtyar.