Terrorism, Another Perspective

Note: May 27, 2022:  This post contains background and statistics on mass shootings in the United States of a type similar to recent events in Uvalde, Texas and Buffalo, New York.

The Boston Bombing of 2013

The tragic bombing in Boston demonstrates again how quickly and completely media, government and law enforcement can spin the terrorist card. Along with the deployment of well over a thousand City, State and Federal police, mass transit was shut down, businesses were closed and nearly a million residents of the area told to lock themselves in their homes until the suspects could be captured.  During the depth of the manhunt, the situation was best described by a Boston police officer who stated, “we are operating in the fog of war”.¹

Boston: “The Fog of War” (Photo: MetroDCPhotography)

The hunt was on for two inept, ideologically driven brothers, both US citizens suspected of having set off crude bombs that killed three and seriously injured dozens more, created a media frenzy that quickly spead around the world. The difference in these killings from the tens of thousands of killings which occur each year in the United States is that the Boston suspects were Muslim, their weapons of choice were crudely made bombs, and, the event being defined as an act of terror.

1. The Fog of War

It only took hours before the ‘fog of war’ drifted into Canada when the RCMP, in consultation with the Minister of Public Safety, decided to arrest two men (named as ‘terrorists’) were implicated in a plan to derail a VIA rail passenger train. The RCMP reported that during the intense, year-long investigation, they had turned up links between the two men and an Iranian based al Qaeda cell. We are left to assume the terrorists, one a PhD Engineering student studying in Canada, did not have the requisite skills to figure out how to derail a train. More will be written on that subject. The al Qaeda link was given as proof that the organization now has tentacles reaching into Canada.

As these events unfolded, a half dozen Ricin-laced letters (first reported as anthrax-laden) were intercepted after being mailed to President Obama and others. Acting with lightning speed, the FBI identified, arrested and named the perpetrator. When it turned out they had the wrong man, they corrected their error by immediately arresting another. It was an impressive result for the FBI whose pursuit of the Unabomber, a hermit who mailed bombs to universities and airlines around the United States for sixteen years before being caught.  It was among the longest and costliest FBI investigations on record.

Back in Boston, the manhunt took a deadly turn when one police officer was killed and another seriously wounded. With dozens of media and government reports emerging, the actual circumstances surrounding these tragic events has yet to be clarified.

Hours later, the two suspects in the bombing were cornered and in a hail of bullets, the older brother was killed. The younger, still in his teens, although seriously wounded, managed to elude police as he sped away in a stolen car. After the lockdown of Boston ended, the boy was found hiding in a boat parked in the nearby community of Watertown.

Suffering from a serious throat injury, the man was rushed to a hospital and placed in intensive care. Within hours authorities reported having reliable information the two men, had they escaped Boston, intended to plant to bombs in Times Square. The Mayor of New York was immediately notified and he, in turn, hastily called a press conference to reassure citizens of his city, that they were safe from attack.

2. The Fog Drifts into Canada

Back in Canada the Conservatives, responding to the VIA rail arrests, pushed Bill S-7, the long lapsed Anti-Terrorism bill, to the front of the queue and had it passed within hours. Only a few politicians were courageous enough to critize the government for bringing forth the bill in such circumstances. The Minister of Public Safety, although he confirmed receiving regular briefings from the RCMP, denied any collusion between himself and the RCMP on the timing of the arrests and contingent debate of Bill S-7.

In the United States, Homeland Security, never a group to let an opportunity slide by, jumped on the bandwagon by suggesting a new border fee be applied to southbound Canadians. The fee, they stated, would help to offset the tremendously high costs of keeping terrorists out of the United States. Presumably, that would be terrorists heading south to the United States from Canada.  All this has occurred at a time when there has been increasing pressure to remove some of the security restrictions at airports and other locations.

In total, the events left one breathless with anticipation as to what might happen next, and with wonder at how many ways the events could be spun. Even President Obama, at his annual Press Dinner, commended CNN on how effectively they covered “every side of the story with the hope that one might turn out to be correct.”

It seems reasonable to expect that over the coming days and week’s law enforcement agencies, including Homeland Security and CSIS, will uncover dozens of aunts, uncles, and cousins, perhaps even a few play school friends who have had regular contact with the suspects and may themselves be terrorists.

3. Terrorism, another Perspective

In the world today it is a given that whenever one or more of the words, Muslim’, terror, jihadist, Islamist or al Qaeda, is linked in a criminal event or series of events, those events will become a terror plot which will spin out control for weeks on end. On the other hand give a man an automatic weapon with which he is able to kill a school full of children (a not infrequent happening in the United States) and the most powerful lobby group in the world, the National Rifle Association, goes into full attack in “protecting” the right of their members to possess and carry more “weapons of mass destruction” than any terrorist group could ever dream of possessing.

Make no mistake, my commitment to seeing bad guys and girls jailed whenever they commit or threaten to commit a horrendous crime such as that in Boston (or Newtown), is total. Over thirty years of policing, I had the opportunity of directing or participating in investigations in which persons who murdered, raped, abused children, robbed or maimed were sent to jail, some for the rest of their lives.

However, just because I was a policeman did not mean I was less committed to upholding long established rules of law and expecting ‘due process’ as democratic rights, rights which serve to protect citizens from government, police, prosecutorial or judicial malfeasance.

It is my opinion those rights have been seriously eroded over the past decade, much of it being undertaken and perpetuated in the name of defeating terrorism. Again, in my opinion, terrorist crimes are no more and no less serious, than any other crime in which innocent people are murdered or maimed.

Treating terrorists as a special class of criminal provides them with massive media and government attention that would otherwise be absent and, as we well know, for terrorists it is not the event, but the aftermath of the event, that best serves their ideologically driven purpose.

Getting the world media to become fully engaged in the event is essential to promoting their purpose; if they become martyrs in the process – great; if they can cause our society set aside the democratic rights – even better; and, if they can cause officials to close down our transit systems and businesses, then send everyone home in a state of fear – that is an exceptional bonus. In this regard, the bombers in Boston and the conspirators in Toronto succeeded beyond their wildest dreams.

4. Assault on Freedom

This all out assault on freedom was born on September 11, 2001, when nineteen determined fanatics from Saudi Arabia, slaughtered nearly 3000 innocents in the World Trade Centre and in related attacks. It was an attack that changed the world. It left the citizens of the United States in a state of shock and their pain was shared by friends around the world as we watched in fascinated disbelief as the twin towers came crashing to the ground.

Within weeks the US embarked on a world-wide “war of terror” that continues to this day, a war that has often spun out of control both at home and abroad. It has been convincingly argued that the ‘war’ has done far more harm than good. Many believe that not many years after our armies leave Iraq and Afghanistan, those countries will slowly slide into sectarian violence that will spawn a new dictatorship, totalitarian or theocratic regime that will oppress the population.  Perhaps democracy will emerge at some point, perhaps not.

All this has transpired even though terrorist acts in the United States and Canada, as in most democratic countries around the world, is extremely rare. Most attacks occur when a person or group is attacking and terrorizing his or her own people as in Ireland, the Balkans, Afghanistan, Egypt, Libya, Syria, Pakistan, India, Chile, Argentina, Central American, Mexico and dozens of other countries. “Terrorists” rarely need to cross boarders to practice their craft.

The history of the United States is filled with such terrorism. In the last century Gangsters (20s and 30s), now known as ‘organized criminals’ or ‘gangs’ such as the Mafia, Hell’s Angels, Crips, etc.; then the KKK and similar groups during long decades of racial strife; in the 70s and following it was the Weathermen, Black Panthers, Militiamen, Christian Extremists, etc., who plied their trade to great effect. These are but a few examples of domestic groups that became deeply involved in the business of terror for political, business and religious reasons.

Their members have raped, robbed, wounded, killed and terrorized hundreds of thousands more citizens in United States than there are Muslims in North America. But now that the definition of terrorism is indelibly linked to that particular group of people and one particular religion and it has become a self-fulfilling prophecy.

To bolster the definition, Democrats and Republicans came together to unanimously pass the Patriot Act, an Act for Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism. That name says it all. The passing of this Act was accomplished in just under six weeks after the 911. Passage of the act effectively stripped away due process as developed in US criminal and case Law over the past two centuries.

Across the nation, those who spoke against the measures were shamed and shunned into silence. As our own Public Safety Minister, Vic Toews, might have stated, had he been in charge of promoting the bill: “If you are not with us, you are with the terrorists.”

By initiating a world wide ‘war on terror’, not only have the words Muslim, terrorist, jihadist, Islamist, al Qaeda and Taliban inextricably and permanently linked as groups working to destroy our freedom, the war has consumed valuable human resources and trillions of dollars, that could have been spent to help make the world a better place.

In the decade following 911, authorities began doing what dictators, totalitarian and theocratic régimes and random terrorist groups have been doing for centuries:

• extraordinary interrogations and forced statements from persons never charged with an offence;
• no right to legal representation;
• trials, if held, are conducted under special rules;
• renditions without concern for extradition;
• indeterminate detention without charge;
• conviction and jail for failing to answer a question;
• torture as an investigative prerogative;
• wiretaps without warrant;
• targeted assassinations and drone killings;
• off-shore prisons that have held hundreds for over a decade without charge.

All this and more became the new reality when a citizen of a democratic country or foreign national came into the cross-hairs of a terrorist investigation. It was upon this foundation the largest security network ever built, Homeland Security, came into being, a network whose budget now consumes trillions of dollars worldwide.  As we now well know, Canada has been implicated by either participating in or turning a blind eye to these unsavory actions.

Although our government outright refused to participate in the 2003 Iraqi War, we were among the ‘coalition of the willing’ in Afghanistan and, in fact, carried much of the load over the past decade. Two years prior, in December 2001, we gave in to US pressure and passed an Anti-Terrorism Bill of our own, one very similar to the Patriot Act. As opposition was stronger in Canada, the bill was given a ‘sunset clause’ which caused it to lapse in December 2007.

After expiration, the highly contentious measure languished on a back shelf until the Conservatives, acting with a majority, dusted it off in June 2012, then, in the heat of the Boston bombing and ‘coincidental’ VIA rail incident, pushed it to the front of the line and had it again passed into law on April 25, 2013. The Minister of Public safety, with his usual dire consequences warnings, stressed that unless Canada acted decisively, we would become a ‘safe-haven’ for terrorists and jihadists.

5. How the War on Terror Affects Everyone 

In the new reality, law abiding citizens, who posed no security risk either before or after 911, were now subjected to security measures that stripped them of all Constitutional and Criminal Law safeguards.

Freedom from capricious ‘search and seizure’, at one time considered to be the bedrock of democracy, became an everyday fact for hundreds of millions of air travelers. This process has since been expanded into other forms of travel and at most major events. Security companies providing the service have been the recipients of billions of dollars in government contracts. This has been done knowing full well a determined, deranged criminal (terrorist if you will) could strike on a moment’s notice as happens on a regular basis across America.

What is even more deplorable, the word ‘terrorist’ is now so firmly attached to a visible minority within western society, it will take decades to expunge the harm. Who among could us say they have not felt a twinge of concern when a person dressed in a certain manner and carrying a backpack, joined the lineup to board an aircraft or other mass transit conveyance?

All this has happened notwithstanding the fact that attacks such as that which occurred in Boston, are extremely rare.

Consider the following:

6. Moving Forward

I find it puzzling that when a family of five is tragically killed in a car accident as happened recently in Surrey, British Columbia, barely a comment is raised about what happened. Killing people in a car accident, as we know, is common. The same when one family member murders the rest of the family, as happened a few years back in Oak Bay (my home department). The case gains a bit of national attention, but not much. These are common events that happen with great regularity across North America.

Now take the extremely rare case of two or three people being killed or even a plan to kill two or three in which the killer or planner is identified as a Muslim. Once so identified the story goes viral at the local, national and international level. The case will be endlessly cited as an example as to why the war on terror must be not only continued but expanded.

What can be done to stem this exorable march that is slowly extinguishing civil rights around the world?  I suppose awareness and healthy skepticism of what is being done in the name of this “war on terror” is a first step. The internet is filled with material that, for the discriminating reader, can help to sort the wheat from the chafe. Mainstream media provides the occasional dissenting article, but for the most part, continues to play only the party line.

When awareness is high, people are less likely to accept simplistic explanations of an event and can work to take governing officials and others to task. The VIA rail arrests is a case in point. Skepticism about the timing and motives for tackling that as a terrorist case (with all kinds of spin statements) is a good place to start. I shall take a bit of time to explore that case in another post.

While I am not a conspiracy theorist, I think government, government agencies, media and big business are prone to view rare events as opportunities to further ideological and financial interests and, as well, expand control and build empires. They know there is a much greater fear accruig to a rare event (e.g. terrorist attack) than there is in a common event (say a drive-by shooting, car accident or family killing).

That the amount of money allocated to these rare events is almost beyond belief was recently established by our Auditor General when, on April 30, 2013, he reported that over the past ten years, the Canadian government has allocated $12,900,000,000 (12.9 Billion) to anti-terrorism programs. That amount does not include the cost of sending our military to Afghanistan for over ten years. In the United States, those numbers would be in the many trillions of dollars.

Much more could be said, but this article hopefully provides another perspective on terrorism, on how the ‘fog of a war’ envelopes everyone!

I would appreciate hearing your views on this subject.

Harold McNeill

1. While I understand the concern expressed by the Boston police officer, Boston was not enveloped by the ‘fog of war’. Use of the words, particularly by the media, belittles the sacrifices made by those who actually fought in real war. The same can be said of the words “war on terror” “war on crime” or “war on drugs”.

2. Times Colonist, April 30, 2013, Hysteria is not a good response to terrorism:  This article by Janice Kennedy was one of the very few that spoke to the other face of “terrorism’.  I comment Janice for taking time to write the comment and to the Times Colonist for publishing.  In her concluding comments Janice states:

“Certainly terrorism exists, and certainly it must be confronted.  But we won’t defeat it by reducing ourselves, by making our nation less than what it has always tried to be, by giving in to our baser instincts.  Emotion can be a powerful thing, but it has a dark side.  When it gets snarled in irrational fear, anger and desire for revenge, it can destroy the things we value most.  Hate-filled hysteria is never a good response.”

You might wish to take a few moments to read the full article (LINK HERE).

7. Index and Links to Related Artricles

Terrorists or Warriors: What is the Difference. Some of the little discussed background to “Canada’s Terror Trial” and why the public was mislead. When you compare the Toronto 18 case with the Caladonia stand-off, you may likewise become concerned.  (February, 2012)

Caledonia: Dark Days for Canadian Law Enforcement:  Summary of events in Caledonia, Ontario, where the rule of law was suppended. (February, 2012)

Winnigpeg vs Edmonton:  How murder capitals seem to rotate around the country on a regular basis. (November 2011)

Politics of Fear:  How political parties use fear to manipulate the population (November 2011)

Crime and Punishment: Ideology trumps reason.  Comments about the Federal Governments War on Crime. (September 2011)

Remembrance Day:   Why the Viet Nam War (the forgotten war) should be remembered. (September 2011).

Border Security Gone Crazy: Why have we continued along the path of continually increasing boarder security between Canada and the United. Perhaps we cannot trust those Americans. (August, 2011)

Preserving our Civil Liberties:  Why it is important that we should all care. (July 2011)

NRA: position on the Second Amendment  Can this position be justified?

NRA Attack Ads  Attack Ads, they really do work? Discussion of their use in political campaigns.

Freedom of Speech in Denmark:  Another perspective on the Jyllands-Posten newspaper.

Twenty-First Chromosome Leads to Enlightenment: A discussion of intolerance.

His Holiness, the Dali Lama: An Open Letter.   On why the Dali Lama should return to Tibet. (May, 2012)

Amalgamation in Greater Victoria:  Discussion of the issues from a different perspective (October 2011)

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