Via Press release (Eurekalert)
Report from START: Discovery Networks Hostage-Taking a Rare Terror Event
U.S. Violent Terror Rarely Against Media, Capital; Rare for Environmentalists
COLLEGE PARK, Md. – A new report by terrorism researchers at the University of Maryland concludes that the deadly hostage-taking incident at the Discovery Communications headquarters in suburban Washington, D.C. meets the criteria of a terrorist act – a rare one for media organizations and the nation’s capital region. Hostage-taking, though, is a familiar pattern in capital-region terror, the researchers add.
The report from the University of Maryland’s START Center – the federally funded National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism – also finds that there has never been any environmentally inspired suicide eco-terrorism in the United States, and probably the world, but draws no conclusions about whether that’s what occurred in this case.
START maintains the world’s most comprehensive unclassified database of terrorism incidents, and is designed to make it useful to scientists and policy-makers seeking to understand the behavior of terrorists and terror organizations. The report is based on an analysis of this data.
“The use of violence by radical environmentalists is extremely rare, and usually the target is property not people,” says Gary LaFree, who directs the University of Maryland START Consortium and its Global Terrorism Database. “We’ll count this incident as terrorism – the perpetrator has a history of politically inspired activism and his tactics were violent.”
START researchers analyzed the following information in the Global Terrorism Database, which includes more than 85,000 incidents worldwide since 1970:
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TOP FINDINGS GLOBAL TERRORISM DATABASE The Global Terrorism Database (GTD) is an open-source database including information on terrorist events around the world from 1970 through 2008 (with annual updates planned for the future). Unlike many other event databases, the GTD includes systematic data on domestic as well as international terrorist attacks and now includes more than 87,000 cases. For each GTD incident, information is available on the date and location of the incident, the weapons used and nature of the target, the number of casualties, and – when identifiable – the group or individual responsible. The full dataset can be downloaded through the “Contact” section of the website at http://www.start.umd.edu/gtd/. START CONSORTIUM The National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START) is a U.S. Department of Homeland Security Center of Excellence based at the University of Maryland. START uses state-of-the-art theories, methods, and data from the social and behavioral sciences to improve understanding of the origins, dynamics, and social and psychological impacts of terrorism. Additional information on START is available at: http://www.start.umd.edu. |
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Gail Combs says:
September 3, 2010 at 6:34 am
………………….This conversation really bothers me. How many of our young people are infected with this type of mind set? That the correct response to any problem is protests which, with increasing frustration, could escalate. Why are they not taught instead to work with the political system as volunteers and vote. Why are they not taught how our form of government (USA) works? Why are they not taught about their rights and duties as jurists?
In a word: Ego. Protesting feeds the ego (“one man can make a difference” ), and they get an immediate response (positive or negative makes no difference, they know they were “heard”). Voting does not – one feeble anonymous voice is lost in the crowd.
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Gail Combs ,
You ask, “How many of our young people are infected with this type of mind set?”
I do not know, but I do know the source of the philosophy that contains what they say, think and do. Nihilism. It has been around at root since ancient Greek times and has extended itself in the last ~150 years with expansion of neo-Kantian thought.
Good news is that it is a quite trivial philosophy. It cannot withstand any light-of-day serious analysis. Squash it like a minor bug on a martini glass. I used the martini glass as a way of thumbing my nose at the nihilist’s contempt of the affluent middle class. : )
John
We should stay away from the ‘value of human life’ thing. It opens too many doors; some very, very heavy doors that are best left shut.
The depression and anxiety caused by the worldview that an individual human life is a burden on the environment should be taken seriously.
I suffered this in my early twenties.
I now have incredible children, enjoy life, love long showers and other of the earth’s beautiful bounties. This man is responsible for his actions, but try to remember that those who have this socialistic/green worldview often gravitate towards the teaching profession and influence young people.
Spare me all this talk of fashionably chic emotionally politicized crime, whether it be a “hate” crime or “terroristic” activities.
Let’s get real and make this simple — a person robbed in Central Park feels terror. Was the perpetrator a terrorist or a robber? Much criminal activity involves the use of the tactic of terror, so let’s not get bogged down on the use of tactics and let’s get to the actual crime. So also do criminal gangs employ terror tactics to enforce their will in their territory. And what happens to gang members when arrested for a crime? They’re (normally) not charged with terrorism but with specific crimal acts — murder, attempted murder, kidnapping, extortion, etc. Not quite as glorious when the “glamor” title of terrorist is removed, just a simple street thug.
Skipping over the mess of international organized quasi-government gangs of criminals, what of Mr. Lee? If he had not been shot & killed in ending the situation he should have been charged just for the crimes he committed. (whoops – allegedly committed – wouldn’t want Mr. Lee’s estate going after WUWT for smearing the good name of Mr. Lee, who has never been convicted of any criminal offense following the events in Maryland). So, what could Mr. Lee have been charged with? Well, for starters, with three hostages, that would be 3 counts of kidnapping and 3 counts of attempted murder. Doesn’t sound quite as “sexy” and “glamorous” as having committed terroristic acts.
Discovery falls victim to a deranged person who believes that an act of violence will somehow advance his agenda.
Discovery promotes and broadcasts a show, Whale Wars, in which deranged persons commit acts of violence in order to advance their agenda.
Can someone please turn off that Irony Alarm? I’m trying to think here.
How do we know the eco-terrorist was mentally ill? What if he was simply strongly motivated, and believed soundly after long consideration in what his actions would be?
It’s a bit too early to know if he was an OBL, a Timothy McVeigh, a una-bomber, or a case of human wreckage that desperately needed help from the community. The science is not settled regarding this so quickly, is it?
Having spent this life as a parasite Prince Philip looks forward to doing even better things.
Matt says:
September 3, 2010 at 9:44 am
Can someone please turn off that Irony Alarm? I’m trying to think here.
I think it goes back to that banned book – you reap what you sow. 😉
dp,
“How do we know the eco-terrorist was mentally ill?”
Depends what you mean by mentally ill. In the legal sense as to being unfit to stand trial, he would probably be certified as sane. A defendent is unfit if his illness is such that he cannot understand the difference between right and wrong. This does not refer to a moral understanding. And example of such a mental illness would be paranoid schizophrenia – often, suffers don’t even have a recollection of their actions, or in their minds are acting out a very different reality. The one name that comes to mind is the so called Boston Strangler. In the UK I think you have the Yorkshire Ripper (Peter Sutcliffe) and one or two others.
He was following the teachings of his prophet’s books. His master should be accountable.
Zeke the Sneak says:
September 3, 2010 at 8:34 am
The depression and anxiety caused by the worldview that an individual human life is a burden on the environment should be taken seriously.
——————
I agree, having been afflicted with these concerns as a young woman, and prone to depression. I still get recurrences of existential guilt re the environment, especially since I now have four sons… But my real worries are now more about what kind of a world they’re going to live in, which I suppose is a question that has haunted many parents for nearly the entire past century.
We are blessed in the west with the comforts and abundance that modern science and technology have enabled. One benefit of having suffered from the ‘looming environmental disaster/the world is too overpopulated’ world view is that I don’t take these comforts for granted. I just hope that these benefits can be shared more widely in the future.
The social problem that Mr. Lee is an example of is the attitude that “God/Gaia/Truth is on my side, and therefore ordinary laws do not apply to me”. There really isn’t any difference in principle between James Lee, Greenpeace damaging a powerplant chimney, James Hansen getting arrested, Unibomber, abortion-clinic bombers, snipers who shoot abortion-doctors, or the guys who pilot planes into skyscrapers. They’re all nutcases who ignore the law when it doesn’t fit their beliefs.
The only difference is the degree of damage/suffering they inflict. We have to draw a line in the sand. Otherwise…
1) But officer I was only going 1 mph through that stop sign
2) But officer, I was only going 1 mph faster than the guy you let off
3) But officer, I was only going 1 mph faster than the 2nd guy you let off
…
60) But officer, I was only doing 60 mph through the stop sign, only 1 mph faster than the last guy you let through
James Lee wrote “Civilisation must be exposed for the filth it is. That, and all its disgusting religious-cultural roots and greed. Broadcast this message until the population of the planet is reversed and the human population goes down! This is your obligation. If you think it isn’t, then get the hell off the planet! Breathe Oil! It is the moral obligation of everyone living otherwise what good are they??”
Entertainment Weekly asks James Cameron about criticism of his film: ”’Avatar’ is the perfect eco-terrorism recruiting tool. ” His response: ‘Good, good. I like that one. I consider that a positive review. I believe in ecoterrorism.’
Marc Morano reporting on his presentation at the recent James Cameron fiasco : “One participant confused carbon dioxide with carbon monoxide. She suggested I kill myself by driving my car into my garage and then close the doors with the engine running.”
__________________________
This is at a time when Western governments are in the thrall of CAGW and are willing to destroy their economies in it’s name. It is a time when the CAGW propaganda is promptly reported by the mainstream media, and even pushed in the classroom as incontravertable truth.
What concerns me is when CAGW starts to fade away : James Lee’s views are by no means unique, and there will be thousands of gullible fanatics who will be angered as governments wake up to what they are doing and change course. These believers may decide to take matters in to their own hands and any action will be ‘justified’. As CAGW is mostly a white, Western, middle class concern it will be those economies which will be attacked.
Historically, the primary source of terrorism in the US was attacks on black Americans by groups like the KKK.
Humans. What a wonderfully mature species. Not! Eco-terrorism and, inevitably, eco-corruption…
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/energy/renewableenergy/7981737/Mafia-cash-in-on-lucrative-EU-wind-farm-handouts-especially-in-Sicily.html
Nice planet, shame about the caretakers.