Do 'home grown terrorists' have learning difficulties

[sp1814]

Without wishing to make light of the threat of terrorist attacks - has anyone else noticed how many would-be terrorists in the UK are (to put it bluntly) as dumb as a box of hair?

Since the last 'successful' attack in the UK mainland, we've had the shoebox bomber who couldn't light a fuse, the underpants bomber who successfully incinerated his testicles, and the Glasgow airport attacks which resulted in a badly damaged 4x4 (owned by the attackers).

Now we have terror suspects driving around in an uninsured car and (supposedly) another doing reconnaissance whilst wearing a tag which flags up his whereabouts.

It makes perfect sense for us to be vigilant (except perhaps where someone is smoking an electronic ciggie on a bus), but perhaps the police and security services would be better employed...just targeting the tiny minority of fanatics whose lips move whilst they read newspapers?

[pdq1]

Anyone who can blow themselves to smithereens in the name of religion must have a screw loose. At least the IRA lit their bomb and retreated from the scene.

[jno]

it's hard to say. The 9/11 attacks came as a complete surprise, apparently carefully planned and carried out and mostly successful. So the default stance since then has been that these guys are smart and need extreme vigilance.

But without Bin Laden's funding, and with only local volunteers to work with, it now seems that all we are getting is terrorists who've got their bomb-making skills from Blue Peter.

However, it may be that these dim bulbs are just decoys and the real masterminds are still hard at work. I suppose that's the line the security services need to take, anyway - just in case.

[sp1814]

jno - totally get your point, but it all seems a bit 'Four Lions' at the moment.

[bazwillrun]

"However, it may be that these dim bulbs are just decoys and the real masterminds are still hard at work."

Exactly

Theres no way the police got lucky and just happened to stop a car for no insurance and lo and behold its a small armoury on wheels

[Brenden]

Surely you are not referring to them as "dumbphobes" sp -lol

[askyourgran]

I think the mindset is that to be "seen" supporting their idiotic cause is sometimes enough for their simple minds. Life is so cheap to those people it makes you wonder what the imams tell these dumbos to recruit them.

[sp1814]

Brenden, they wouldn't be dumbphobes, bit I could be described thus by highlighting their stupidity.

[modeller]

Why are you surprised ? This is the way groups, gangs , organisations develop. From the peasants revolt to the IRA.
You start off by stirring up a group of followers and out of those there will always be the those who want to dive in . They are the cannon fodder, the hot heads , and are expendable. They also serve a useful purpose they expose the strength and weakness of their enemy. This is not just terrorists it applies to all works of life from a trade union meeting to the boardroom.

[emmie]

maybe so, but the victims of 7/7 obviously don't think the people who did that were so dumb, but bstards who have no scruples in maiming, killing innocent people. Pretty much how the western alliance is viewed in Iraq, Afghanistan before anyone mentions it. No winners, only losers. And as
someone who was within the site of the bus bomb, can't tell you just how vile that was.

[Quizmonster]

Pdq1, not all IRA bombers were that sensible. In Aldwych on 18th February 1996 one of them set his off on a bus rather prematurely and the only death was his own! Poetic justice, I guess.

[Ric.ror]

Weren't the bombers in Glasgow doctors?
Trained to heal the sick :-/

[mike11111]

The pejorative term, attributed to Lenin, though not authenticated, to describe such people is "useful idiots".

[sandyRoe]

The British Army had a term, 'own goal', to describe premature explosions in NI. Still, there was no quicker way, as far as the terrorist leaders were concerned, to weed out the inefficient.

[Duncer]

While taking on board some excellent points I still can't help chuckling at sp1814's expression, "as dumb as a box of hair".

I am approaching my fiftieth year and I have never heard that before.

[Canary42]

Joseph Conrad said it all, years ago, in "The Secret Agent"

[Duncer]

sp1814 - permission to use this expression numerous times in work over the next week please?

[sp1814]

Duncer - use it with pride, but I think the word should be 'dumbophobes'.

[naomi24]

SP, :o)

[ladybirder]

Baz, Theres no way the police got lucky and just happened to stop a car for no insurance and lo and behold its a small armoury on wheels

That is exactly how the Yorkshire Ripper was caught.