At what point does 'mad gunman' become 'terrorist'

[sp1814]

I noticed on the Evening Standard front page today that Anders Behring Breivik is still being referred to as a 'gun man', or 'mad gun man'.

I have a question about semantics...

I've read that his actions were prompted by his political leanings, so if that's the case, why isn't he being referring to as a terrorist?

Isn't he closer to David Copeland (Soho nail bomber) who wanted to kill Asians, blacks and gays (Brick Lane, Brixton and then Soho, respectively) than say, the Columbine killers who didn't have any socio-political reason for their killing spree?

[jno]

good question... I think (though there's no dictionary justification for it) people tend to think of terrorists belonging to organisations.... so you can't have one-man terrorism. If they find other cells, as he's claimed, they'll become terrorists.

As I say, there's no actual justification for this; he was a terrorist.

[exdc]

Search 'lone wolve'

[Count-A-Strong]

If a terrorist is one who aims to bring about the acceptance or enforcement of their beliefs through terror then the cap fits.

[DrFilth]

>> Definition for terrorist act:
terrorism: the calculated use of violence (or the threat of violence) against civilians in order to attain goals that are political or religious or ideological in nature; this is done through intimidation or coercion or instilling fear. More »
wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn Source
Dictionary.com - The Free Dictionary <<

[Count-A-Strong]

I think that's what I said only with more brevity.

[DrFilth]

Count-A-Strong

20:46 Tue 26th Jul 2011

DrFilth

20:46 Tue 26th Jul 2011



it was not posted when i looked

[Count-A-Strong]

I know. I wasn't having a go. Merely pointing out that the definition was rather long winded. In fact I should have thanked you for backing up my answer. So, thankyou DrFilth.

[DrFilth]

you put up the definition for nothing the person who did it for the online dictionary was probably paid a load of dosh :)

[exdc]

Housemouse, what 'training methods' do you refer too please??

[sp1814]

When I read jno's post, I thought "Yeah...that's about right - if someone acts on their own, with no 'support network', then they can be classes as a lone wolf, or 'a nutter'"

However, DrFilth's post has made me change my mind.

Whatever one's political beliefs, if you pick up the gun and systematically murder people in order to make your point, surely that makes you a terrorist?

[exdc]

Sorry, 'Lone Wolf'

[DTCwordfan]

can you be a "manical terrorist" then as there are reports that ABB is considered as seriously mentally unstable, i.e. mad.............?

[DrFilth]

Count-A-Strong posted the correct answer first sp1814

[R1Geezer]

They are terrorists if they are trying to change a system by violence so I'd say your man is a terrorist. It's a similar debate about when a murder becomes an assassination. I don't think Copeland wanted political change he just didn't like those he targeted so I'd say he was a plain and simple murderer.

[Count-A-Strong]

Thankyou again DrFilth. The dictionary guy must have been paid by the word ;-).

[jno]

oh, I agree with DrFilth and CAS, I'm just saying that a lot of people don't seem to see it that way. I also agree with you that the Columbine killers (and Dr Shipman for that matter) don't count, they're just killing to pass the time, not to make a point.

[sandyRoe]

If the Norwegian killer is deemed to be mad he'll go to a secure hospital. If the doctors sometime in the future decided he was sane would he be released?

[Count-A-Strong]

Thinking about it, I actually disagree with the dictionary definition as it states 'against civilians'. This would discount things like the IRAs attacks on police stations and the M62 bombing of a coachload of army personelle. Calling things like this an act of war somehow gives the perpetrators a higher standing which in turn gives them a certain status which is not deserved.

[ludwig]

I think belonging to a group of like minded people is important. Until then you're only ever a mad Snag with a gun or a nail bomb - even if you write some stupid manifesto on facebook and claim to be fighting to achieve some 'glorious' cause, until there's a group of you ( more than 2 ) you're just a nutter.

I'm no expert but this guy looks like a raving nutter. I wouldn't be surprised if the London meeting of a shady knights templar inspired organisation, and the other so called terrorist cells exist only in his mind. The Norwegian police seem to think so.