Mass shooting in Brooklyn subway: When is a terrorist attack not terrorism?

[WuWei]

I hope he did it.

Cool name for a killer.

And I hope he lives to stand trial. I really want to hear his reason.

[Samm]

@Supreme_War_Pig

@DougBH

Mass shooting/gassing of people you don’t know and aren’t trying to rob screams terrorism as the likely motive. Either that or pure insanity.

But that isn’t what terrorism is. Terrorism requires a political motivation.

When the act of violence has all the characteristics of a terrorist attack, it should be investigated as likely terrorism until they determine the motive was not politically motivated. By the way, “social objectives” is part of that definition. It does not have to be political.

[Samm]

@Guvnah

@DougBH

Either that or pure insanity.

It’s New York. Don’t dismiss the pure insanity too quickly.

Insanity does not preclude terrorism.

[TheDoctorIsIn]

@WuWei

And I hope he lives to stand trial. I really want to hear his reason.

Whether or not he lives, I’ll take odds* that he won’t stand trial.

*Figuratively. I understand that unlicensed gambling is a crime, and I wouldn’t want to advocate criminal activity.

[WuWei]

Actually, it pretty much does.

[WuWei]

@TheDoctorIsIn

@WuWei

And I hope he lives to stand trial. I really want to hear his reason.

Whether or not he lives, I’ll take odds* that he won’t stand trial.

*Figuratively. I understand that unlicensed gambling is a crime, and I wouldn’t want to advocate criminal activity.

Why not?

[DougBH]

@Supreme_War_Pig

@DougBH

Pure insanity would not be terrorism. If it isnt that, terrorism is all I got left.

Insanity or terrorism? Only those two thing? What about workplace dispute? A bid for infamy?

“There were some “concerning” social media posts police believe may be connected to James, NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell said. They mentioned homelessness and New York City Mayor Eric Adams. Security for the mayor was increased because of the posts.”

[Bill.in.PA]

Yes, here is more information:

NYC subway shooter’s Philly-rented U-Haul is found abandoned on Brooklyn highway five miles from where he shot ten straphangers: Gunman was on FBI’s terrorist radar until 2019

Desperate hunt for subway gunman who shot ten people on packed train

It would appear that there is more than enough information to launch a terrorism investigation.

If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck it is usually a duck.

[Samm]

@WuWei

No it isn’t.

Sure it is. That’s why it instills terror … the randomness of it makes people wary all the time.

[WuWei]

Wrong.

[Samm]

@Supreme_War_Pig

@Samm

@Supreme_War_Pig

@Bill.in.PA

16 people were injured with 5 in critical condition after a mass shooting in a Brooklyn subway station:

NYPD Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell said the incident occurred around 0830 ET on the Manhattan-bound N-train when “an individual on that train donned what appeared to be a gas mask. He then took a canister out of his bag and opened it. The train at that time began to fill with smoke.”

Sewell said the suspect then “opened fire, striking multiple people on the subway and in the platform.”
Zerohedge

Sewell proceeded to recount the timeline of the attack, saying the suspect has been reported as “a male black, approximately 5 feet, 5 inches tall with a heavy build. He was wearing a green construction-type vest and a hooded sweatshirt . . ."
. . .“this is not being investigated as an act of terrorism at this time.” MSN

Wearing a gas mask while throwing a smoke grenade into crowded subway station and then opening fire certainly sounds like a terrorist attack to me.

Why are the police discounting terrorism as a likely motive?

Terrorism: The unlawful use of violence and intimidation, especially against civilians, in the pursuit of political aims.

Why don’t we allow some time for the investigation? What about smoke grenades and gas masks say ‘terrorism’ to you?

Well, for one, there is no apparent motive other than to kill random people. That is a hallmark of terrorism.

The defining characteristics of terrorism is political motivation, not killing.

No, that is the motive. The random lethal violence against civilians is the hallmark.

[WuWei]

It’s not random in terrorism.

[TheDoctorIsIn]

@WuWei

Why not?

Because I think he’ll either turn himself in (or get caught easily) and plead guilty, die in a hail of gunfire, or disappear and never be heard from again.

[Samm]

@WuWei

Wrong.

It’s right there in the definition that you posted.

[WuWei]

@TheDoctorIsIn

@WuWei

Why not?

Because I think he’ll either turn himself in (or get caught easily) and plead guilty, die in a hail of gunfire, or disappear and never be heard from again.

He won’t disappear, those days are over.

The other two are a good possibility. Unless he’s got something to say.

[WuWei]

@Samm

@WuWei

Wrong.

It’s right there in the definition that you posted.

No it isn’t.

[DougBH]

@TheDoctorIsIn

Not for terrorism the act, terrorism the word.

This thread is an example, but it goes back a lot farther than that. I remember countless threads on this very message board about how “Obama didn’t say ‘terrorism’” in regard to a number of incidents.

Waiting to read your post criticizing our current attorney general for being obsessed with terrorism when he said white supremacy was our greatest internal terrorism threat. What is his obsession with terrorism, right?

[Sknyluv]

@DougBH

Perhaps the real question is when is an apparent terrorist act not a terrorist attack?

Currently, people consider something a “terrorist act” when the person or group committing the act is tied to some larger group considered to be problematic. No connection to some grand plan or ideology? Not terrorism.

[WuWei]

It doesn’t have to be a larger group. Other than that I agree.

[DougBH]

@Sknyluv

@DougBH

Perhaps the real question is when is an apparent terrorist act not a terrorist attack?

Currently, people consider something a “terrorist act” when the person or group committing the act is tied to some larger group considered to be problematic. No connection to some grand plan or ideology? Not terrorism.

Making up rules as we go along. Don’t know what “people” you are referring to, but I have always stuck to the dictionary definition.
Yes, he has to have some political or ideological motivation. Otherwise, it falls into pure insanity. Pretty clear that ideology is there.