I think that the word terror has been terribly overused over the last decade, which has resulted in it losing its actual meaning. Many criminal acts are now quickly classified as terror attacks by terrorist but the question must be asked – were these actually acts of terror?
You can see it in the recent attacks in France. As tragic as the situation is, I wouldn’t consider it a terror attack nor would I consider the Kouachi brothers as terrorists. Why? Simple because the attacks were targeted and were not designed to cause terror.
By all accounts, the killers were very specific with the people whom they wanted to kill. According to reports, they called out names and shot people to death. In fact, they targeted specific journalists and artists from Charlie Hebdo. Their objective was not to terrorise the whole of France but to shut specific people up, whom they felt had offended them.
Then, they ran off and tried to escape but were hunted down. In their final stand-off with the police, they did what every other cornered criminal would do – took hostages and committed police assisted suicide by forcing the hands of the police to act in defending the hostages.
The cops who were killed, were those who were doing their job and died in the line of duty. These cops are certainly heroes but they were obviously not the targets of the attack and should be considered collateral damage. Ditto, with the hostages who were killed.
If such acts were considered terrrorists attacks, then almost any murder should be considered a terrorist attack. Most murders are committed by a killer on a targeted person(s) often due to some personal offence that they had suffered. Also, hostage taking is the last defence of every cornered criminal.
Therefore, I think that it is a mistake to consider this an act of terror.
The 9/11 and 7/7 terrorists attacks were, in contrast, different. The attackers then did not call out a list of names. All they cared about was committing suicide while taking as many people as possible with them. Their objective was to make people feel unsafe even when going to work or taking public transport.
As for Charlie Hebdo, they’re going to print a million copies of their next run. I wouldn’t consider them cowed, which is good. The people of France are also not afraid and have all stood up in solidarity.
Therefore, I personally think that this attack, while tragic, should not be elevated to the level of terror attack. The only people such an elevation serves to benefit is the government of the day, whom would benefit the most when people are cowed.
Let’s put things in perspective and leave terrorism to real terrorists, not misguided kids with guns.
Sybreon Ones Nought 