Guilty: first Scots Islamic terrorist facing 15 years

The Herald butchered my letter today, taking out any meaning, which was to complain about their outrageous front page coverage of the Siddique trial yesterday. Their edited version took out the criticism of their coverage. Here's the original letter:

Sir, I was taken aback to read your front page feature this morning talking of “Islamic terror”. This oxymoronic phrase has long since left the discourse in virtually every other newspaper in these isles.

The adjective is just wrong, there is nothing Islamic about terrorism. The Muslim community is constantly asked to disavow these acts, and we are not helped when this kind of language is used linking us right back to it.

I’m no lawyer, but Siddique was not convicted with any crime of “Islamic terrorism” as your article stated, just offences related to terrorism pure and simple. Although as Siddique’s defence team highlighted, arguably only a Muslim would face the Terrorism Acts for what he did.

Comments

[Ted]

"arguably only a Muslim would face the Terrorism Acts for what he did."

You could have pushed this point even further, Osama, by pointing out the continued pro-terrorism marches by Cairde Na hEireann (Enemies of Ireland) and pointed to their shop in Glasgow city centre which sells pro-terrorist memorabilia but the Scottish police do nothing about either.

So, march in support of the IRA and sell merchandise in support of said organisation - that's not terrorism.

Be a Muslim and watch videos about Iraq and Afghanistan on the Internet - that's terrorism.

Interesting.

[Omar Tufail]

I was taken aback when I was that as well. How strange that everyone in the media has seemed to have stopped using this deceitful term, and here was The Herald, an intelligent broadsheet, screaming it over the front page like some right-wing tabloid. I lost a lot of respect for The Herald yesterday.

[Osama]

I've had an email exchange with the journalist in question. He's agreed in future not to use "Islamic" and will go for "Islamicist" or some other variation in future.

I still disagree with this, but it is preferable.

[Omar Tufail]

LOL, sorry, but I couldn't help stop laughing at the journalists suggestion of "Islamicist". It's at the other extreme end of the language spectrum for me and shows the way some people will bend over so backwards, just to get "Islam" in there somewhere. While "Islamic Terror" is the deceitful oxymoronic term as you so rightly point out, "Islamicist" is as absurd as something we'd expect from the Viz comic.

The Herald! What's happening to you?

See this: http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/brian_whitaker/2007/08/another_militant_bites_the_dust.html

[Osama]

Yes, "Al-Qaeda inspired terrorism" should do if description is needed. To reduce the phenomenon to purely a religious war is to miss the point. It's not just a question of accurate reporting - we're not going to be able to solve the problem until it's real causes are addressed which are more political than religious.

Ted, I'd also refer you to the recent case of Robert Cottage, a BNP member in NW England who was found stockpiling chemical explosives. He was not done under the Terrorism Acts, which I suspect would not have been his fate had he been a Muslim.

[Ted]

That's correct about Cottage, Osama, and I should have mentioned that too. I mentioned Cairde Na hEireann to highlight the particular hypocrisy of Scottish commentators and the Scottish judicial system on the subject.

Cottage was charged under the ancient Explosive Substances Act, IIRC, which is so utterly baffling, in comparison to the charges of 'Islamicist' suspects, that it's little wonder people believe it to be deliberate.

[Stefan]

islam IS terror

islam is a fascist cult of terror and death

muhammad (pork be upon him) was a mass murderer, rapist, pedophile, robber baron and warmonger

allah doesn't even exist

quran = more hate than mein kampf

muslims = new nazis (jews are still jews)