Tuesday, July 12, 2005

London Suicide Bombers ID'd

Looks like the people responsible for the attacks were young Muslim Pakistani men raised in England, who were recruited by Al Qaida. In the Independent, they suggest that this is particularly disturbing, since it means that it's not a matter of keeping terrorists out -- it's people already in Britain, already established there (one was a university student and cricketer, one's father ran a chip shop, etc). Odd, though, to imagine -- that youth who grew up in England could be persuaded to do such a thing. I'm not sure what to chalk it up to -- ethnic divisions within the country? The alienation and powerlessness (and extremism) of youth, and their desire to "make a difference?" (surely terrorists deliberately seek recruits among the young). The force of a religious argument? The current political climate? Robert Fisk, also in the Independent (but quoted here), has written about the need for Britain to stop backing the US and to withdraw from Iraq and Afghanistan, but surely the terrorists know that their action will have the opposite effect -- that when attacked, people rally around their leader. It seems an insane, damaging action. It would be very interesting to understand what these youths believed they were accomplishing... There's an article here, but I've only just begun to read it...

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