Right Wing Death Squad

[s1962a]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-6552165...

article said:

During the attack he wore a clothing patch with the letters RWDS which stands for "Right Wing Death Squad".

This is a phrase popular among right-wing extremists and white supremacy groups.

One line of enquiry is whether he was motivated by these ideals and whether he had links to like-minded people, a law enforcement source told CBS.

The gunman used an AR-15 style rifle and wore combat gear during the shooting, with multiple rounds of ammunition found on him.

I find it odd that this isn't being treated as a potential terrorist incident. Is the classification of terrorism only when it's of the Islamic variety?

[98elise]

s1962a said:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-6552165...

article said:

During the attack he wore a clothing patch with the letters RWDS which stands for "Right Wing Death Squad".

This is a phrase popular among right-wing extremists and white supremacy groups.

One line of enquiry is whether he was motivated by these ideals and whether he had links to like-minded people, a law enforcement source told CBS.

The gunman used an AR-15 style rifle and wore combat gear during the shooting, with multiple rounds of ammunition found on him.

I find it odd that this isn't being treated as a potential terrorist incident. Is the classification of terrorism only when it's of the Islamic variety?

If they are looking to see if it was a politically motivated attack, then it is being treated as a potential terrorist incident.

[Jamescrs]

Don't know what the definition is in the U.S but in the U.K that would absolutely be a terrorist incident.

[s1962a]

98elise said:

If they are looking to see if it was a politically motivated attack, then it is being treated as a potential terrorist incident.

It doesn't say that anywhere in the article - do you have a source for that?

[98elise]

s1962a said:

98elise said:

If they are looking to see if it was a politically motivated attack, then it is being treated as a potential terrorist incident.

It doesn't say that anywhere in the article - do you have a source for that?

Are you just looking for the word terrorism or that those political motives and drivers are investigated?

[s1962a]

98elise said:

s1962a said:

98elise said:

If they are looking to see if it was a politically motivated attack, then it is being treated as a potential terrorist incident.

It doesn't say that anywhere in the article - do you have a source for that?

Are you just looking for the word terrorism or that those political motives and drivers are investigated?

I'm comparing to how the FBI categorise these attacks, and whether the terrorism label is applied only when it's a potential extremist Islamist based attack.

For example

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/may/21/sh...

Was clearly identified as potential terrorist incident early on.

[bitchstewie]

Jamescrs said:

Don't know what the definition is in the U.S but in the U.K that would absolutely be a terrorist incident.

We had a bloke firebomb an immigration centre at Dover and people on here were suggesting it wasn't a terrorist attack.

Hell we had people downplaying it because he didn't kill anyone.

[Jamescrs]

bhstewie said:

We had a bloke firebomb an immigration centre at Dover and people on here were suggesting it wasn't a terrorist attack.

Hell we had people downplaying it because he didn't kill anyone.

There are people on these forums that would also argue the earth is flat.

I was more referring to the legal definition of a terrorist Incident in the U.K and how it would be treated by U.K law enforcement

[bitchstewie]

I couldn't tell you the US definition but my guess is with all that gun crime and crazy groups over there it would literally meet mean they were under terrorist attack every other day if each time a guy or girl who turns out to have extreme right wing or white supremacist links or views went on a killing spree it got recorded as terrorism.

Easier to do what they seem to be doing which is thoughts and prayers and let's do the same in a couple of days time when it happens again.

The place is totally fked up.

[bloomen]

Jamescrs said:

I was more referring to the legal definition of a terrorist Incident in the U.K and how it would be treated by U.K law enforcement

MI5 regularly mentions the threat of this type of thing which they term Extreme Right-Wing Terrorism (ERWT).

Unlike some on here they can see past someone looking the same as them and occasionally being nice to their mum.

[98elise]

s1962a said:

98elise said:

s1962a said:

98elise said:

If they are looking to see if it was a politically motivated attack, then it is being treated as a potential terrorist incident.

It doesn't say that anywhere in the article - do you have a source for that?

Are you just looking for the word terrorism or that those political motives and drivers are investigated?

I'm comparing to how the FBI categorise these attacks, and whether the terrorism label is applied only when it's a potential extremist Islamist based attack.

For example

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/may/21/sh...

Was clearly identified as potential terrorist incident early on.

It's not only when it's an Islamist based attack. The FBI do a yearly report on their domestic terrorism investigations.

[s1962a]

98elise said:

It's not only when it's an Islamist based attack. The FBI do a yearly report on their domestic terrorism investigations.

Yes, which is why it's surprising one incident can be pre-emptively classified as a terrorist incident (before the investigation has taken place) and other other not.

[98elise]

bhstewie said:

I couldn't tell you the US definition but my guess is with all that gun crime and crazy groups over there it would literally meet mean they were under terrorist attack every other day if each time a guy or girl who turns out to have extreme right wing or white supremacist links or views went on a killing spree it got recorded as terrorism.

Easier to do what they seem to be doing which is thoughts and prayers and let's do the same in a couple of days time when it happens again.

The place is totally fked up.

Surely terrorism is defined by the motivation for your crime, not your incidental beliefs/politics.

If the guy was killing because he was just a nut case then it's not terrorism. If he was killing because of his political beliefs then it is domestic terrorism.

[s1962a]

bhstewie said:

I couldn't tell you the US definition but my guess is with all that gun crime and crazy groups over there it would literally meet mean they were under terrorist attack every other day if each time a guy or girl who turns out to have extreme right wing or white supremacist links or views went on a killing spree it got recorded as terrorism.

Someone wearing a "Right Wing Death Squad" insignia would most likely fit a terrorist description

[bitchstewie]

98elise said:

Surely terrorism is defined by the motivation for your crime, not your incidental beliefs/politics.

If the guy was killing because he was just a nut case then it's not terrorism. If he was killing because of his political beliefs then it is domestic terrorism.

Killing a bunch of people whilst wearing a badge saying "Right Wing Death Squad" fits that criteria if you ask me.

But over there that kind of st seems to be considered acceptable as free speech.

I rather imagine they don't want to risk turning quite a lot of their population overnight into people who by any sensible definition would then be classed as terrorist sympathisers.

[s1962a]

98elise said:

Surely terrorism is defined by the motivation for your crime, not your incidental beliefs/politics.

If the guy was killing because he was just a nut case then it's not terrorism. If he was killing because of his political beliefs then it is domestic terrorism.

Yeah thats a good point, but someone shooting up a mall wearing something that says "Right Wing Death Squad" which has proven far right links seems pretty conclusive as a potential terrorist incident - nutcase or not. Islamist attacks seem to be perceived as terrorism regardless of whether it's a nutcase or politically motivated, before any investigations take place. Good old 'merica.

[lauda]

98elise said:

Surely terrorism is defined by the motivation for your crime, not your incidental beliefs/politics.

If the guy was killing because he was just a nut case then it's not terrorism. If he was killing because of his political beliefs then it is domestic terrorism.

Those two things aren’t mutually exclusive.

[BOR]

Why aren't the decent members of the Right Wing Death Squad community denouncing this?

[OutInTheShed]

Different organisations and countries have different definitions of 'terrorism'.
In the US, it seems to imply something where B52s and Reaper drones are a useful response.

[QJumper]

s1962a said:

I find it odd that this isn't being treated as a potential terrorist incident. Is the classification of terrorism only when it's of the Islamic variety?

No, the FBI have pretty much always reported that the biggest domestic terrorism threat comes from right wing, white supremacist groups.