[ExI] Terrorist? Who can tell?

[The Avantguardian]

--- Damien Sullivan <phoenix at ugcs.caltech.edu> wrote:
> And of course this "recent convicted bomber" thing is a red herring;
> recently convicted bombers are probably in prison.  MI5 reportedly
> looked for traits usefully distinguishing probable future bombers, and
> failed to find them.

Well I warrant that's because if you looked at all the bombers over the past
fifty years, the only trait you would find in common is that they bomb. And
until they bomb they are not a bomber. What one never hears about on the news
are all the guys that decide at the last minute to *not* step on that bus with
a bomb vest. And by cracking down on them, all you do is make them regret *not*
getting on that bus.
 
> The fact that modern bombers may all have some connection to Islam is
> not that useful a distinguishing feature, not when you're talking of a
> few dozen bombers out of millions of Muslims.

Yes, when you try to create a connection where there is none, it becomes a
self-fulfilling prophecy. Making someone pay for something they *might* do is
liable to be all the economic incentive they need to actually do it. 



Stuart LaForge

"See them clamber, these nimble apes!  They clamber over one another, and thus scuffle into the mud and the abyss."- Friedrich Nietzsche