LONDON BOMBS: A SUMMER OF TERROR Introduction Operators at transit control in London, held without charges under British anti- Focus England, were monitoring the move- terrorism legislation. By the end of In early July 2005, ment of train lines in London’s famous July, London and the world stood in the ’s fears of a terrorist Tube (subway) system when they sombre shock as terrorism resurrected attack became noticed three almost simultaneous dormant fears and anxiety. Every reality when four glitches at 8:50 a.m. on July 7, 2005. person with a backpack or bag was bombs exploded on While these were cause for concern, receiving a suspicious look. After all, the city’s transit operators felt that the glitches were the bombers looked just like anyone system, leaving 56 simply power surges that had disabled a else. If the goal of terrorism is to inspire dead and over 700 injured. Two weeks few trains. However, within minutes fear, the bombers had certainly suc- later terrorists they realized that what had really ceeded. struck again, but knocked the trains out of commission Investigators immediately suspected this time the bombs were three explosions. Emergency an Al Qaeda connection to the bomb- did not detonate. services responded rapidly. No one ings. In fact, one group—calling them- This News in Re- view story looks at wanted to believe that London was selves the Secret Organization of Al the summer of being attacked, but it certainly looked Qaeda in Europe—claimed responsibil- terror in London. as though this was the case. Trains and ity for the bombings almost right away. train lines do not simply explode during Despite this claim, investigators were standard operations. An hour later, there unable to establish a link between the Further Research was no question that the city had be- bombings and the Al Qaeda terrorist To stay informed come the target of terror as a bus travel- network. However, by August 2005, a about develop- ling through Tavistock Square was videotape made by Osama bin Laden’s ments in this story, ripped apart by another explosion. It right-hand man was aired on the satel- consider visiting the official Web took one hour to change London from a lite TV station Al Jazeera. The message site of the British peaceful community to one enveloped warned Britain that more bombings Broadcasting by a cloud of horror. would follow if it did not change its Corporation, The death toll for the July 7 bomb- foreign policy, particularly in relation to www.bbc.co.uk ings would reach 56 before investiga- Iraq. On the same tape, one of the July and/or the Cana- dian Broadcasting tors would make a chilling discovery: 7 bombers appeared and vowed per- Corporation at for the first time in Western Europe, petual vengeance unless Britain www.cbc.ca. suicide bombers had attacked a major changed its ways. Authorities shifted city. Police initiated a massive investi- their attention back to the potential Al gation. But before they had put together Qaeda connection. YV Sections a satisfactory theory of what had hap- The bombings put officials in London marked with this pened, the London transit system was on high alert. The most comprehensive symbol indicate struck again, this time on July 21—two investigation in the history of Britain content suitable for younger viewers. weeks to the day after the previous was launched and, within days of both attacks. Fortunately for thousands of bombings, police had a reasonably good commuters, the bombs failed to ex- idea of what had happened. On July 7, plode. Within a short period of time 14 three men travelled from Leeds to suspects were rounded up and charged Luton, where they met a fourth man and with a slew of terrorism offenses. caught a commuter train to London. Meanwhile, another 39 suspects were They transferred onto the Tube around

CBC News in Review • November 2005 • Page 6 8:30 at King’s Cross station. Twenty several days after the July 7 attacks, Did you know . . . minutes later, three bombs detonated, police conducted several controlled The London transit while the fourth went off an hour later explosions after finding unexploded system’s many cameras were on a London bus. On July 21, three men devices in a car at the Luton train originally installed met at the Tube station and station. They were able to retrieve a to protect against spread out across the city from that number of other devices, giving them Irish Republican location. Another caught the Tube at tremendous forensic evidence in their Army (IRA) bomb- Westburne Grove. Within an hour, each investigation. Combined with the four ings. of the men triggered the detonator for unexploded bombs from the July 21 their respective bombs. While the bomb attempts and a fifth device dis- detonators worked, the bombs failed to covered in a wooded area outside explode. The popping sound of the another station, the police had a wealth detonators made it clear what was going of evidence regarding the nature of the on, and people fled the trains for safety, bombs and their deadly payload. including the four suspected bombers. By the end of August 2005, police Police began makings arrests within a continued to aggressively conduct their day. By July 29 they had all four of the investigation. The search for the mas- suspected bombers in custody, includ- termind behind the July 7 attacks was ing one who had fled the country to considered a high priority as was the hide with relatives in Italy. sustained effort to convict those ac- The investigations into the London cused of the July 21 attacks. British attacks were initially successful for two Muslim clerics, active from the very reasons. First, police were able to comb beginning, continued to preach against over closed-circuit television (CCTV) terrorism, reinforcing the teaching of a images that allowed them to pinpoint fatwa, or edict, condemning terrorist the bombers’ movements and to deter- acts. The mood could only be described mine where and when they started their as tense. The Muslim community journeys. One of these images showed worried about reprisals, the government all four July 7 bombers entering the called for calm, and police worried train station in Luton, and another series about when and where terrorists might of images clearly showed the faces of strike next. the four July 21 suspects. Secondly,

Analysis 1. Identify and explain the differences between the July 7 and July 21 at- tacks.

2. Who was responsible for the bombings?

3. Where did things stand by the end of August 2005?

CBC News in Review • November 2005 • Page 7 LONDON BOMBS: A SUMMER OF TERROR YV Video Review

1. How many suicide bombers were involved in the London attacks? ______As you watch the video presentation, 2. Approximately how many people died in the blasts? ______answer the ques- tions in the spaces 3. How many subway trains were hit? ______How many buses? ______provided. 4. How did the British people and their leaders respond to the attacks?

5. What was the response of Britain’s Muslim community?

6. How many hours of security camera video were available to police? ______

7. Where were the bombers from? ______

8. What happened exactly two weeks after the first attacks?

9. What was the result of the second series of attacks?

10. What terrible mistake was made by British forces?

11. What was the result of the second bombing investigation?

12. What new powers did British Prime Minister Blair seek to deal with the threat of extremism?

CBC News in Review • November 2005 • Page 8 LONDON BOMBS: A SUMMER OF TERROR Timeline of the Bombings

July 7 tell people they are responding to 8:30 a.m. – Four men get off a train multiple explosions in downtown arriving from Luton at King’s Cross London. All London hospitals are put station and fan out across London’s on high alert as casualties begin to transit system. Each carries an explo- arrive. British Prime Minister Tony sive device small enough to fit into the Blair is informed of the blasts while he backpack he is carrying. is at the G8 meetings in Scotland, but initial information does not confirm that 8:50 a.m. – Three bombs explode on London has been struck by terrorists. London’s subway system, called the Tube. 11:30 a.m. – Highway signs read • Bomb #1 – kills eight people; ex- “Avoid London. Area Closed. Turn on plodes on a train travelling from Radio.” Liverpool station to Aldgate station 12:05 – 1:25 p.m. – Blair issues a • Bomb #2 – kills 27 people; explodes statement confirming “a series of on a train between King’s Cross and terrorist attacks in London.” He an- Russell Square nounces that he will leave for London •Bomb #3 – kills seven people; ex- immediately. He also states his inten- plodes on a train departing from tion to return to the meeting later in the Edgware Road station day saying, “It is particularly barbaric 8:51 – 9:46 a.m. – Transport police that this has happened on a day when begin their investigation. Emergency people are meeting to try to help the Services travel to each scene after problems of poverty in Africa and the reports of injuries. Initial reports indi- long-term problems of climate change cate a possible collision between two and the environment” (CBC News trains, a power surge, the rupture of a Online, July 7, 2005). Just before his power cable, and an overall power fault departure from Scotland by military in the system. At this point, police have helicopter, Blair and those in attendance no idea that bombs have been detonated at the G8 meeting issue a joint state- on subway trains. Passengers are di- ment condemning terrorism. verted from the Tube and put on buses. 1:30 p.m. – Hospitals report treating 9:47 a.m. – A massive explosion 190 people so far for injuries sustained blows the top off a double-decker bus in in the bombings. Tavistock Square, killing 14 people and 1:42 – 2:18 p.m. – Investigators injuring many others. reveal that traces of explosives have 9:48 – 11:00 a.m. – Emergency been found at all four sites. services, already stretched thin by the 3:33 p.m. – London Ambulance incidents of the previous hour, make Services report that 45 people suffered their way to Tavistock Square. Scotland serious injuries, such as third-degree Yard reports that it is responding to a burns and lost arms and legs, while over “major incident” in central London, 300 suffered minor injuries. eventually updating their information to

CBC News in Review • November 2005 • Page 9 4:30 p.m. – London begins to mourn “fully under control.” Terrorists had Quote as the flag at Buckingham Palace is attempted to detonate four bombs on “Whatever you do, lowered to half-mast and other govern- the public transit system, but none of however many you kill, you will fail.” ment agencies vow to follow suit. the devices exploded. Later he tells the media that the intention of the bombers — London’s Mayor 9:05 p.m. – Prime Minister Blair Ken Livingstone — returns to the G8 meetings in Scotland. “must have been to kill.” not bowing to Tragedy casualties: terrorist threats, July 22 Toronto Star, July Deaths – 52 victims; 4 suicide bombers 10:00 a.m. – Police follow a man onto 9, 2005 Injuries – over 700 a subway train at Stockwell Station and July 21 shoot him out of fear that he is a suicide bomber. Police reveal that the man 12:25 p.m. – The Shepherd’s Bush Tube station is evacuated following a refused to co-operate with their at- bombing attempt. tempts to apprehend him. The station is quickly evacuated and closed. 12:30 p.m. – A bombing attempt is made on a train at Oval station. The 3:30 p.m. – Police reveal that the station is evacuated and ambulances are shooting death of the man at Stockwell sent to the scene to deal with potential Station was directly related to their casualties. investigation of the previous day’s bombings. They also release CCTV 12:45 p.m. – Warren Street station is images of the suspects and ask for the evacuated after passengers see white public’s assistance in apprehending the smoke emerging from a train car. Once men.* again, ambulances are dispatched to the scene. *Two important notes: The man police 1:25 p.m. – London transportation shot at Stockwell Station was an electri- officials shut down four subway lines. cian from Brazil who was mistakenly identified as a potential suicide bomber 1:30 p.m. – A fourth bomb attempt (see “The Shooting of Jean Charles de occurs on a double-decker bus on Menezes,” page 15). Also, all four Hackney Road in east London. bombing suspects were arrested by the 3:45 p.m. – After receiving reports end of July with the CCTV images seen from police service personnel on the as playing a key role in finding the men, front lines, London Police Chief Ian including one who had fled to Italy. Blair announces that everything is

Activity Using the timeline provided, rewrite the story of either the July 7 or July 21 attacks as if you were a newspaper reporter.

CBC News in Review • November 2005 • Page 10 LONDON BOMBS: A SUMMER OF TERROR The Investigation

The 7/7 Attacks Police were able to unearth some Note It was a well orchestrated and efficient valuable information over the course of Although Madrid operation. The July 7, 2005, bomb the early investigation. All four bomb- had been devas- tated in 2004 by a attacks on London’s transit system laid ing suspects were known associates and series of bombing claim to 56 lives and injured another were practising Muslims. Three of the attacks on trains, 700. Early in the investigation, police four were Britons of Pakistani descent these were not were able to determine that the attacks who had visited Muslim schools in suicide attacks were carried out by four suicide bomb- Pakistan in the year prior to the bomb- where the bombers ings. While two groups laid claim to the killed themselves as ers, three of whom began their journey well as their tar- in the northern English city of Leeds. bombings, police were unable to tie any gets. See CBC News They rented a car, packed it with bomb- one group directly to the bombings. in Review, May ing material, and made their way south However, in August, a chilling video- 2004, for more to Luton. They then parked their car, tape came to light with two messages. details. hooked up with a fourth conspirator, First, Ayman al-Zawahri, a senior strapped on their bomb-laden back- lieutenant in Al Qaeda, issued a warn- packs, and boarded a commuter train ing that London would be the target of for the 50-km trek to London. From more attacks because of its foreign King’s Cross Station in London they policy directives, particularly in Iraq. fanned out to execute their plan. Later, on the same tape, the ghostly The investigation into the July 7 figure of Sidique Khan, one of the July bombings was aided to a great extent by 7 bombers, warned that until there is an the closed-circuit television (CCTV) end to the “bombing, gassing, imprison- system operating at the station in Luton ment and torture of my people we will and on the London Transit System. The not stop this fight” (BBC Online News CCTV images, combined with evidence – Timeline: London Bombing Develop- gathered at each bombing site, allowed ments). Speculation of an Al Qaeda link the police to draw one horrifying con- to the July 7 bombing took on renewed clusion: for the first time in Western momentum around London. Police Europe, suicide bombers had struck a continued to search for the mastermind major city. Police were able to identify behind the July 7 attacks. the four bombers quickly. They tracked their movements back to the train July 7 Suicide Bombing Suspects station in Luton and eventually all the Shehzad Tanweer – 22 years old way back to Leeds. In Luton, they – Aldgate train bombing – killed 6 found the rental car, and bomb experts Sidique Khan – 30 years old found unexploded bombs in the vehicle. – Edgware train bombing – killed 7 They were crude but powerful bombs; jars packed with explosive material Hasib Hussain – 18 years old (with nails on the perimeter) triggered – Tavistock Square bombing – killed 13 by a simple detonator. Eventually Germaine Lindsey – 19 years old police raided a number of homes in – Russell Square train bombing – killed Leeds, using bomb experts to blast their 26 way into one of the homes.

CBC News in Review • November 2005 • Page 11 All of the bombers’ families ex- July 21 Bombing Suspects Did you know . . . pressed absolute shock that the men Ibrahim Muktar Said – 27 years old – One action that would perpetrate such a horrific crime. accused in the attempted bus bombing followed from the London bombings Germaine Lindsey, a Jamaican-born on Hackney Road British resident, had recently converted was the govern- Yassin Hassan Omar – 24 years old – ment of Pakistan’s to Islam and left behind a 15-month-old accused of attempting to bomb a train decision to expel all child and a pregnant wife. foreigners studying on the near Warren Street in Madrassas, The 7/21 Attacks Ramzi Mohamed – 23 years old – (Islamic schools) accused of attempting to bomb a train from Pakistan. The On July 21, two weeks to the day after President of Paki- the deadly attacks of early July, bomb- near Oval station. stan is a foe of ers struck again. Once again, three Hussain Osman – 27 years old – ac- terrorism and an trains and one bus were targeted, but cused in the Shepherd’s Bush bombing ally of Great Britain. this time the bombs failed to explode. attempt. Osman fled Britain on July 26 The July 21 bombing attempts were and got as far as Rome, where he followed by a frenzy of police activity. sought refuge with relatives. Police The police knew from early reports were able to trace his movements, and exactly when the would-be bombers Osman was arrested by Italian police attempted to detonate their bombs and for extradition back to Britain. reviewed the CCTV footage based on this knowledge. By the next day police Ten others were arrested on charges were able to release CCTV images of related to the bombings, and 39 others all four suspects and plead for the were detained under the Terrorism Act. assistance of the public. Meanwhile, It is interesting to note that by late they had already begun surveillance August 2005, British police felt that it operations around the homes of several was highly unlikely that the July 7 and of the suspects. In one instance, police the July 21 bombing were connected. mistakenly followed and killed a man That would mean that two independent they suspected of being one of the terrorist groups were operating in and bombers. Police later admitted to their around London at the same time, and error and apologized to the family of were prepared to execute their plans at Jean Charles de Menezes, promising an about the same time. By the end of the independent police inquiry into the summer, British investigators felt the man’s death. Almost daily raids took trail going cold. place on homes in and around London. By July 29, police had apprehended the four bombing suspects and a number of other alleged co-conspirators. To Consider 1. What role did CCTV images play in the investigation into the London attacks?

2. What led investigators to conclude that Al Qaeda may have been involved in the London bombings of July 7?

3. Why do you think the police feel the July 7 and July 21 incidents are unrelated? Do you agree? Explain.

CBC News in Review • November 2005 • Page 12 LONDON BOMBS: A SUMMER OF TERROR An Eyewitness Account: July 7, 2005

Tanya Frenette is a Canadian who It was the scariest thing I’ve ever seen. Quote moved to London from Toronto in Everyone started screaming and running “We are at war and January 2005. She and her husband, for the exit. I was one of the last people I am a soldier.” to get off. — Sidique Khan, Brad, had planned on staying in London London suicide for eight months before returning to A woman named Jane grabbed my arm bomber videotaped Canada to give birth to their first child. and asked me if I was OK. She saw that I before his death, This is an eyewitness account of what was pregnant and wanted to help me get to safety. We stepped off the bus Toronto Star, happened to Frenette on July 7, 2005. September 2, 2005 together and I looked to my left at the Please read the story and complete the bus that had just exploded. activity that follows. There was a single man just sitting there at the top in the front, and he was just I was on the Tube at Edgware Road looking straight ahead. There was station on my way to work when we debris and smoke everywhere and heard a loud bang. We were told it was people were screaming and running in a power failure and had to evacuate the all directions. Tube station. Nobody knew how the bus blew up or Being relatively new to the city, I went where it came from. outside, not knowing where I was or how to get to my work. But I grabbed a I stopped to stare. Jane grabbed my arm Tube map on the way out of the station and asked me what I was doing. She led and saw a bus that was headed in the me around the corner, about 10 feet general direction I needed to go. I away. She didn’t want me to get caught figured I could walk from the bus’s up in the flow of people. destination, at least. She walked me straight into a house I got on the bus and we travelled for a called Mary Ward House, where the while. The bus was diverted and people inside took care of us—gave us stopped moving. The driver said he water and tea and biscuits, calmed us wasn’t moving until he got directions down and let us use their phones, for where to go. bathrooms, etc.

I was on the bus for about 30-40 min- They were extraordinary people who utes. I borrowed someone’s mobile so took care of six of us— three who had that I could call the temp agency to tell been on the bus—for about five hours. them that I was going to be late. All of We weren’t allowed to leave the build- a sudden there was an explosion behind ing or the area, so we all just stayed my bus. inside and tried our best to get a hold of everyone that we could. The bus 25 feet behind us exploded. My bus leapt off the ground from the Even though the phones weren’t work- impact. ing—same with the Internet and the mobile networks—I was able to finally I was sitting in the middle of the last get through to my husband Brad so that row of the bus, so I spun around and I he knew I was OK and where I was. saw the roof blow off. I saw a few people in the top part of the bus, their The police weren’t letting anyone in or hair blowing from the explosion, and out of the area. Brad walked across then the roof came crashing down on London to get to me, but could not get top of them. past the police.

CBC News in Review • November 2005 • Page 13 The two Irish men who ran Mary Ward On the way home, there was an eerie, House left their wives with the others bizarre feeling in the air as a mass of and went with me to talk the police people walked home. There were a few into letting me pass. They went with me buses, but nobody was in any rush to so I could meet Brad. It was very sweet get on. And it was quiet. of them. Nobody was talking. They met Brad and we all talked for a while. They were very, very generous Thursday is something I will never and nice and I couldn’t have been forget. I couldn’t sleep last night. The luckier. baby kicked for about two and a half hours yesterday. This was the most bizarre experience. All of us inside the safe house were so I feel deeply for all the people who upset all morning, not knowing what were affected by this directly. I’m so had really happened. We were all very sorry for all those who lost some- sitting around a small radio trying to one. get whatever news we could. Source: www.cbc.ca/news/background/ london_bombing/survivor_story.html

Activity Imagine you were there in London that day. Tell the story of the day’s events from the perspective of one of the following people: Brad, Jane or one of the Irish men running the Mary Ward House.

CBC News in Review • November 2005 • Page 14 LONDON BOMBS: A SUMMER OF TERROR The Shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes

On the morning of July 22, 2005, family know that the Independent Quote London was buzzing with rumors and Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) “What sort of speculation as news spread that the would look into the incident. Soon, society are we living in where we police had shot and killed a man sus- leaked evidence began to emerge from execute suspects?” pected in the July 21 bomb attempts on the IPCC investigation that could only — Harriet Wistrich, the city’s transit system. Initial reports be described as shocking. Apparently, lawyer for the claimed that the man was wearing a Menezes left his apartment Menezes family, thick coat and that he jumped over a that morning and was identified by an Toronto Star, subway turnstile to elude police. He undercover officer on the ground as a August 18, 2005 was then pursued onto a train where person of interest. He thought the man police shot him repeatedly in the head. matched a description of one of the fearing that he had a bomb strapped to suspects in the July 21 bombing at- his torso. In an effort to separate fact tempts but told investigators later that from fiction, London Police Chief Ian he could not provide video confirmation Blair reported to the media later in the of the suspect because he had to go to day that, “The man was challenged and the washroom. By the time investiga- refused to obey police instructions.” He tors “confirmed” the identity of the man went on to say that the shooting death who left the Tulse Hill apartment was “directly linked” to the investiga- complex, the suspect had already tion into the subway bombing attempts boarded a bus bound for the Stockwell of July 21. Street station. Despite eyewitness accounts of a Undercover police followed the man, “South Asian”-looking man fleeing and when he got off the bus 15 minutes police in a heavily padded jacket with later they watched him go into the wires coming out from under some of subway station. Apparently, CCTV the material, Ian Blair delivered some images revealed that Menezes was shocking news early the next day. The wearing a light denim jacket and that he man police shot was named Jean was walking at a normal pace. He Charles de Menezes. He was a 27-year- walked through the turnstiles and made old electrician in England on a work his way to a waiting train. When he saw visa from Brazil who police mistakenly the train waiting on the platform, he pursued and killed in relation to the July began to run because he didn’t want to 21 bombing attempts. The police and miss his train. He boarded the train and the British government apologized for sat down facing the platform. Three the error, directly appealing to undercover police officers followed Menezes’ family and the government of Menezes, vaulting over the turnstiles Brazil. However, shortly after the and running down the stairs after him. shooting, many people wondered if an When the officers began shouting at apology was enough. him, Menezes stood up. At that point, Family and friends of Menezes began the three officers grabbed him, pushed to pressure the British government to him back into his seat, and fired 11 hold a full public inquiry into the young shots. Seven of the bullets went into the man’s death. The government resisted young man’s head, one into his shoul- calls for an inquiry, but did let the der and three other bullets missed him.

CBC News in Review • November 2005 • Page 15 It was only later that officers learned The case also reveals the impact of that they had killed an innocent man. the media on the images and ideas The case of Jean Charles de Menezes people remember when events are reveals quite a bit about the emotional reported. Most people know that Jean climate of London on the day following Charles de Menezes was mistakenly the July 21 bombing attempt. The shot by police the day after the July 21 police were hyper-vigilant, looking to bombing attempts. However, the police apprehend suspects and prevent future never sincerely sought to set the record suicide bombings. When they identified straight. In their admission to mistak- Menezes as one of the July 21 bombing enly killing the young Brazilian, they suspects, they made it their priority to did not refute incorrect information that follow the London police anti-terror was being either propagated by them policy to shoot potential bombing (“The man was challenged and refused suspects first and ask questions later. In to obey police instructions”) or put a climate like this, it is no surprise that forward by eyewitnesses (the suspect people get hurt and, in the case of was wearing a bulky coat). Instead they Menezes, killed. As far as the discrep- issued a brief apology, noting that the ancies in the early reports surfacing out police were doing their job “in very, of the investigation—the heavy coat, very difficult circumstances.” They did jumping over turnstiles to evade police, not refute the idea that Menezes was and a refusal to co-operate with the running from police that day in an police—it soon became clear that unreasonably bulky coat. First impres- eyewitnesses were having difficulty sions leave lasting impressions, and distinguishing between Menezes and some wonder if, despite the outcome of undercover police. CCTV images the IPCC inquiry, people will always confirmed that Menezes was not wear- remember the image of a man fleeing ing a heavy coat, was not acting the police, jumping the turnstiles at the strangely, and he did not try to evade Stockwell Street station, and trying to the police. Meanwhile, the police were dodge arrest by jumping onto a subway described as being in “hot pursuit” of train. It appears that these images are the suspect and immediately pounced far from the truth. The results of the on Menezes once they got close IPCC investigations will be made enough. Eyewitnesses later recanted public in December 2005. some of their testimony. One said that he must have seen an undercover police Sources: (BBC News Online, “Power struggle over Tube inquiry;” August 18, officer jumping over the turnstiles and 2005; BBC News Online, “Police shoot- confused him for the person whom ing – the discrepancies,” August 17, officers were pursuing. 2005; CBC News Online, –“British police shot Brazilian eight times,” July 25, 2005) Inquiry 1. How does the police version of events differ from what evidence from the IPCC indicates?

2. The family of Menezes would like a public inquiry into his death. Should the British government hold a public inquiry into the case?

3. Do you think the British Police should have had a right “to shoot to kill” in this crisis? Explain.

CBC News in Review • November 2005 • Page 16 LONDON BOMBS: A SUMMER OF TERROR Analysis

Of Guns and Gods September 11, 2001, in New York and Shortly after the By James Hrynyshyn Washington. Neither should all Chris- London bombings, tians assume a share of the blame from James Hrynyshyn the horrors of the Crusades and the Canadian and American imams just wrote this analysis Inquisition. What I would like to see, issued a fatwa condemning extremism for CBC News however, is a more skeptical approach as contrary to the teachings of Islam. Online. He exam- by all peoples of faith to the role of Then they were hauled before impa- ines media efforts scriptures in their lives, an approach tient radio and television hosts to to get Muslim that emphasizes the mythic and figura- explain just which passages of the spiritual leaders, tive value of the texts. called imams, to Qu’ran are being taken out of context denounce terror- by the suicide bombers. It’s enough to To be fair, the brave scholars who ism. Read the make a good agnostic wince in empa- agreed to appear on network newscasts article and com- thy. When was the last time a Catholic over the past weeks to defend Islam plete the questions cleric was asked to justify the IRA on were among the most patient that follow. CNN? interviewees to grace the airwaves. The Globe and Mail reported that the imams And yet, there’s something familiar who issued the fatwa and called the about the whole affair. It’s not an suicide bombers “evil” and an “enemy analogy I take much pleasure in raising, of Islam” were “prodded to go further,” but the parallels are too obvious. I refer presumably by journalists. CNN and to the tired old slogan of the National MSNBC ran simultaneous tag-team Rifle Association: Guns don’t kill people, interrogations. A week later, a usually people kill people. genteel National Public Radio host persistently demanded similar conces- Rifles and shotguns are not inherently sions of his Muslim guest. evil, they just make it much easier to kill by removing the need for personal All subjects went to great lengths to contact and considered reflection. emphasize that the words of Similarly, the great monotheistic reli- Muhammad explicitly condemn violence gions all preach love while offering against innocents. “Whoever kills a justification for actions without appeal person [unjustly] . . . it is as though he to the concerns of the individual or has killed all mankind,” says the rationality. Prophet. More than once, it was pointed out that the first and most The comparison may seem like a stretch, common passage in the Qu’ran is “In but from where I sit, in the western the name of God, the Merciful, the foothills of North Carolina, the constitu- Compassionate.” tional right to bear arms has achieved a status not unlike a tenet of one of the That would seem to be quite clear. Yet major monotheistic religions. And just every week, young Muslims are com- as those who embrace gun culture must pelled by some twisted version of Islam take some degree of responsibility for to blow themselves and countless others the body counts that accompany the to tiny pieces in the name of Allah. prevalence of weapons in civil society, The second amendment to the U.S. so must the faithful address the dangers Constitution, the one that guarantees that follow dogma. the right to bear arms, is no less explicit about the need to regulate that right. It I’m not suggesting that all Muslims begins with “A well-regulated militia, should apologize for last month’s being necessary to the security of a free bombings in London or the events of state . . .” There it is, the introductory

CBC News in Review • November 2005 • Page 17 clause of the right to bear arms calls for The demonization of Islam demon- serious regulation. Clear and simple. strated by the media of late is not only And yet, at least four million Americans insulting and counterproductive, it object so strongly to the notion of gun misses the point. Arguing over the control that they pay dues each year to meaning of ambiguous scripture lends the NRA. legitimacy to whatever interpretation appeals to the disenfranchised and The problem is that the bigger pictures ignorant. are anything but clear. The Qu’ran also calls on Muslims to “make war upon The failure of Americans to agree on such of those to whom the scriptures the meaning of a single sentence in a have been given as believe not in Allah charter of rights makes it clear that the . . .” The second amendment to the U.S. search for a common interpretation of Constitution concludes with “the right scripture is pointless. What we should to bear arms shall not be infringed.” be doing instead is challenging the very Members of Al Qaeda ignore the idea of sacred texts and unquestioning Qu’ran’s call for compassion; the Web faith. No one ever launched a jihad of site of the far-right group Independent doubt. Americans ignores the historical context in which their Constitution was drafted Source: www.cbc.ca/news/viewpoint/ and quotes only the second half of the vp_hrynyshyn/ second amendment.

Activity Copy the following chart into your notebook. Use Hrynyshyn’s analysis to deter- mine whether the merits of a call for Muslim condemnation of terrorism and the U.S. call for the right to bear arms are reasonable given the consequences of such a call.

Treatment of Muslims The American Right to Bear Arms Reasonable concerns Unreasonable demands Reasonable concerns Unreasonable demands

Effects of reasonable Effects of unreasonable Effects of reasonable Effects of unreasonable concerns demands concerns demands

Conclusions Based on your analysis, is it reasonable for the media to demand that Muslim imams condemn terrorism? Is it reasonable for the members of the National Rifle Association in the United States to maintain a right to bear arms?

CBC News in Review • November 2005 • Page 18 LONDON BOMBS: A SUMMER OF TERROR Planning Activity

Imagine that you are a world leader who is forced to respond to the deadly Did you know . . . consequences of a terrorist attack. Read the following statement made by According to one British Prime Minister Tony Blair shortly after the attacks on London and then CIA report in 2001, write your own response following the guidelines listed below. Al Qaeda had already trained at “It is important . . . that those engaged in terrorism realize that our determina- least 5 000 militants tion to defend our values and our way of life is greater that their determination and created cells in to cause death and destruction to innocent people in a desire to impose ex- 50 countries. tremism on the world.

“Whatever they do it is our determination that they will never succeed in de- stroying what we hold dear in this country and in other civilized nations throughout the world.”

— Prime Minister of Britain, Tony Blair, July 7, 2005, BBC News Online: http:// news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4661627.stm

Within weeks Blair and his government began drafting legislation to: • deport foreigners involved in extremism while in Britain • make justifying or glorifying terrorism illegal • refuse asylum to anyone who is in any way involved in terrorism • give police the ability to hold terror suspects for a longer period of time without pressing charges • make a list of preachers and clerics who are propagating terrorism and ensure that they are banned from entering Britain This is a brief account of the British government’s response to the London attacks. How do you think the Canadian government would respond? How should the Canadian government respond? Your Task • Write a statement to the media denouncing terrorism. • Make a plan to deal with terrorist threats directed toward Canada.

Caution: In the aftermath of the Oklahoma City bombing in the United States, investigators and the media immediately suspected Islamic extremists. As it turned out, the building was bombed by men from the heartland of the U.S. This could be an opportunity to consider that terrorism in itself is not religious or racial. Terrorism is the use of force to bring attention to a group’s agenda. Terrorism is about inspiring horror and provoking a response from opponents of the group. Terrorism can take on many shapes and forms, and, despite claims of religious motivation, every religion in the world condemns the taking of innocent life.

CBC News in Review • November 2005 • Page 19