When Terrorism Isn't Terrorism
by Christopher G. Adamo
So, should Americans rest easy now that the FBI has put out the word that the shooting spree by a forty-one year old Egyptian man might not have been an act of terrorism, but merely an "isolated" incident? Apparently, the contentious encounters between this individual and his neighbors, who flew the Stars and Stripes in the wake of 9-11, bear no relevance to the situation. Nor does it seem significant to the FBI that the attack took place at an Israeli ticket counter in Los Angeles International Airport.
Perhaps somebody ought to explain to the FBI that, by definition, all terrorist activity consists of a series of "isolated incidents." The entire intelligence apparatus of the United States has yet to produce a single photograph of al Qaeda members in bright red uniforms, marching shoulder to shoulder across the open field with fixed bayonets. Nor will such a picture ever be found. Terrorists simply do not operate that way.
It is truly of little consequence that investigators are presently unable to establish any “concrete” evidence linking Hesham Mohamed Hadayet (the gunman) to some Middle Eastern terrorist organization. Perhaps they were hoping a body search would turn up his official al Qaeda membership card or an Osama bin Laden secret decoder ring. Or maybe they simply chose to ignore the most obvious link for fear that, at its very mention, they would be accused of bigotry and intolerance.
But that link does exist. It is an ideological, or some might say, a spiritual one. It is what caused the spontaneous eruption of celebrations and revelry in the streets of Ramallah when word reached the inhabitants that the towers had collapsed. It inspires Arab leaders to offer monetary rewards to the families of anti-Israeli suicide bombers. And it is the underlying reason for that deafening silence among major Muslim clerics throughout America and the world who should have been vocally and relentlessly condemning the mass murder of innocent Americans and Israelis.
In a speech outlining the conditions necessary for the establishment of a Palestinian "state," President Bush proffered the notion that Palestinians "deserved" to live in freedom, under the authority of leaders who had their best interests in mind. However, such an assertion simply is not consistent with the polls that show the Palestinian people to overwhelmingly support the corrupt regime of Yasser Arafat. Were the elections, demanded by George Bush, to take place today, Arafat would win handily. That which motivates these people is more powerful than any western version of freedom and prosperity.
Throughout the Middle East, antipathy towards America is almost universal. But the problem doesn't stop there. "Minister" Louis Farrakhan, head of the quasi-militant "Nation of Islam," has stated in a recent visit to Iraq that he - and more significantly - his followers, are in full support of Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein. In a statement which could make Jane Fonda look patriotic, Farrakhan is quoted by the official Iraqi press as saying “the Muslim American people are praying to the almighty God to grant victory to Iraq.” Though it should not be assumed that all Muslims in this country are in total agreement with Farrakhan, neither should their relative silence in response to his statements be construed as a sign of complete innocence. This visit to Iraq certainly does not mark his first episode of vitriolic pronouncements against America. And despite the obvious “fringe” characteristics of much that he says, it should be remembered that only a few years ago, Louis Farrakhan was able to assemble an enormous gathering at his “Million Man March” in Washington D.C. (though the actual number of participants fell far short of his goal of one million).
While the malevolent intentions of al Qaeda and a myriad of other militant Islamic organizations throughout the world are still seething and simmering, waiting for the opportune moment to attack America once again, the presence of sympathizers within the national borders should be of greatest concern to Americans. It is all well and good to hope that the “War on Terror” takes place, in its entirety, halfway across the world. Reality however paints another picture.
Had Hesham Mohamed Hadayet succeeded in killing a few dozen innocent people instead of being stopped after murdering only two, official attempts to classify the deed as anything but a terrorist act would have been far more difficult than they apparently are. The absurdity of their attempted use of the term "hate crime" would have been patently obvious.
Long before the defining events of last September, Islamic belligerents in the United States have been making known their hostility towards this country. Amazingly, they have been only slightly less vocal about expressing their feelings since that time. Hesham Mohamed Hadayet was clearly known to be one of them. It is a travesty against all Americans that officials did not take the “profile” of such an individual into sufficient consideration so as to prevent harm to innocent people. Ultimately, the ability of hostile forces to wage war on Americans will only be enhanced by any mindless pretense that they don't exist.
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