So the Guardian has a look at a classified internal research document (ht2 Blairwatch) on radicalisation by MI5, some bits-
Far from being religious zealots, a large number of those involved in terrorism do not practise their faith regularly. Many lack religious literacy and could actually be regarded as religious novices.
The “mad and bad” theory to explain why people turn to terrorism does not stand up, with no more evidence of mental illness or pathological personality traits found among British terrorists than is found in the general population.
British-based terrorists are as ethnically diverse as the UK Muslim population, with individuals from Pakistani, Middle Eastern and Caucasian backgrounds.
MI5 says assumptions cannot be made about suspects based on skin colour, ethnic heritage or nationality.
The report is not focused on rightwing terrorism by white people (which as we know gets an easy ride) also no mention of wars and our foreign policy, but nevertheless it finds there is no way to profile (good news for the police they can stop disproportionately stopping and searching brown people, they will be pleased…won’t they?) because terrorists can be anyone from anywhere, except…for all the lack of commonality there is one thing they find in common-
Those involved in British terrorism are not unintelligent or gullible, and nor are they more likely to be well-educated; their educational achievement ranges from total lack of qualifications to degree-level education. However, they are almost all employed in low-grade jobs.
Now maybe some of that is because they are focused on being all terroristy -I can’t be arsed sucking up to the boss or updating my CV, I’m too busy building an atom bomb in me shed- but the report again and again conveys how there are no common links or simple ways to define who commits terror acts except- “they are almost all employed in low-grade jobs“. Maybe MI5 are now regretting their role spying on and subverting unions. Perhaps one part of reducing terrorism (including the pissed off white numpty who joins the fascists) in Britain would be to not have a society where minorities & migrants are institutionally discriminated against, people live in grinding fucking poverty and yet there’s always money for wars and surveillance. There are reasons for terrorism, waging war and turning into a police state do nothing about them and destroy all our lives. Even MI5 have figured that out.
21 August, 2008 at 9:35 am
[...] As RickB also points out, however, there is one thing that links terrorist in the eyes of MI5… [T]hey are almost all employed in low-grade jobs. [...]
21 August, 2008 at 12:12 pm
Good post btw.
“The report is not focused on rightwing terrorism by white people (which as we know gets an easy ride) also no mention of wars and our foreign policy….”
Yes, interesting that…..
Well, I think it is obvious the “mad, bad” theory is rubbish. And I am sure the establishment would like to hang onto that theory as you can just blame it on bio-chemistry or even just sticking a pin randomly in the “holy bible” of shrink-ology, DSM, and checking the list of criteria and applying baseless and meaningless labels.
It is easier to do that and blame an individual’s f*cked up psyche than delving deeper into this unequal, racist, oppressive and expolitative society and how that impacts on people as a whole who experience it…..
21 August, 2008 at 2:48 pm
Thank you kindly!
Yes the demagogued version of ‘tururists’ is unsurprisingly- crap.
Again something hints at the elephant in the room, our unequal market determined society (and even if they ignore it, our foreign affairs) but there isn’t a great track record of politician’s grappling with that. Mad/bad is always an easy refuge for government, assign abnormality to a signifier allows the symptom to not be seen as such and the underlying causes can be totally ignored. I think this report is pretty important in how both the govt should act and how we approach its authoritarianism, we know they know better now. So when they play to the tabloid gallery they will be doubly damned.