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All terrorists are not Muslims: Data on terror attacks in USA highlights killings by far right groups

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Data on violent incidents in the US reveal that focus on Islamist extremism since 9/11 may be misguided


A woman holds a flag as she looks out over the National Sept. 11 Memorial and Museum. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson

On a Tuesday morning in September 2001, the American experience with terrorism was fundamentally altered. Two thousand, nine hundred and ninety-six people were murdered in New York, Virginia and Pennsylvania. Thousands more, including many first responders, lost their lives to health complications from working at or being near Ground Zero.

The 9/11 attacks were perpetrated by Islamist extremists, resulting in nearly 18 times more deaths than America’s second most devastating terrorist attack – the Oklahoma City bombing. More than any other terrorist event in U.S. history, 9/11 drives Americans’ perspectives on who and what ideologies are associated with violent extremism.

But focusing solely on Islamist extremism when investigating, researching and developing counterterrorism policies goes against what the numbers tell us. Far-right extremism also poses a significant threat to the lives and well-being of Americans. This risk is often ignored or underestimated because of the devastating impact of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

We have spent more than 10 years collecting and analyzing empirical data that show us how these ideologies vary in important ways that can inform policy decisions. Our conclusion is that a “one size fits all” approach to countering violent extremism may not be effective.

By the numbers

Historically, the U.S. has been home to adherents of many types of extremist ideologies. The two current most prominent threats are motivated by Islamist extremism and far-right extremism.

To help assess these threats, the Department of Homeland Security and recently the Department of Justice have funded the Extremist Crime Database to collect data on crimes committed by ideologically motivated extremists in the United States. The results of our analyses are published in peer-reviewed journals and on the website for the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism & Responses to Terrorism.

The ECDB includes data on ideologically motivated homicides committed by both Islamist extremists and far-right extremists going back more than 25 years.


Between 1990 and 2014, the ECDB has identified 38 homicide events motivated by Islamist extremism that killed 62 people. When you include 9/11, those numbers jump dramatically to 39 homicide events and 3,058 killed.

The database also identified 177 homicide events motivated by far-right extremism, with 245 killed. And when you include the Oklahoma City bombing, it rises to 178 homicide events and 413 killed.

Although our data for 2015 through 2017 are still being verified, we counted five homicide events perpetrated by Islamist extremists that resulted in the murders of 74 people. This includes the Pulse nightclub massacre in Orlando, which killed 49 people. In the same time period, there were eight homicide events committed by far-right extremists that killed 27 people.

These data reveal that far-right extremists tend to be more active in committing homicides, yet Islamist extremists tend to be more deadly.

Our research has also identified violent Islamist extremist plots against 272 targets that were either foiled or failed between 2001 and 2014. We are in the process of compiling similar data on far-right plots. Although data collection is only about 50 percent complete, we have already identified 213 far-right targets from the same time period.


The locations of violent extremist activity also differ by ideology. Our data show that between 1990 and 2014, most Islamist extremist attacks occurred in the South (56.5 percent), and most far-right extremist attacks occurred in the West (34.7 percent). Both forms of violence were least likely to occur in the Midwest, with only three incidents committed by Islamist extremists (4.8 percent) and 33 events committed by far-right extremists (13.5 percent).

Targets of violence also vary across the two ideologies. For example, 63 percent of the Islamist extremism victims were targeted for no apparent reason. They just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, often visiting symbolic locations or crowded venues such as the World Trade Center or military installations.

In contrast, 53 percent of victims killed by far-right extremists were targeted for their actual or perceived race or ethnicity. Far-right extremists, such as neo-Nazis, skinheads and white supremacists, often target religious, racial and ethnic, and sexual orientation and gender identity minorities.

Motives and methods

There are also differences in violent extremists across demographics, motives and methods. For instance, data show that guns were the weapon of choice in approximately 73 percent of Islamist extremist homicides and in only 63 percent of far-right extremist homicides. We attribute these differences to far-right extremists using more personal forms of violence, such as beating or stabbing victims to death.

We have also found that suicide missions are not unique to Islamist extremists.

From 1990 to 2014, we identified three suicide missions in which at least one person was killed connected to Islamist extremism, including the 9/11 attacks as one event. In contrast, there were 15 suicide missions committed by far-right extremists.

Our analyses found that compared to Islamist extremists, far-right extremists were significantly more likely to be economically deprived, have served in the military and have a higher level of commitment to their ideology. Far-right extremists were also significantly more likely to be less educated, single, young and to have participated in training by a group associated with their extremist ideology.

Threat to law enforcement and military

Terrorists associated with Islamist and far-right extremist ideologies do not only attack civilians. They also pose a deadly threat to law enforcement and military personnel. During the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, 72 law enforcement officers and 55 military personnel were killed by members of Al-Qaida. On April 19, 1995, 13 law enforcement officers and four military personnel were killed when the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building was bombed by an anti-government far-right extremist in Oklahoma City.


Outside of these two events, Islamist extremists are responsible for the murders of 18 military personnel in three incidents, and seven law enforcement officers were killed in five incidents between 1990 and 2015. Far-right extremists have murdered 57 law enforcement officers in 46 incidents, but have never directly targeted military personnel.

Far-right extremists, who typically harbor anti-government sentiments, have a higher likelihood of escalating routine law enforcement contacts into fatal encounters. These homicides pose unique challenges to local law enforcement officers who are disproportionately targeted by the far right.

Moving forward

The events of 9/11 will continue to skew both our real and perceived risks of violent extremism in the United States. To focus solely on Islamist extremism is to ignore the murders perpetrated by the extreme far right and their place in a constantly changing threat environment.

Some have even warned that there is potential for collaboration between these extremist movements. Our own survey research suggests this is a concern of law enforcement.

Focusing on national counterterrorism efforts against both Islamist and far-right extremism acknowledges that there are differences between these two violent movements.

Focusing solely on one, while ignoring the other, will increase the risk of domestic terrorism and future acts of violence.

Both ideologies continue to pose real, unique threats to all Americans. Evidence shows far-right violent extremism poses a particular threat to law enforcement and racial, ethnic, religious and other minorities. Islamist violent extremism is a specific danger to military members, law enforcement, certain minorities and society at large. It remains imperative to support policies, programs and research aimed at countering all forms of violent extremism.

(This story is republished from The Conversation. The original story may be read here).

250 persons detained for black flag protest against PM Modi’s participation in Isha Yoga event

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11 organisations participated in the event, waving black flags and raising slogans against PM Modi and the central government.

Black Flag shown to modi
 

Protests by multiple organisations broke out in Coimbatore on Friday, ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s arrival at 5.30pm, for the unveiling of a 112-foot tall Shiva statue at Coimbatore’s Isha Yoga Centre.

11 organisations including the Forum against Bhavani River Dam, Thanthai Periyar Dravida Kazhagam, All Tamil Nadu Farmers’ Federation, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi, Tamil Manila Congress, Manithaneya Makkal Katchi and the Social Democratic Party of India, bore black flags and raised slogans against the PM and the central government’s “anti-Tamil Nadu policies”.

The protest attained a high pitch when the protesters tried to block public roads, and 250 people were finally detained.

Speaking at the protest, TPDK General Secretary, Ku Ramakrishnan said that the Isha Yoga Centre’s own actions in regard to wildlife proved the fact of its encroachments. “The fact that they have formed a committee to monitor the movement of wild animals, ahead of the event in which PM Modi is participating, shows that they have encroached onto the habitat of wild animals.

He also accused the central government of being anti-Tamil Nadu, and said that the centre’s bias against Tamil Nadu was shown in its failures to even follow Supreme Court directions on the Cauvery water issue.

Continuous protests have been occurring in Coimbatore since the announcement that PM Modi would be taking part in an event of the Isha Yoga Centre, which is embroiled in a series of legal cases over building and land violations, including a 2013 Madras High Court notice to demolish 44,000 sq ft of buildings. Activists have accused the PM of promoting an organisation accused of rampant environmental violations, and therefore tacitly endorsing its violations. 

 

‘I need an answer from the US govt’: Grieving wife of Indian engineer shot in Kansas speaks up

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Srinivas Kuchibhotla loved the US and refused to move to another country, says his wife.

Indian Killed in US

A day after an Indian engineer, Srinivas Kuchibhotla, was shot and killed in a bar in Kansas in the United States, his wife has spoken up.

Addressing the American media, Sunayana Dumala said, "He did not deserve a death like this. In two weeks, he would've celebrated his 33rd birthday…I don't know what to say. We've read many times in newspapers of some kind of shooting happening everywhere and I was always concerned if we were doing the right thing by staying in the US."

"He always assured me that only good things happen to good people…He was just enjoying a glass of beer with his friends. This guy (suspect) started saying discriminatory things about his (Srinivas') race. He was still minding his own business," she adds.

Sunayana went on to say, "My husband should've left but he was sitting there because he was not doing anything wrong. The guy came back and did what he had to do. He has taken a life. A very lovable soul from everyone. His parents, my parents, our entire family back home is in grief. I don't know what answer I had to give his mother, about why I was not able to save him."

She also told the media that she had considered moving to another country, but Srinivas had refused, because he loved the country.

"I need an answer from the government. What are they going to do to stop hate crimes? Not just for my husband, who lost his battle, but for everyone — for all those people, of any race, who have lost their loved ones." she adds.

Srinivas, (32), was killed and his colleague Alok Madasani, hailing from Warangal town, was injured when Adam W Purinton, a US Navy veteran, shot them at the Austins Bar & Grill in Olathe, Kansas state, on Wednesday night.

The two engineers were working as aviation programme managers at Garmin, an electronics manufacturer.

Purinton reportedly got into an argument with the victims and hurled racial slurs. He yelled "get out of my country" and "terrorist" before shooting them.

Purinton, according to reports, provoked them into argument asking their presence and work in his country, and how they were better than him.

"Does the colour of a person state that he is a Hindu, a Muslim or a Christian? How did the guy decide that? As much as I know my husband, he would want justice to be done, and we need an answer of what they're going to do," Sunayana concluded.

Watch the video there.

Courtesy: The News Minute
 

Anger against Ramjas college violence spreads across India, students declare ‘I am not afraid of ABVP’

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Delhi’s prestigious Ramjas College had turned into a battleground on Wednesday as students of Left-affiliated AISA were thrashed by the RSS-backed ABVP.

not afraid abvp

The ABVP were joined by some members of Delhi Police, which reports to the Centre’s BJP government, in thrashing the protesting AISA students and members of media present on the campus to cover the event.

The genesis of the clash was an invite to JNU students Umar Khalid, facing sedition charge, and Shehla Rashid to address a seminar on ‘Culture of Protests’ which was withdrawn by the college authorities following opposition by the ABVP.

Almost a dozen students and four journalists were injured in the clashes. Journalists who were victims of the violence unleashed by the ABVP members included Catch News’s Aditya Menon and Vishakh Unnikrishnan, Heena Kausar of Hindustan Times and Taruni Kumar of The Quint.

ABVP members were, however, kind to their ‘own’ journalists as they reportedly welcomed the arrivals of Zee News’s crew. Aditya said that there was a sense of excitement as soon as the reporter from Zee News arrived at the spot.

Some ABVP workers were heard saying, “Hamaray waalay aa gaye (Our own journalists have arrived now).”

The incident caused a huge public outcry as civil society members and political leaders began to condemn the violence unleashed by the ABVP workers.

 

Leading the condemnation was Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, who termed the incident ‘shameful.’

He tweeted, “Shameful. Look at how Modi police treating women. I warn Modi ji- students se panga mat lo, ye khade ho gaye to apko barbad kar denge.”

 

On Thursday, an embarrassed Delhi Police had no option but to be seen as taking action against three of its personnel, who were placed under suspension.

Undeterred by public condemnation and widespread outrage, the RSS’s students’ body registered its presence in Khalsa college a day later by forcing the administration to cancel street programme, scheduled there.

Now the anger against the BVP is fast spreading across India with the students’ wing being termed as viciously violent outfit, hellbent on crushing free voice by using the help of friendly police.

Students up and down the country and now changing the display images of their social media pages by holding placards that say, ‘I’m not afraid of ABVP.’

Here are some of the images;

Courtesy: Janta Ka Reporter