MALLOW WALI, PAKISTAN – We may not admire terrorists but have to admit that on occasion a lot of forethought goes into an attack.
How complicated is an act of terrorism?
I am not asking a facetious question. I am being serious. Can just about anyone carry out a terrorist act?
The scary answer: yes.
It does not take a rocket scientist to be a terrorist. Just about any target will do, as will the choice of weapon. Using planes to fly into buildings and kill thousands is one way. So is lunging at people with knives in a train station. The latter shows little signs of brilliant strategy.
At the same time some attacks are carefully planned and show some degree of thought. Like this one.
On this day in 2000
Islamist gunmen using hand grenades and automatic weapons killed 12 Shi’ites praying in a rural mosque in Mallow Wali, Pakistan. In addition, eight people were critically wounded in the attack. The killing took place days before the weekend anniversary of Muharram, when Shi’ites mark the death of the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad. A Sunni Islamist extremist was later arrested (why just one?).
We can’t refer to our book as the Quran, we can’t use (our) mosque to give a call to prayer, we can’t use Islamic inscriptions on wedding cards.
Shia spokesman
Here is where it gets more interesting. Prior to the attack the terrorists cut the phone lines leading into the entire village, thus preventing any call for outside help. Now THAT takes some forethought. I guess not all terrorists are spur-of-the-moment criminals.
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