Categories
Perspectives

Takeaways so far from the terrorist attack in Edmonton

It has been a little more than a week and a half since Canada suffered its latest, and thankfully still rare, terrorist attack.  A 30-year old Somali refugee named Abdulahi Sharif hit and stabbed an Edmonton police officer before leading authorities on a race through the city’s streets where he struck four pedestrians before he […]

Categories
Perspectives

Why ‘lone wolves’ aren’t really alone

Anyone who has read my work or seen/heard me in the media over the past few years knows that I really, really dislike the term ‘lone wolf’.  My objections are threefold: a) it is inaccurate most of the time, b) it get used far too quickly in the absence of any confirming information, and c) […]

Categories
Perspectives

Is Tunisia sliding back into the abyss?

If there is one shining light in the aftermath of the Arab Spring it is Tunisia.  Not that the competition is very tough.  Egypt went from an elected Muslim Brotherhood (MB) government to a military one under General Sisi.  Bahrain’s short-lived revolution is no more.  And as for Syria, well I really don’t think I […]

Categories
Perspectives

No, terror is not a synonym for terrorism and no, terrorism is not limited to ‘brown people’

I am afraid of heights.  Even climbing a ladder scares me.  I also don’t like amusement park rides.  You could say that both of these things terrify me.  I am not ashamed of that. So, if I read a few columns lately by Doug Saunders and Allison Hanes correctly, I should call high places and […]

Categories
Perspectives

Saudi Arabia, modernity and counter terrorism

Three cheers for Saudi Arabia!  The conservative Kingdom has ruled that women can now drive and no longer need to be accompanied by a mahram (essentially a male guardian) when they are in a car.  Many are celebrating this decision although some conservative killjoys have accused the government of ‘bending the rules of Sharia’.  Some […]

Categories
Perspectives

Some real questions on ‘deradicalisation’

This post is a little longer than normal.  It is my contribution to a forthcoming paper to be written collectively and coordinated by a friend of mine in Singapore. With the apparent increasing popularity of deradicalisation programmes for convicted terrorists and (perhaps) those on the pathway to violent extremism in a number of countries what […]

Categories
Perspectives

Another troubling court decision on terrorism in Canada

They don’t call BC the ‘left coast’ of Canada for nothing I suppose.  Our wonderfully beautiful Pacific side is known for its somewhat socialist views, greater tolerance of marijuana and progressive environmental positions, a lot of which is indeed admirable. It is also acquiring a reputation as the province that is ‘soft on terrorism’. A […]

Categories
Perspectives

How not to ‘wean the populace’ from terrorism

The PRC has a problem with extremism.  Part of their challenge lies in Tibet where Buddhist monks self-immolate in the streets.  I will set aside why monks are choosing to burn themselves to death (which I think we all can agree is an extreme act) in this blog, mostly because they are not engaging in […]

Categories
Perspectives

When the fear of terrorism trumps reason

There is no question that fear sells.  The latest Stephen King film about an evil clown – It –  grossed over $120 million in its first three days after all.  We are odd  in that we both fear fear and we are entertained by it – go figure. But fear is not always helpful, unless you […]

Categories
Perspectives

The link (or lack thereof) between refugees and terrorism

Remember the ‘refugee crisis’ of  a few summers ago?  We all were riveted by the pictures of hundreds of thousands of desperate Syrians, Iraqis and many others, risking their lives in overland journeys or even more perilous sea voyages, fleeing danger and violence in their homelands to start a new life in Europe.  Some countries […]