benwj wrote:Why limit yourself to the UK?
I find it a helpful tactic when discussing the numbers of terrorist attacks in the UK.
When discussing the fact that in the EU and USA, the official stats show that the vast majority of real terrorist activities (attacks, bombings and real plots) are carried out by NON-Muslims (for whatever underlying reason). When looking at those stats, we should only look at the EU and USA.
benwj wrote:There are nutters everywhere and in a non-Muslim country such as the UK it would not surprise me if more are non-Muslim.
The difference is the motive/s.
I'm glad you're not surprised, neither was I.
However, I wasn't addressing motives. I was just pointing out the fact that the real bombings were carried out by non-Muslims. I don't think the victims of the terrorist bombs really care WHY they were attacked - but that is an interesting further point of discussion.
Motives for the nutters of Muslim or non-Muslim persuasion can be examined from the perspective of those doing the attacks and everyone else. My view of all those carrying out terrorist acts is the same - all are equally wrong - I make no moral distinction in the weapons used to kill civilians to advance political or religious aims, a suicide belt is as bad as a stealth bomber or an IRA bomb.
However, let's get the factual stats out of the way first - the stats in this thread address the situation in the UK, and specifically Northern Ireland. The nutters there, as per the OP, are targeting fellow Catholics.
To me, when you target someone because of their religion, it makes it (at least partly) a religious crime. The underlying motivation may well be territorial - but at least let's agree that it is terrorism, and terrorism carried out by Christians.
Cheers,
Shafique