Latest in Mass Shootings
Once again, the FBI is seeking Apple’s help in unlocking phones in a counterterrorism case. But this time, Apple is technically incapable of providing assistance.
Following recent attacks in Gilroy, California; El Paso, Texas; and Dayton, Ohio, we have seen a renewed call for domestic terrorism laws to give federal law enforcement the same types of tools that are available to combat violent acts committed by international terrorists. Proposed bills in the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate will help the FBI confront domestic terrorism on the terms it favors—left of boom.
On Oct. 27, Robert Bowers launched an attack on the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, Penn., murdering 11 worshipers and injuring many others. The federal indictment against Bowers charges him with multiple counts of obstructing, by force and threat of force, “the free exercise of religious beliefs” resulting in death and bodily injury and involving the use of a dangerous weapon and attempts to kill.
Editor’s Note: Rampage killings are a longstanding U.S. problem that is only growing worse. After many attacks, law-enforcement officials discover social media postings or writings that indicated murder was in the air, raising the question of whether this information could have been exploited to prevent the killing in the first place. George Mason's J.D. Maddox, who was a U.S.
Is the Las Vegas mass murderer a “terrorist”? This question has been hotly debated in recent days, which is in many ways surprising given that there is a near consensus on a straightforward definition of terrorism—roughly, as targeting noncombatants for political ends. One obvious reason for this debate is our society’s obsession with terrorism carried out in the name of Islam. Many, including our commander in chief, seem to leap to label horror against civilians “terrorism” as soon as it’s revealed that the attacker is Muslim and before anything has been confirmed about motives.
Editor’s Note: Counterterrorism officials often express considerable concern about lone wolf terrorists -- individuals who act without direct ties to an existing group -- because they are difficult to detect and stop. Yet while such individuals can conduct bloody attacks, does the violence help the cause the terrorists purpose to champion?