Van ploughs into pedestrians in North London, Finsbury Park mosque

[MancMike]

Details still emerging. One arrested.

Finsbury Park Mosque: 'Several hurt' as van hits pedestrians - BBC News

 

[markjay]

Very sad. More loss of life.

 

[Deleted member 113659]

So sorry to learn of this news.

 

[Darrell]

More innocent victims.

 

[Wheelsnuts]

This is the escalation I feared. So sad and so worrying.

 

[Darrell]

This is the escalation I feared. So sad and so worrying.

It's very worrying. Playing right into the hands of Isis.

 

[tanuie]

I think we can expect more of the same.

 

[Cymruambyth]

Oh dear!

 

[renault12ts]

The man who died had already collapsed before the van came along, there is a question as to the cause of his death.

 

[Harrythedog]

Is it a Terrorist attack or a Racial one?
Genuine question as I wouldn't know how each is defined

 

[ph47mf]

just a lone idiot who thinks killing is helping

 

[markjay]

Is it a Terrorist attack or a Racial one?
Genuine question as I wouldn't know how each is defined

I think that technically this is a hate crime rather than terror attack, but the labelling is academic as it is clear that anyone attempting to commit multiple murders has already reached both a legal and moral low from where you can go no lower.

Attacking innocent people simply because of their religious belief is as deplorable as it gets. No different to the Nazi ideology.

(Obviously the usual reservations apply, we are making some assumptions for discussion's sake, we need to wait for the police report etc etc).

 

[MancMike]

Yes apparently the collapsed man was being tended to before the van turned up. I guess it's down to the coroner to make the call on what effect the van had on his demise.

 

[geraldrobins]

Is it a Terrorist attack or a Racial one?
Genuine question as I wouldn't know how each is defined

I'm not sure but would suggest terrorism is where you are linked to an extremist group. Either way its murder and/or attempted murder.

 

[AnimMerc]

What defines a Terorist attack: act of terrorism, terrorism, terrorist act. the calculated use of violence (or the threat of violence) against civilians in order to attain goals that are political or religious or ideological in nature; this is done through intimidation or coercion or instilling fear. coup de main, surprise attack.

This was done in a predominantly Muslim area when Muslims were leaving Mosque's I'd say this fact on its own is a Terrorist act. Also people directly involved are stating he said it was to kill Muslims and other Islamaphobia.

 

[AnimMerc]

Yes apparently the collapsed man was being tended to before the van turned up. I guess it's down to the coroner to make the call on what effect the van had on his demise.

The van drove into the people who were attending the injured man on the floor but as you state the coroner will make that call.

 

[AnimMerc]

Is it a Terrorist attack or a Racial one?
Genuine question as I wouldn't know how each is defined

See post 15.

 

[markjay]

What defines a Terorist attack: act of terrorism, terrorism, terrorist act. the calculated use of violence (or the threat of violence) against civilians in order to attain goals that are political or religious or ideological in nature; this is done through intimidation or coercion or instilling fear. coup de main, surprise attack.

This was done in a predominantly Muslim area when Muslims were leaving Mosque's I'd say this fact on its own is a Terrorist act. Also people directly involved are stating he said it was to kill Muslims and other Islamaphobia.

Fair enough, though I would have personally made a distinction between Terror Attacks and Hate Crimes.

But I guess you could see all Hate Crimes - e.g. attacks on gay bars by anti-gay groups, or attacks on Jewish synagogues by Neo-Nazis, or attacks on abortion clinics by 'pro-life' groups, etc - as a sub-group within the 'Terror Attacks' group.

Said that, I have no issue either way - as far as I am concerned it's purely semantic, people can call it what they like. Either way it is wrong, deplorable, and must be condemned in every possible way.

These acts of violence are never justified - and I don't care if the perpetrator was brainwashed by a far-right group, or lost a member of his family in one of the recent attacks, or what have you - his acts are just as bad as those of the Westminster Bridge and London Bridge attackers.

 

[GeeJayW]

Sadly, while the overwhelming majority of people will see this incident as a deplorable act carried out by some sort of nut job, there is a small group of like minded nut jobs who think of him as some kind of hero.

 

[leef44]

I think there is a distinction from an investigation view point. It seems that this was an individual hate crime. If it is categorised as terrorist attack then a task force needs to investigate for possible links to a terror organised group. This follows a different line of investigation and requires much more police resources to start kicking down doors (so to speak).