Britain has been bombed many times in the past, but journalists were very quick to accuse Muslim extremists for the recent attacks.
The Immediate Link to Extremism
The failed terror attacks in London and Glasgow earlier this month didn’t create the mayhem they intended, but have managed to spark a huge investigation which unearthed another attempt to cause destruction in two of Britain’s biggest cities.
However, when details of the London car bombs emerged, some journalists were quick to point the finger at religious fundamentalists. Even Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, said it was clear "we are dealing in general terms with people who are associated with al-Qaeda."
The Details of the Bombs
Two Mercedes cars were left in London, one outside a busy nightclub and one just a few minutes walk away near Trafalgar Square. Both cars contained gas cylinders, nails and litres of petrol, with one car holding at least 60 litres of petrol alone.
The following day in Glasgow, a jeep was set on fire and then driven at speed into the airport terminal.
Police soon linked the attacks which happened just a day apart at opposite ends of Britain.
Journalists’ Reports
Many journalists were very quick to point the finger at religious groups, namely al-Qaeda, for masterminding the attacks. Yet the question remains, why did Muslim groups come out at the top of the list before the police had finished their investigation?
Britain came under regular militant attack from the IRA in Northern Ireland and on the British mainland until they agreed to disband. However, the Real IRA continued sporadic attacks for a short time until they too gave up their weapons. What probably ruled out the IRA or any splinter organisation was the nature of the bombs and the lack of coded warning, something which authorities can easily recognise after 35 years of bombings.
In 1999, London was again under attack when a gay pub in Soho was the target of a nail bomber. As with the recent attacks, nails were one of the key features and a busy, social scene was the target. There have also been reports that the recent bombings have targeted what extremists believe is an immoral area of the UK.
Yet the journalists immediately said that Muslim extremists were to blame for the recent attacks, despite the similarities with previous bombings.
Religion is an Easy Target
The question is why journalists decided that religion was behind these failed attacks. After all, most bombers are usually competent enough to carry out their work effectively and it isn’t a usual characteristic of al-Qaeda to make such a mess of things.
The answer is that religion is an easy target – the simple answer. It couldn’t simply be a madman or a revenge attack. It also helps to warn the public that the threat from terror is still a very real threat and is a timely reminded to be vigilant.
As it turns out, the journalists, by luck or inside knowledge, gave the right information. But it doesn’t distract from the fact that the reports some of them gave at the beginning of these incidents could’ve been so misleadingly wrong.
