Multi-disciplinary approach to question of terrorism

The alternative ways to interpret the bombing and what can be learnt from a local, regional and national response was explored.

Nicky Reilly identified as the bomber, is a 22 year old white male from Plymouth and was described by the press as being a Muslim convert. His mother insisted that he was preyed upon as he has the mental capacity of a young child and has been radicalised.

There was concern that all too quickly events were politicised, describing the botched bombing attempt as terrorist act which becomes an issue of security rather than calling it a criminal or violent incident. The distinction between different kinds of violence acknowledges the nature of the threat on other people but with no implication on global terror.

Terrorism is an expression of politics according to Dr Nick Vaughan-Williams, Lecturer in International Relations and co-editor of a new book Terrorism and the Politics of Response, he said ‘The way we interpret events is itself a political act and so calling something a ‘terrorist’ event or claiming that someone has been ‘radicalised’ determines the way we respond’. All too quickly events in the Princesshay Shopping Centre were packaged as part of the global ‘War on Terror’ we have witnessed ‘9/11’, Bali, Istanbul, ‘7/7’ but is it appropriate to add ‘Exeter’ to this list?

Dr Bice Maiguashca, Lecturer in Politics also voiced concern about the use and political connotations of the word radicalisation. She said, ‘It’s a phrase that is often bandied about without any effort to define it. It is also generally used to refer to Muslims and Muslim identity which, of course, has racist implications.’

Portraying Riley as an irrational mad-man with no goals or agenda and who was incited by anger, despair and religion, does not seem very sophisticated when compared to the story of a hyper rational character with no emotional attachment, calculated agendas who made a strategic choice to use terrorism.

Reilly was a lone individual and therefore potentially unreliable for anyone attempting to influence him or determine the outcome of an organised attack. According to Senior Lecturer in Politics, Dr Jonathan Githens-Mazer, whose research focuses on radicalisation, this poses an interesting question about the level of desperation in this type of violence. In the past recruitment to jihadi terrorist violence has meant people being selected to go to special camps in Afghanistan or Northwest Pakistan, or even more recently training sessions in the UK. With the emergence of technological advances like the internet, monitoring terrorist training activities has become difficult. This is made more complex by the fact that there is no one set of variables such as family background, race, religion or education that determine the pattern of a terrorist. According to Githens-Mazer, “It is a complex matter which makes it all the more difficult for the Security forces to detect.’

This potentially violent event unearthed deep rooted perceptions of how people in the South West view themselves. Geography lecturer, Dr Sean Carter argued that responses to the attempted bombing highlighted some of the ways in which people view the relationship between Exeter and the wider world. He said, “Response’s from both the media and local people reflected a sense of shock that ‘this shouldn’t happen here’. But this neglects two key issues; first the sense in which Exeter is connected more widely with global politics; and second the fact that violence is always shocking, wherever it happens to takes place – whether that is in London, Madrid, Bali or Baghdad”.

Academics involved in security, terrorism, and Islamic radicalisation will be contributing their expertise to the British International Studies Association Conference at the University of Exeter 15 – 17 December.