Viewpoints
Opinion

Why Are Some Forms of Terrorist Violence Not Labelled as Terrorism?

Why Are Some Forms of Terrorist Violence Not Labelled as Terrorism?
Firefighters put out hot spots at what remains of St. Jean Baptiste Parish Catholic church in Morinville, Alta, after a fire on June 30, 2021. The Canadian Press/Jason Franson
|Updated:
0:00
Commentary

If you regularly scan the headlines of major news sources of late you will have noted a curious tendency. When it comes to terrorism, the only stories which seem to get any traction are those which lament the “rise” in what is widely termed “far-right extremism.” This umbrella description covers everything from neo-Nazis to white supremacists to anti-vaxxers to, believe it or not, violent “incels” (involuntary celibates who apparently target women out of frustration over their lack of sexual gratification).

Phil Gurski
Phil Gurski
Author
Phil Gurski spent 32 years working at Canadian intelligence agencies and is a specialist in terrorism. He is the author of six books on terrorism.