Is Moazamm Begg a Terrorist?

[Gwadien]

Watch this, it's fascinating.

Storyville, 2016-2017: 1. Moazzam Begg: Living the War on Terror

Thought it would operate as an interesting point of conversation.

PS. Watch the whole thing - take his words as gospel, let's not get into the 'is he telling the truth' part - the truth that he tells is controversial enough.

 

[SilverHood]

Is Moazamm Begg a Terrorist?

After watching that video, it certainly Begg's the question.

Spoiler

Sorry, can't see video in the US, but also couldn't resist.

 

[Wij]

Not got time at the moment. Summary?

 

[Raven]

He is brown and has a suspicious beard, ofc he is guilty.

 

[Gwadien]

Not got time at the moment. Summary?

The guy basically went to live in every Terrorist hotspot - he was in Afghanistan when the US/UK invaded for instance, and he also went to Kosovo during the troubles there.

He said it was completely humanitarian - and it was attacks on the Muslim people which made him decide to go and help out. (As I say, take that with a grain of salt - he said he never picked up a weapon because he wasn't trained)

He basically agreed with other Guantanamo inmates in saying what the West was doing was wrong - but he didn't agree with their methods.

Basically, the way I see it is - if you disagree with the actions of the country that you're living in, and you're the same religion/ideology as the opposition group, then you're clearly an enemy of the state, even if you have no intent of causing any kind of terrorism - and this is the message the interviewer gives across.

Which is pretty shit, when you think about it.

 

[Raven]

If that is the case then a lot of people are guilty. Personally, I despise our ruling classes, all of them and would laugh my arse off if they all got run over by a bus. That doesn't mean I am a terrorist though, nor does it mean I will go and get myself a bus.

I think for many people, they can lay the blame for their countries shitty situation squarely at the feet of ours and America's government, specifically warlords Blair and Bush, and I can sympathise, not with the actions but with the motive.

That being said, it is a case that we actually know very little about so its difficult to form an opinion one way or the other.

 

[Gwadien]

If that is the case then a lot of people are guilty. Personally, I despise our ruling classes, all of them and would laugh my arse off if they all got run over by a bus. That doesn't mean I am a terrorist though, nor does it mean I will go and get myself a bus.

I think for many people, they can lay the blame for their countries shitty situation squarely at the feet of ours and America's government, specifically warlords Blair and Bush, and I can sympathise, not with the actions but with the motive.

That being said, it is a case that we actually know very little about so its difficult to form an opinion one way or the other.

It's a bit like the whole ISIS deal.

If a Muslim person says 'I like the idea of building a Caliphate, because as a Muslim, it's always something we wanted, however, I do not agree with the ways that ISIS are going about it' - If that statement was made, they'd instantly be on the watch list.

I just feel like these messages that conspiracy theorists are giving us about 'security over terrorism' applies for the rest of society, and the indoctrination of 'it's our way or the highway' is very dangerous, it doesn't allow for 'freedom of speech' (Yes, I am aware we don't technically have it) but let's apply this to America for instance.

The guy seems like a genuine British person who feels sorry for other Muslims across the world getting bombed because of illegal wars - and went out there to try and improve these peoples lives, for instance, he was in Afghanistan prior to the invasion - he claims that we went over there because he liked the idea of living in a country ran with Muslim laws, but he didn't agree with the Taliban and the Wests perception of the Taliban was completely false - for instance he said that Women were given education, but so long as it fell within the Muslim way of doing things, however he does mention things such as executions and such, he doesn't try to justify it, he worked to try and improve education for women in Taliban-Afghanistan.

I mean, you can say if you want Sharia law, you're an absolute cunt, but if you actively seek out a country where these laws followed, does that make you a terrorist? Therefore are Arabians terrorists?

There's quite a funny part in all of the sadness, where he's in Guantanamo, and an FBI agent comes up to him with a Mars bar, saying 'We got this from the UK for you' and he says 'I thought it was funny, because I don't even like Mars Bars'