Entomological warfare - thoughts.

[Kai]

Ok, good point.  I fell into the "Turrurist = Mooslim" trap.


I am shamed.  


How much of a contradiction would it be if Earth First! used pestilence to fuck up the environment?

The same amount of contradiction as when Al Quaeda uses Islam and jihad as-sayf to justify fasad.

[Kai]

I just finished this book. Incidentally, I will be wearing 20% DEET (any higher doesn't provide more protection) whenever I am out in conditions where I might be bitten by bloodfeeders from now on. If you thought West Nile was scary, try not to consider Rift Valley Fever.

[Cain]

Ignorant question:  Are there the same "cleanliness" taboos in Islam that would prevent them from using vermin and other disease-ridden animals when carrying out an attack?



Ok, thinking about it, terrorism itself is a violation of Islam, so I guess it's also a stupid question.

Also, given the 9/11 attackers met at strip clubs before carrying out the attack, it would be guessed that any terrorist cells, especially undercover ones infiltrated into mostly non-Muslim communities, would take steps to act outside of such norms when carrying out an attack.

Like the Hashishim and some other Shiite sects, Al-Qaeda seems to believe it is permissible to break the laws of Islam, to punish an enemy of Islam.  Allah takes care of the details.

And yes, biological weapons have been used before, both by domestic terrorists and religious groups.  However, their minimal impact suggests that, without a well-funded organisation backing a group, bioweapon attacks will be low grade, and will either be soft-targeting (hitting a certain demographic before an election, to sway a vote, for example) or rely on the panic caused via the media.