The DC Shootings
Date: Tuesday, October 22 @ 10:08:39 UTC Topic: Sniper
By Terry Joseph
That the Washington DC shooter is now asking for a ransom, makes it a case of kidnapping, with the population of the entire district held hostage.
Interestingly, only the police have their hands tied (from lack of
corroborated evidence) and mouths gagged, the latter, they say, because the investigation is at a sensitive stage.
Tens of thousands of children are being kept at home, away from school and play. Fox News reports working adults who have vacation entitlements have been applying for leave. Entertainment has generally been shut down and service industries generally could soon go out of business, as no one wants to be found walking outside a diner, 7-11, shopping mall or gas station.
None of the profiles familiar to criminologists fits this man, woman or team that has been inflicting the violence upon the people of Washington DC. The bond of secrecy between the perpetrators suggests a deeper motive than merely getting rich quickly.
Quite naturally, US authorities have been reluctant to label the perpetrator a terrorist, although the signs are clear – whether generated by Al Qaeda or some copycat group – that whoever is doing this has a most abnormal mission.
The French Government yesterday warned that one of their countrymen, a
socially-maladjusted sniper of superior skill, was known to be in the US and is missing from their radar. That piece of information ran only for a limited time on CNN's news crawler.
The thrill-killing motive is not evident, however, since the murderer seldom gets near victims and the attacks have the effect of putting everyone under house arrest; hardly the motive of warped fun-seekers.
Kidnapping is, of course, stock in trade for terrorists and public fear and outrage are known downstream products.
The level of anxiety in Washington DC must be equal to or above that experienced in the wake of 9/11 and occurs suspiciously close to the
orange-level security warning raised just one month ago on the anniversary of last year's carnage.
- Messages from the sniper Oct 23, BBC
It demanded $10m. Sources quoted by the Washington Post said the writer gave a deadline of Monday for the money to be deposited in a bank account.
- What the US papers say Oct. 23, Guardian UK
A roundup of writing from US newspapers about the sniper
- Your children are not safe anywhere Oct. 23, Guardian UK
The sniper who has turned a 100-mile swath of the Washington area into his personal shooting range has threatened to expand his domain of death, warning: "Your children are not safe anywhere, at any time".
- US shooting raises new sniper fears Oct 22, BBC
Police want to find out whether the sniper was to blame
- Task force investigates new shooting Oct 22, CNN
Sources: Note contained timeline for more attacks
- French Soldier Missing in N. America Oct 21, ABC
France Says Marksman Missing in North America, Fueling Speculation Over Link to Sniper Killings
- Sniper shootings: Timeline Oct 22, BBC
A string of shootings in and around Washington DC has killed nine people and injured three in less than three weeks. BBC News Online details each incident.
- Deployment of Army planes breaches Posse Comitatus law
By Bill Vann, 18 Oct. 2002, www.wsws.org
Bush seizes on Washington sniper attacks to use military for domestic policing
- Predators, Snipers and the Posse Comitatus Act
Oct 17, Counter Punch
- Meanwhile, across America, schools teach sniping
The Telegraph, London, Oct 14, 2002
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