Profiling Jo Cox’s Killer: Was He A "Terrorist" Or Just Insane
By Tyler Durden
In the aftermath of the tragic murder of British Labour MP Jo Cox, the most poignant – and debated – question that has emerged is whether the shooter, 52-year-old white male Thomas Mair, was motivated by political ideology especially since as some eyewitness have claimed he shouted “Britain First” during his deadly attack and is now being probed for “far-right links”, or if he was simply mentally ill.
The reason is simple: just like in the aftermath of the mass Orlando shooting, both Brexit camps are trying to score political points by presenting the lone shooter as indicative of the ideology they are trying to protect the UK from.
As we reported earlier, none other than Angela Merkel promptly tried to portray the event as an example of “radicalization”, suggesting that the murder was ideologically provoked: She said that the “total exaggeration and radicalization of the debate doesn’t contribute to facilitating such respect. So for all of us who value democratic rules, we know how important it is to establish boundaries in one’s choice of language and argument as well as the choice in a sometimes disparaging way of arguing — and to engage with respect those who think and believe and love differently… Otherwise it will be difficult to stop radicalization.”
And while the question of radicalization is certainly relevant, is it fair or event ethical, to bring it up in the aftermath of Cox’ murder if the shooter had no rational, ideological motive and was simply insane? The answer will likely never be revealed as every side will use whatever narrative suits it, we do know some facts.
As the Guardian reported overnight, the picture that emerged of the man known as Tom or Tommy from those who knew him best was of a quiet and caring loner. His half brother, who is mixed race, claimed he had been volunteering at a school for children with disabilities for several years and had never expressed any racist views. Duane St Louis, 41, described his brother as a devoted son who shopped for their mother twice a week and who had visited her on Wednesday night to help tune her TV.
St Louis insisted his brother had never expressed any racist views and seemed fine to have a mixed-race sibling. Asked whether he had any strong political views, St Louis said: “Not that I know of.” He said he had no idea how Mair had got hold of a gun and did not have any hobbies that would require a firearms licence.
Mair grew up not with his mother, Mary, but his maternal grandmother, Helen, who died in 1996. The pair lived in a semi-detached house on the Fieldhead estate in Birstall, 15 minutes walk up the hill from where Cox was killed. St Louis said his brother lived alone after their grandmother’s death and had never married or had children. He had not had a girlfriend for years. “He had one girlfriend when he was younger but his mate took her off …read more
Source: Profiling Jo Cox’s Killer: Was He A "Terrorist" Or Just Insane
