Islam,Terrorism and Jihad
Terror, bombs and torture
By Aqil Shah
But the clear-cut choice presented in the ticking bomb scenario is simplistic and misleading. For one, mass terror plots rarely involve a single bomber. Second, there is no evidence on how many actual bombs have been defused under such conditions. Third, the crude ends-means logic of the whole concept unravels on close examination: for every terrorist tortured, many more innocent people are likely to get whacked to a pulp. Not to mention the psychological costs they might suffer. And torture is a slippery slope. Once a government decides that torture is justified à la the Bush administration, there is no limit to the dehumanising cruelty government agents can inflict on an alleged terrorist. Think Abu Ghraib and Gitmo.
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9:29 PM
Moderate Islamist here
