Gunpowder, Terrorists and Uncle Jack's idea of Religious Extremism

To the delight of political historians everywhere, the man called the Foreign Secretary, Jack Straw, told the Financial Times that he had been talking to Muslim leaders at home and abroad about the Guy Fawkes plot, to remind them that the UK has faced a long history of religious-based terrorism. He said it was important Muslim leaders realised religious-based extremism was not unique to Islam.

He might well have swapped tales about the terrorist attacks on the British Army in Palestine, when the Stern Group, Haganah and Irgun terrorist groups whose goal was the eviction of the British and their Army from Palestine and the formation of a Jewish State.

He could explain how these terrorist groups assassinated Britsh soldiers, and police , sent bombs in the mail to British politicians, sabotaged industrial plant, transport infrastructure extorted funds and robbed banks. No doubt he could tell them how the leaders such as Menachim Begin and Itzak Shamir , and their supporters such as Golda Meir, later became Prime Ministers of Israel. … but then they may have heard it all before.

Perhaps he could tell them about the way they killed public figures such as Lord Moyne in Cairo and the UN representative Count Bernadotte in Jerusalem – whose killers were later released. … but then they may have heard it all before.

He could tell them of the massacre at the village of Deir Yassin by Jewish terrorists … but then they may have heard it all before.

He could tell them of the Stern gang’s cry of justification for their campaign of bloody terror…”primarily terror is part of our political battle under present conditions and its role is large and great”.

…. but then they may have heard it all before.