Leftist Group Admits Guilt In Embassy Rocket Attack

Surprise, surprise.

I'm shocked that it wasn't one of those roving bands of wild-eyed violent right-wing Christianists I am perpetually told are just as dangerous as Al Qaeda.

I forget who noted it, but it's a sign of the media's nonjudgmentalism about crimes of violence -- which they're generally quite against, except when it's linked to terrorism -- that the standard media method of reporting a terrorist group's admission of guilt is that they "claimed responsibility."

Claimed responsibility for an attack.

No, they admitted guilt. Let's get that right.

There is no need to avoid "pre-judging" these things. Attacking an embassy, or blowing up a schoolbus full of girls, is a defined crime in all jurisdictions. There is not some residuum of doubt over whether or not such acts are criminal.

And if you admit to the crime, you are admitting guilt for the crime.

Not merely "claiming responsibility" for an act of unknown legality.

posted by Ace at 08:44 PM

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