WashPo: Fort Dix attackers = terrorists; Hutaree = extremists.

[sledgehammer]

<eta>In the context of Loughner not being declared a terrorist for whatever reasons (a lone wolf, not on an ideological mission, etc), I decided to do some quick digging to see the t-bomb was applied to non-Muslims who did not fit the Loughner exclusion rules. Here's what I found in just a couple of minutes. </eta>

Here's what WashPo said when six Muslims were arrested for a plot to attack Fort Dix in NJ in 2007:

"A group of would-be terrorists, allegedly undone after attempting to have jihad training videos copied onto a DVD, has been charged with conspiring to attack Fort Dix and kill soldiers there with assault rifles and grenades, authorities said Tuesday. Five men -- all foreign-born and described as "radical Islamists" by federal authorities -- allegedly trained at a shooting range in Pennsylvania's Pocono Mountains to kill "as many soldiers as possible" at the historic Army base 25 miles east of Philadelphia. A sixth man was charged with helping them obtain illegal weapons." (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/08/AR2007050800465.html)

Here's what WashPo said when nine people of the Christian Hutaree group were arrested for a plot to attach police officers and govt officials in Michigan last year:

"Authorities unsealed charges Monday against nine members of an armed militia group, accusing them of seditious conspiracy and attempting to deploy weapons of mass destruction, in a case that highlights a strain of extremism focused against the federal government. The Michigan-based group, known as the Hutaree, allegedly had plotted to attack a law enforcement officer and then detonate improvised explosive devices to kill more officials gathered for the first officer's funeral procession. Members of the homegrown Christian militia accumulated weapons and explosives to target employees of the federal government, the law enforcement "brotherhood" and other participants in what they called the "New World Order," the indictment says." (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/29/AR2010032901541.html)

No mention of the word "terror" was included in the Hutaree article, despite the plots being so similar. Also, neither of the plots can be considered lone-wolf, and the motives for both plots were heavily influenced by ideology.

[sledgehammer]

1. Even NPR referred to Fort Dix as a "terror plot" but not so for Hutaree

Fort Dix: "Below is the criminal complaint unsealed Tuesday in U.S. District Court in New Jersey in connection with the alleged Fort Dix terrorism plot." http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=10080637

Hutaree: No mention of the words terror or terrorism. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=125315301&ps=rs

ETA: Muslims have had their share of terrorist acts and plots, no questioning that. And any such actions should be referred to as terrorist acts. But the same should be applied to similar acts/plots from whackos of different ideologies as well.