White, Christian Terrorists - The Double Standard

While the country's media is focused on the terrorist threat posed by so-called 'Islamists', a trial is currently in progress relating to another planned terrorist attack. This story, however, is unlikely to hit the front pages in quite the same way as an possible trial of those suspected of the latest attempts to cause disruption in the UK. The reason? One of the protagonists is a white, middle-aged Christian.

You may remember sometime ago that a story broke about a Robert Cottage. Cottage was found to have the largest haul of chemical explosives ever found in the UK. According to Pendle Today,

.....a search of Jackson's home had uncovered rocket launchers, chemicals, BNP literature and a nuclear biological suit.

And yet, there was a noticeable silence from the mainstream media. So much so, that myself and several other bloggers were moved to write to various outlets (including the BBC) asking why they did not cover the story. In fact, you can read their reply to me query here. To be fair to the BBC, although they gave a pretty poor response, they did cover the court case first time around. As the trial recommences, the media's silence is once more noticeable.

Whilst commentators like Melanie Phillips witter on about 'a major escalation of the Islamist war being waged against us,' another terrorist threat goes unnoticed. Whilst they are happy to stand up to the 'evils' of 'Islamism', they do not have the courage to speak out against a growing tide of Christian extremism. According to the ongoing trial, Cottage

became "radical" in his religious and political views.

The Burnley Citizen, practically the only newspaper to cover the story, reported the prosecutor as claiming:

"
"He became more religious and controlling of [his wife].

"He removed the aerial from the television so she couldn't watch what he described as the brainwashing material being put out by the government."

She also argued that:

"At the start of the relationship [with his wife Kerena] all was well but it degenerated.

"Robert Cottage met a member of the BNP and both he and Kerena joined the organisation.

"Kerena says some times they would go to meetings very regularly, at which times she described his attitude as radical.

"He stood on two occasions for the local elections and wasn't selected.

"Through his membership he met his co-defendant, who wasn't a member but attended

meetings.

"Kerena Cottage describes her husband beginning to discuss Asian and white cultures and began listening to what she considered radical radio broadcasts over the internet."

A radical, religious agenda supported by explosives? Sounds familiar, doesn't it? And yet, while the focus remains on the easy target of 'Islamists', Christian fundamentalism lurks in the shadows ready to take advantage of the current climate. It has already had its successes in the United States, now it wants to start winning victories in the UK. Neal Horsley, a man behind various terrorist attacks on abortion clinics in America, has already inspired fundamentalists in this country to take up his cause. How long before we have a Prime Minister so eager to invoke evangelical sentiments? Not long if the media continues to turn a blind eye to Christian fundamentalism. Where are the commentators of courage who are prepared to stand up to this rising tide of 'Christianists'? All I see before me are those prepared to act as appeasers and foot soldiers for the Christofascists. The current situation reminds me of a comment made by Glenn Beck:

"There is a double standard in the world today. Treat Christians one way, but heaven help you if you try that with anybody else's religion."

It would certainly appear that Christians are treated in a very different way. Whilst Muslims that are accused of plotting terrorist attacks are all over the front pages, a Christian fundamentalist accused of wanting to assassinate the Prime Minister and of storing the largest amount of chemical explosives ever discovered in the UK, warrants barely a mention.