Unite Against Terror

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Unite Against Terror was a group established in July 2005 in the wake of suicide bombings in London, Israel and Iraq, in support of a statement calling for "a global movement of citizens against terrorism."

"(Update written 5 October 2005:) On October 1 suicide bombers killed 22 people in three restaurants in Bali. Like the failed July 21 bombers in London, the Bali terrorists laced their bombs with ball bearings and shrapnel in order to maim and disfigure the maximum number of innocents. On October 12 2002 Al Qaeda murdered 202 people in Bali. The latest Bali attacks should spur us on to redouble our efforts to unite communities against terror, from London to Netanya, Baghdad to Bali. Immediately, please consider asking all your friends and colleagues to sign this statement - now being supported by the Madrid11 initiative and openDemocracy - and invite them to circulate it to their own friends and colleagues." [1]

Anthony Barnett wrote: "This is a great statement, I happily join its call for solidarity against terrorism and the need to build an international citizens alliance. As it says, the need to understand and retain our intelligence and judgement can never act as an excuse for the indiscriminate slaughter of innocents, in any circumstances, or any place. Nor can such a call for solidarity act as an apology for the misconceived invasion of Iraq, which played into Bin Laden's game and had no connection with defeating the sources of muslim-fundamentalist terrorism (unlike the invasion of Afghanistan). The historic demonstrations of citizens around the world, from all political persuasions who felt (to be short) that George Bush wanted a war and that this was wrong, should be our starting point. The leaders of those demonstration were often narrow sectarians and, despicably, apologists. The millions who marched the streets were overwhelmingly the opposite: strangers, as the statement says, wanting to hold hands against terrorism." [2]

Organisers

Accessed January 2011:

• Jane Ashworth
• Alan Johnson
• Adrian Cohen
• Hak Mao
• Harry's Place
• Simon Pottinger

Resources

For further information, see relevant NeoCon Europe page Unite Against Terror or Powerbase page

Also see terrorism.openDemocracy.