Jo Cox, British MP murdered by a "lone wolf"

[davidbfpo]

British politics is reeling after the murder yesterday of Jo Cox, a Labour MP, for a West Yorkshire seat, by a loner armed with a gun and a knife - who attacked her in the street outside her constituency surgery. He wounded a 77yr old man who intervened. A BBC six minute film clip on the reaction today:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-36560895

This is the first MP murdered for a long time; the last was by a Irish terrorist group in 1990 using an IED under his car. It reminds me of the Arizona shooting in August 2011 of a lady Congresswoman Gifford, by a loner. See:http://council.smallwarsjournal.com/showthread.php?t=12229

Much is being made how divisive British politics has come during the EU Referendum campaign, notably a poster used UKIP. Jo Cox was well known for her opposition to the "politics of fear":http://eaworldview.com/2016/06/britain-opinion-brexit-helped-kill-jo-cox/

There are three witnesses who state the murderer shouted a political slogan, akin to 'Britain First' (a tiny extreme right, nationalist group):http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/06/16/eyewitness-discusses-shooting-of-mp-jo-cox/

More background:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/06/17/jo-cox-murder-suspect-thomas-mair-bought-book-on-how-to-make-han/ (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/06/17/jo-cox-murder-suspect-thomas-mair-bought-book-on-how-to-make-han/)
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/06/17/jo-cox-murder-labour-mps-security-was-being-increased-after-thre/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-36558386

The murderer walked away and was arrested nearby by two unarmed police officers. He remains in custody being interviewed.

It appears that the murderer was a loner, with extreme right wing views, including support for a South African group. With a history of mental illness. No-one locally saw him as a threat.

[davidbfpo]

Yesterday there was no mention of this murder being terrorism or a "lone wolf", which did lead to some criticism. Amidst the reporting there is a clear reluctance to use those words. No-one in the limited reading just has drawn parallels with the USA after the Orlando mass shooting.

Here is one "fringe" left-wing columnist:https://www.opendemocracy.net/uk/adam-ramsay/fascist-terrorism?

From the other side of the spectrum:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/06/17/its-time-to-call-the-killing-of-jo-cox-what-it-is-an-act-of-far/

Raffaello Pantucci, at RUSI, is the UK's leading SME on "lone wolves" and has a very short video clip:http://council.smallwarsjournal.com/showthread.php?t=12229

His work and others at RUSI is here:https://rusi.org/projects/lone-actor-terrorism

There are several relevant threads:
1) UK CT:http://council.smallwarsjournal.com/showthread.php?t=7768
2) Lone Wolves inside the USA:http://council.smallwarsjournal.com/showthread.php?t=17199
3) Lone Wolves outside the USA:http://council.smallwarsjournal.com/showthread.php?t=16226

[slapout9]

Sure are alot of lone wolf's around these days.

David,
Dosent the UK have both gun AND some type of knife control?

[davidbfpo]

Sure are alot of lone wolf's around these days.

David,
Doesn't the UK have both gun AND some type of knife control?

Slap,

Yes we have very strict laws on gun control, notably making it virtually impossible for private handgun ownership and legally holding any automatic weapon. There are far less strict laws on knives, over their sale and possession.

Some reports indicate Jo Cox's attacker had a single shot handgun and he had been interested a few years ago in making his own handgun.

[davidbfpo]

A careful, considered short research article in 'The Conversation', a daily mainly UK academic newsletter:https://theconversation.com/how-illegal-firearms-find-their-way-onto-british-streets-despite-tough-laws-61239? (https://theconversation.com/how-illegal-firearms-find-their-way-onto-british-streets-despite-tough-laws-61239?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Latest%20from%20The%20Conversation%20 for%20June%2021%202016%20-%205073&utm_content=Latest%20from%20The%20Conversation%20f or%20June%2021%202016%20-%205073+CID_f88e4149533258e30b5ee6055a045600&utm_source=campaign_monitor_uk&utm_term=How%20illegal%20firearms%20find%20their%2 0way%20onto%20British%20streets%20despite%20tough% 20laws)

The author has had help from UK policing (via NABIS) and the ingenuity of those who seek lethal firearms is well explained. She ends with:
Without a doubt, so long as there remains a demand for firearms in Britain, the criminal underworld will use all its ingenuity to meet that demand and continued research into their methods and the vigilance of police forces will be required to keep them out.

[Firn]

Thanks for that insightful article on the subject of illegal firearms.

An outspoken MP ambushed outside her surgery, shot and stabbed multiple times, political extremist slogans shouted during the assassination and at the first hearing. A shocking crime, a political murder in a rather divisive campaign.

It is important to remember that the current German major of Cologne, Henriette Reker (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henriette_Reker) only narrowly survived an assassination attempt with many similarities. The German entry (https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attentat_auf_Henriette_Reker) makes it clear that the brave quick action of many saved her, just.

Sadly MP Jo Cox didn't make it despite rapid and courageous help.

[Azor]

Slap,

Yes we have very strict laws on gun control, notably making it virtually impossible for private handgun ownership and legally holding any automatic weapon. There are far less strict laws on knives, over their sale and possession.

Some reports indicate Jo Cox's attacker had a single shot handgun and he had been interested a few years ago in making his own handgun.


Yet Mair was able to reload this weapon and fire I three times without interference.

In addition, only one of the three "Britain First" witnesses has confirmed publicly that Mair uttered this phrase. There is no indication that Mair had any contact with Britain First despite his links to American and South African White Supremacist groups.

It is curious how the "Remain" campaign's chief proponents in Westminster are treating Jo Cox's death as a near martyrdom for EU membership...

[davidbfpo]

Yet Mair was able to reload this weapon and fire I three times without interference.

Yes, but it is easy to speculate that a gun being fired was not a sound instantly recognised by those nearby. One elderly man did tackle him and was stabbed. It is quite possible shock was a potent factor, although maybe not enough to stop them phoning or filming. After Mair left the scene IIRC many people went to her aid.


In addition, only one of the three "Britain First" witnesses has confirmed publicly that Mair uttered this phrase.

I know one witness has been id'd as an ex-BNP member. Perhaps we shall learn more at the forthcoming trial or in a documentary.


There is no indication that Mair had any contact with Britain First despite his links to American and South African White Supremacist groups.

That is rather disproved by the below photo, IIRC from a nearby Yorkshire town and taken in October 2015, which was circulated via Twitter later. Yes perhaps he just stood there for a moment. On this blog there are links to it's origin:http://anotherangryvoice.blogspot.co.uk/2016/06/thomas-mair-britain-first-protest.html

This partial blog examines the witness claims, plus what he said to the unarmed police officers who arrested him nearby and the odd Britain First explanation:https://theintercept.com/2016/06/17/far-right-britain-first-party-tries-avoid-blame-lawmakers-assassination/

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ClL5LXGWIAAqBUW.jpg


It is curious how the "Remain" campaign's chief proponents in Westminster are treating Jo Cox's death as a near martyrdom for EU membership...

British politicians were in a state of shock and given the EU Referendum campaigning your view does not come as a surprise - we will know by Friday AM what the result is.

[Bill Moore]

After listening to various business news stations reporting on Brexit, it is clear political tensions between those pro and con for Brexit are intense. I could see it leading to the rise of violent right wing groups, or mobilizing existing ones into action. Hopefully the dust will sete, but from an outsider looking in I see the emergence of trends that are concerning throughout Europe's political scene. Over time you have to wonder if Europe will drift back into a divided region where the threat of war reemerges once again.

[davidbfpo]

An article by an ICSR researcher, one of the few articles lately that have "stood back" and "looked at the forest":http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/06/21/how-far-right-extremists-draw-vulnerable-people-into-their-poiso/

Traditionally law enforcement and sometimes the intelligence agencies have been more than enough to contain the dangerous on the extreme right, when they are a group. Loners are very different and there are quite a number of examples of lucky escapes. The best open source has been a small group of "lefties" in Searchlight magazine, who published in 2011 IIRC a 160 pgs report:http://www.lonewolfproject.org.uk/resources/LW-complete-final.pdf

[davidbfpo]

In a little noticed way the voters in Jo Cox's constituency (Batley) voted against her:
The counting area of Kirklees, which incorporates Batley, voted Leave by a margin of fifty-five per cent to forty-five per cent.
Link:http://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/the-politics-of-murder-in-britain

I say little noticed as no-one here has drawn attention to this fact. Some portrayed her - wrongly IMHO - as a martyr for the Remain cause.

[Firn]

I checked that yesterday as well in midst of all the stress. It's important to keep the baseline in mind and that a larger leave was quite feasible based on the specific demographics of her constituency.

Neat mapping by the Guardian (http://www.theguardian.com/politics/ng-interactive/2016/jun/23/eu-referendum-live-results-and-analysis), seems like in context Kirklees was not overly Leave.

Whatever the precise impact there is always something touching in working hard with passion and no hatred for a cause - double so if it was a noble one.

[davidbfpo]

The trial of Thomas Mair concluded today, after he pleaded not guilty and he was found guilty. He was sentenced, on his first conviction, to a 'whole life' sentence i.e. unless the Home Secretary intervenes he will die in jail.

From a statement by the prosecutor (known here as CPS):
Mair has offered no explanation for his actions but the prosecution was able to demonstrate that, motivated by hate, his pre-meditated crimes were nothing less than acts of terrorism designed to advance his twisted ideology.

Which is within this backgrounder on his Nazi and his other interests:http://tellmamauk.org/neo-nazi-terrorist-thomas-mair-given-whole-life-term-for-jo-cox-murder/

The judge's sentencing remarks are noteworthy:https://www.judiciary.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/sentencing-remarks-r-v-thomas-mair.pdf

[davidbfpo]

A RUSI commentary on the wider implications of Jo Cox's murder; sub-titled:
The murder of the Labour MP has highlighted the rise of neo-Nazi terrorism. The police, intelligence and security services are increasingly concerned – and with good reason.Link:https://rusi.org/commentary/jo-cox-murder-and-role-ideology-violent-extremism-0

In the UK there has been a history of violent acts by the XRW before, although several planned attacks have been thwarted - often as the lone suspect has been incompetent - shown in a 2011 research document 'Lone Wolves: myth or reality?' via:http://lonewolfproject.org.uk/