LI FENG/CHINA DAILY
Given the horrendous mass shooting at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, it is natural for one to inquire why the shooter targeted so many innocent people.
Obviously, this massacre is an act of terrorism. Omar Mateen, the perpetrator, claimed the highest number of casualties in amass shooting in the United States. Thus far, the US government has been busy trying to find out if Mateen was associated with any terrorist group. The fact that intelligence officers again failed to foil such a terror attack may have an impact on the US presidential election.
The motive behind the attack will decide if it was merely an individual terror attack or an organized act of terrorism. Even though Mateen pledged his allegiance to the Islamic State group before gunning people down, his true motive is still under investigation. But no matter what the outcome of the investigation, the US government will not feel easy.
If the 29-year-old Mateen is proven to have launched the attack on instructions of the IS, it will expose a major loophole in the US' "war on terror", because American intelligence failed to intercept and prevent the dastardly act. And if his was a "lone wolf" attack, the US will still feel frustrated for not being able to prevent an individual from gunning down so many people out of hatred.
If Mateen was driven by the IS, his was not only a terrorist act; he was also a terrorist. Given his ethnic background(his father migrated from Afghanistan), presumptive Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has linked it to radical Islamic terrorism, which US President Barack Obama and presumptive Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton would be hesitant to echo.
To maintain international coalition against the IS, the US administration insists that the terrorist organization has nothing to do with Muslims. But this has given Trump an excuse to exploit American people's fear of "radical Islam" and give a call to"temporarily stop any Muslims from entering the country".
Even if Mateen didn't have any real association with a terrorist group, the pressure on the US government will be no less. This is not the first such act of mindless killing by a suspected religious fanatic. Previous "lone wolf" attacks in San Bernardino, California, Boston and New York City have all highlighted the challenge of detecting and preventing such attacks.
Since a "lone wolf" doesn't have partners in planning an attack, fewer clues and evidence are available to intelligence officers to anticipate, let alone prevent, it. Even though Mateen called 911 20minutes before he started shooting, he had left almost no time for law enforcement officers to respond effectively.
The Orlando attack is not likely to be the last of its kind.Why do such lone wolves, some of whom are second-generation immigrants, still have deeply rooted hatred against other Americans?
For one, the American "melting pot" seems unable to forge a common identity among all immigrants. Given the ever expanding economic disparity, such a rift in identity is increasingly apparent. Second, some of America's political tolerance has not gained universal support in the US. The lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender rights groups have got the support of one section of the American public and political spectrum but they may still be hated by others. Mateen's father has indicated his son deeply hated LGBTs, which might have prompted him to gun down so many people in the gay nightclub.
The Orlando shooting, as of now, can be described as an act of terrorism and hatred. Over time, with more details emerging, one may be able to describe it differently. Though the US administration will beef up security in public places for a while, it is a shame that many American politicians still support the gun lobby despite such tragedies.
Shen Dingli, the author, is a professor at and associate dean of the Institute of International Studies, Fudan University.
