Motive Matters: Why the Austin Bomber Wasn't a Terrorist

Mark Anthony Conditt left a lengthy recording in which he reportedly confessed to the bombing spree that plagued Austin, Texas, and even outlined how he constructed each of the devices he deployed. However, what he did not provide in that message was any indication of motive based on ideology, hate or politics. In fact, according to an account of the recording published by the Austin American-Statesman, authorities have noted that Conditt felt no remorse for the killings, describing himself as a psychopath. Despite the fact that a white bomber did kill two people who were racial minorities and wounded two others, there is no evidence to suggest that this was a hate crime or an act of domestic terrorism. It is quite possible to terrorize a city without being a terrorist, which brings us to the key question: Just what is terrorism?...