Terrorist or not? Experts disagree on how to label Austin Bombings suspect

The string of bombings in Austin, Texas is generating a conversation on what should be considered terrorism or terroristic attacks.

“Defining terrorism, and what a terrorist is, is very difficult,” said Larry Valero, the director of the National Security Institute at the University of Texas El Paso.

“Generally speaking, when we talk about terrorism, it’s violence and the threat of violence with a political purpose with some ideological aim at it’s core,” Valero said.

The FBI defines domestic terrorism as movements that espouse extremist ideologies of a political, religious, social, racial or environmental nature.

Several people ABC-7 spoke with had varying opinions. Some said it’s an “attack,” or “someone terrorizing someone or giving someone fear.”

For 19 days, a series of exploding packages terrorized Austin residents as police frantically searched for the elusive bomber.

The wave of attacks started with package bombs left outside homes on March 2 and March 12. It escalated this week when the bomber rigged a tripwire with an explosive, and two days later, sent a package bomb through FedEx.

With every shift in tactics, fear spread as the attacks got increasingly unpredictable. The attacks left two people killed and several others injured.

Austin Police said Wednesday Mark Conditt was responsible for the string of attacks. After nearly three weeks of panic and mayhem, police cornered the man they described as the serial bomber Tuesday night. When SWAT officers approached his SUV, he blew himself up in a ditch outside Austin, authorities said.

Investigators later found a 25-minute confession of Conditt’s phone, but say it didn’t provide a clear motive.

“What i can tell you after listening to those recordings is that he does;t mention anything about terrorism, nor does he mention anything about hate – but instead it is the outcry of a very challenged young man talking about the challenges of his personal life,” Austin Police Chief Adrian Manley said.

Valero said defining terrorism depends on your point of view. “It’s one of those social phenomenons that have a wide variety of interests depending on how you view it from your either academic or professional experience is how you define it.” Valero added, “For the most part it has to be linked to a recognized ideological stream – everyone has their own personal political beliefs but that does not necessarily mean that if they commit heinous acts like the ones that we have seen recently isn’t terrorism per say”