Scott Roeder Called a Terrorist

June 02, 2009

by Kim Hynes (WICHITA, Kan.)

The US Department of Homeland Security recently issued a report labeling some abortion opponents as extremists, who operate on hatred and fear. Abortion is just one of the many issues pointed out in the report.

Read the Report

The report generated a lot of outrage among anti-abortion groups. But since the shooting of abortion Dr. George Tiller, some wonder if more emphasis should be put on extreme abortion opponents.

"He was determined that if the abortion doctor killed the baby then he didn't have any right to live either, it was justifiable," said Scott Roeder's ex-wife Lindsey. She says her
ex-husband's views were so extreme, she knew he was capable of murder. "I think I knew that if he snapped, if he went that far, that he could actually do it," she said.

Roeder is charged with killing Tiller while he attended church Sunday. "It's terrorism. I mean the purpose of terrorism is to make people in fear," said Colorado abortion doctor Warren Hern.

Former FBI agent Dan Jablonski says what happened can be classified as terrorism and compares the situation to Jihad. "We have people over there who are willing to give up their lives for their cause. For all practical appearances, Mr. Roder is willing to do the same thing," Jablonski said.

Before his arrest, Roeder spent time in prison for having explosives, attended anti-abortion rallies and posted comments about Tiller on websites. Jablonski says all of those activities weren't enough to red flag Roeder as a terrorist. "How much talk do people just throw out there? And what do we want in America, an FBI agent showing up asking did you say this? Did you mean it," he said.

Jablonski says it's hard to prevent these kinds of crimes because there must be a balance between protecting people's right and keeping people safe.

After the Department of Homeland Security released the report on right wing extremism, Operation Rescue and other groups called for the director to resign. She released a statement saying the government monitors for terrorist activity, but doesn't target those with particular ideologies or political beliefs.

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