A government-financed news channel in Russia suggested that the video game Call of Duty might have had something to do with Monday’s suicide bombing in Moscow’s airport, reports The Lede. Fox News terrorism analyst Walid Phares corroborated:
“Walid Phares […] suggested that terrorists might be using virtual games like this one to train for real attacks. “I think those who have been radicalized already – let’s suppose in this case jihadists, Al Qaeda or [some] other kind – they look at the games and say these games will serve them to train,” Mr. Phares said.”
The report also said the attack “mirrored” a level in the video game, which the Times says actually looks more like the attack in Mumbai in 2008.
It was widely reported that Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 was banned in Russia because of the scene in question, but Activision denied it. It’s always possible that the state just saw an opportunity to take another swipe at the game and seized it.
We say, get in line, Call of Duty. There are many more arts and entertainment scapegoats for mass homicide where you came from.
kstoeffel@observer.com :: @kstoeffel
Click through to see a Rogue’s Gallery of Cultural Scapegoats.>>
