Brandon-Lee and Tony-Lee Thulsie were arrested in Johannesburg at the weekend regarding an alleged terror plot to attack the US embassy and Jewish institutions. While it seems unlikely that their plans would have succeeded, the possibility of an attack on South African soil is deeply concerning. But, this should not herald the alarmist fear-mongering endemic to the war on terror.Inside the lives of SA's 'terror four'The arrests followed ongoing speculation about the possibility of a terrorist attack in SA. Last month, the US embassy issued a terror alert for its citizens in SA, while in the past few years, analysts and officials have posited differing views on the potential for attacks here.There are documented cases of recruitment for terror groups such as Islamic State (IS) and al-Shabaab in SA. The is-there-isn’t-there speculation mirrors the logic of terror. One of the salient features of terrorist attacks and risks is their unpredictability. Terror is a panicky threat, with lit...
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