Review of (T)ERROR (2015) by Brandon W — 13 Sep 2016

This documentary tracks an absurd cat and mouse game between a counter terrorism informant and terror suspect. It offers an insight into the real 'Homeland' on which billions or dollars are spent every year.

It is absurd and banal and tragi-comically entertaining. The informant is an ex-con who, let's just say given that he has agreed to have a camera crew with him without reporting to his FBI bosses, is not exactly flush with competence or mental health (and I am not saying this in a trivialising way). He is legitimately very unwell.

The target is a 21 year old former WASP from Pittsburgh who has rebelled against his parents by growing an insane red beard, becoming a Muslim, and posting angsty I-hate-the-West rhetoric online.

Watching the 'operation' unfold is alternately mesmerising in it's own right, and mesmerising in it's banality. The seriousness with which the FBI take the whole affair is deeply troubling.

They come across like ticket inspectors trying to meet quota rather than serious law enforcement agents, just desperate to bribe, entice, entrap FB unwary angry Mulsim men into saying something that could potentially be construed as intent to one day commit a terrorist act.

It's a great look insight into counter-terrorism measures which at best are a strange placebo and at worst are a blatant violation of civil liberties.