# Not every act of violence is terrorism

> High Court acquits 15-year-old murder suspect due to insanity, urging caution in labeling violence as terrorism.
- Title: Not every act of violence is terrorism · Malay Mail | Shortify
- Summary: High Court acquits 15-year-old murder suspect due to insanity, urging caution in labeling violence as terrorism. High Court acquitted a 15-year-old boy of…
- Keywords: high court, murder, insanity, terrorism, violent extremism, nihilism, malaysian law, criminology, universiti malaya, haezreena begum abdul hamid, news, world
- Source: Malay Mail — https://malaymail.com/news/what-you-think/2026/09/21/not-every-act-of-violence-is-terrorism-haezreena-begum-abdul-hamid/235942
- Published: 2026-09-21T10:25:52+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: high court, murder, insanity, terrorism, violent extremism, nihilism, malaysian law, criminology, universiti malaya, haezreena begum abdul hamid, news, world
## High Court acquits 15-year-old murder suspect
The recent High Court verdict acquitted a 15-year-old boy of murder on grounds of insanity.
## Violence without terrorism
An act can be violent without being terrorism. It can be shocking without being violent extremism.
## Mislabeling risks
The absence of ideology does not automatically establish the presence of an ideological one.
## Terrorism requires ideology
Terrorism must have a demonstrable ideological nexus and a legally sustainable basis for categorisation.
## Historical context
During Jemaah Islamiyah and Islamic State threats, police did not arrest everyone who attended funerals of notorious individuals.
## Child vulnerability
A child exhibiting disturbing behaviour may require psychiatric intervention, not automatic radicalisation.
## Precision strengthens security
Precision in distinguishing violence from terrorism strengthens counter-terrorism efforts by avoiding securitisation.
## Labeling consequences
Mislabeling violence as terrorism risks misguided interventions in the criminal justice system.
## The verdict's lesson
The court required consideration of mental capacity and legal responsibility, not just the violent act itself.
## What happens next
The legal system must distinguish between sympathy, association, ideology, support and actual participation in terrorism.
## Key takeaway

High Court acquitted a 15-year-old boy of murder due to insanity, highlighting the need to distinguish violent acts from terrorism without ideological justification.