Homicide Bombers

You may or may not know that FOXNews refuses to use the term "suicide bomber," presumably on grounds that it puts the focus on the terrorist rather than on his victims. Several Volokh conspirators have posts up explaining the difficulties of this practice (here, here), but I wanted to add a clear example of just how presposterous this ends up being, especially when it seems like someone just went through and replaced the word "suicide" with "homicide":

New evidence suggests four bombers blew themselves up on the London transportation system last week, killing at least 52 in what could be the first homicide attacks in Western Europe, officials said Tuesday.

Here is similar language from the original AP story:

Police raided six homes in Leeds searching for explosives and computer files that would shed more light on what were believed to be the first suicide bombings in Western Europe.

It is one thing to call the individuals "homicide bombers," though this is problematic for all the reasons pointed out by the Volokh conspirators.

But it obliterates any reasonable use of the English language to call the bombings the "first homicide attacks in Western Europe." There have been homicide attacks in Western Europe before. Terrorist bombings. Murders. War.