In the UK it is considered a crime to plan a terrorist attack, even if the attack is not carried out. The law is being updated so that lone individuals without an established ideology can be arrested. And apparently the planning of an attack can be punished as severely as an actual attack.

What is the reason for the change?

I assume the security services anticipate an increase in US-style ‘lone wolf’ killings.

Of course, there is no attempt to understand why people are resorting to the planning of mass murder. This is not a normal part of the human condition.

What in modern society is causing young males to become like this? Why are they not receiving guidance? Why is this sort of disturbed mind getting to the point where the police must step in to prevent mass murder? How is society so fractured that anyone gets to this point?

If there is serious intent, the police should be able to step in. But if there are no victims, has a crime actually been committed? A crime, by definition, is committed against society, so we are forced to conclude that society alone was the victim. But if such behaviour is growing, surely society itself must be at fault. And if society can be the victim, why not also the perpetrator?

If a person planned such a crime, but decided not to go through with it, do we really think that is morally equivalent to actually committing the crime?

This is saying that a crime with no actual victims is equivalent to a crime with actual victims. Which implies that actual victims are of no consequence.

The complete disregard for victims is now baked into UK justice. Over and over we hear of monstrous injustices where perpetrators of violent crime receive extremely lenient sentences. It’s surprising vigilantism isn’t more prevalent.

Justice has become a political tool of the establishment to keep dissenters in line and prevent society crumbling. It is a performative space for politicians to appear tough. They come up with idiotic new laws to suppress dissent while the system is unable to enforce existing ones, particularly those affecting ordinary people.

So, while an intervention may be necessary to protect public safety, to treat the thought as seriously as the act is profoundly unjust. It is extreme authoritarianism aimed only at preventing society crumbling.