There were (and still are!) many who want to treat acts of war and/or terrorism as simple routine criminal acts. This has been apparent since 9/11. It's reflected again in that guy's statement. It's simply a way of separting the RELIGIOUS FANATICISM which inspired the terrorist from the religion itself and to give him the more "harmless" status of the run-of-the-mill felon.
When Hezbollah massacred 241 U.S. soldiers were they criminals or Islamofascist terrorists? Sadly, many think they should be given an ACLU attorney and spend the next six years in federal courts!
Exactly right, T.L.!