In a classic piece of sensationalist journalism, Russian media has linked the Moscow Airport terrorist attack to footage of the controversial ‘No Russian’ level in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.
On Monday 24 January 2011, a suicide bomber attacked Moscow’s Domodedovo airport, killing at least 35 people and wounding 170 others. In post-attack media analysis, a Russian television report broadcast by Russian-state funded satellite channel Russia Today drew parallels between the airport bombing and the ‘No Russian’ level.
The report apparently had heavy emphasis on the fact that Modern Warfare 2 was developed by Americans. Russia Today claimed that the suicide attack “mirrors” the ‘No Russian” level. To back up their claims, the Russia Today segment mixed footage from the suicide attack with footage from the ‘No Russia’ level.
To back up the implication, Russia Today interviewed a Fox News terrorism analyst, Walid Phares, who suggested that terrorists use games such as Modern Warfare 2 to train for real attacks. “I think those who have been radicalized already – let’s suppose in this case jihadists, Al Qaeda or [some] other kind – they look at the games and say these games will serve them to train,” said Phares.
I have played Modern Warfare 2 and the ‘No Russian’ level, and I certainly don’t recall having to suicide-bomb a Russian airport. The ‘No Russian’ level is probably about as useful in training militants as Angry Birds is useful for training theoretical physicists.
Below is video footage of the controversial ‘No Russian’ level, just in case you have forgotten what all the fuss was about.
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Source: New York Times via Eurogamer
