In a classic piece of sensationalist journalism, Russian media has linked the Moscow Airport terrorist attack to footage of the controversial \u2018No Russian\u2019 level in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.<\/p>\n
On Monday 24 January 2011, a suicide bomber attacked Moscow\u2019s 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 \u2018No Russian\u2019 level.<\/p>\n
The report apparently had heavy emphasis on the fact that Modern Warfare 2 was developed by Americans. Russia Today claimed that the suicide attack \u201cmirrors\u201d the \u2018No Russian\u201d level. To back up their claims, the Russia Today segment mixed footage from the suicide attack with footage from the \u2018No Russia\u2019 level.<\/p>\n
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. \u201cI think those who have been radicalized already – let\u2019s 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,\u201d said Phares.<\/p>\n
I have played Modern Warfare 2 and the \u2018No Russian\u2019 level, and I certainly don\u2019t recall having to suicide-bomb a Russian airport. The \u2018No Russian\u2019 level is probably about as useful in training militants as Angry Birds is useful for training theoretical physicists.<\/p>\n
Below is video footage of the controversial \u2018No Russian\u2019 level, just in case you have forgotten what all the fuss was about.<\/p>\n