Murder / Assassination

[Rossyboy]

What is the difference between 'murder' and 'assassination'?

[bernardo]

Assassination is the murder of a prominent well-known figure, especially if it is for political motives. Murder is the murder of anyone.

[brawburd]

So we can all be murdered but you need to aspire to be assassinated!

[woofgang]

I understand that originally,assassins did it for money, I kind of remember that they were from an indian sect who took hash, hence the name, can anyone confirm or refute??

[geofbob]

The assassins were originally members of a Middle Eastern religious group in the Middle Ages, infamous for secret killings. The word is from the Arabic for hashish eater. Nowadays, an assassination is the deliberate killing of a public figure for political reasons, or possibly of a private figure for a payment. If, say, a politician was killed in the course of a robbery, it would be murder, but it would be incorrect to term it an assassination.

[agnabeya]

The Middle Eastern sect - the 'Hashisheen' - were supposedly given visions of paradise fronm the large quantities of Hashish they imbibed. ('Hashish' is the Arabic word for 'grass'). This supposedly inspired them to kill for their leaders (usually politically motivated) - in the hope they'd go to paradise if they were killed in the act. 'Hashisheen' has become corrupted to 'Assassin'. So - if the killer is stoned - it's an assassination! :-)

[Rossyboy]

Cheers guys !!!!

[paulz]

woofgang - I think the Indians you were referring to were Thugees - hence our word Thug.

[incitatus]

its a bit like the difference between terrorists and freedom fighters, isnt it? (or politicians and conmen)