HOW TO PRETEND TO BE A BRILLIANT GENIUS – when in fact you are incredibly ignorant and illogically d

Psychiatrists have long theorised that those with complex criminal minds would have made great political and business leaders – had they not chosen the path to criminality for various reasons, mainly imposed by their environment and circumstances.

One of the world’s greatest criminals, Al Capone, ran a vast criminal empire from Chicago and annually turned millions of dollars through various criminal activities. He retained power and control by being cruel, vicious and having no scruples – although once he is reputed to have started sobbing with emotional sadness while watching Verdi’s ‘La Traviata’ at the Chicago Opera House!

The ‘Cosa Nostra’ i.e. the Mafia i.e. ‘Our thing/Our Cause’ saw the light of day in USA’s New York in the earlier days of US history when Italian and Sicilian immigrants were treated like dirt by the NY Police Authorities because they barely spoke English and they were not Anglo-Saxon or Dutch.

Imposed by circumstances, they had no choice but to band together and the quickest way to gain status was through criminal activity which came to the fore when the US imposed alcohol prohibition became rife, together with prostitution and protection rackets.

The real criminal mind works logically as opposed to impulsive criminality and hence requires a high quotient of intelligence and perception.

Working on logical patterns, if I were a criminal, my first thought would be self-preservation as a factor of major importance. Therefore one has to be meticulously clever in what one does and alternatively be prepared to fend off possible threats to that preservation.

Now let us take the particular circumstances of say, a person arrested and being charged with the murder of a journalist who wrote about many people, including a number of leading politicians, alleging corruption said to have been perpetrated by some of them or otherwise publicising acts that are an embarrassment to them.

SCENARIO ONE – I have been commissioned to carry out the murder as an act of revenge on what may have been written or what may about to be written by a politician or an individual. I am arrested and charged. Self preservation sets in – am I going to carry the can for this and face a crippling prison sentence that will almost put me away for life?

Why not become a whistleblower? The easy way out is to apportion the blame on who is really responsible. In that way it will take the heat off me even if I admit I did it on the understanding that by ‘whistleblowing’ it will be taken into consideration as solving the whole case and therefore I will carry the lesser responsibility.

So, ok, Mr so-and-so commissioned me and paid me a great sum of money and I did it. He will now have to carry the major brunt of the can and I the lesser one for having cooperated.

SCENARIO TWO: I have been commissioned by a great criminal organisation and there is no way that I am going to spill the beans because if I do, they will surely get revenge, if not on me, on my wife, or children, or father and mother. So – there is no way I am going to talk and I will carry the whole rap myself because I have no alternative. That is Omerta at its very best.

Now let us move a little forward. I have carried out the crime and self preservation remains of utmost importance. Do I leave the gloves I used, lying around? Do I leave the weapons I may have used in my drawer or at home or in my warehouse? Do I leave incriminating mobile phones and sim cards lying around?

Naturally not. I immediately begin disposing of all the evidence either by burning it, or hiding it or dumping it into the sea.

Do I have to be tipped off that I am about to be imminently arrested to do these things? Of course not because logic clearly points to disposing of ALL incriminating evidence, as quickly as possible and not at the last moment because I have been tipped off.

Now, let us take a reverse logic. I am a politician or an interested party and I need to exploit this situation fully to my favour to perpetrate the impression that this was surely a political killing. Therefore, my best strategy is to sow confusion, doubt and uncertainty by creating all sorts of improbable scenarios because the best strategy dictates it is best NOT to get to the truth but to leave everything suspended in doubt and suspicion and promote contrived theories of what may have happened rather than what actually did happen.

Hence, point fingers at those assumed to have a reason for commissioning the murder, ask to have their laptops inspected rather than that of the victim where in fact all the clues may lie and continue to perpetrate myths.

This strategy is incredibly ignorant and illogically dumb. It is also incredibly dangerous because these are attempts to prevent the true course of Justice and in defiance of the Rule of Law.

Use your own logic and make your own assessment as to who the real criminal minds are.

ALBERT JEROME FENECH