France - Explosions and shooting in Paris, 13 November 2015 #3

[ZaZara]

BEFORE THE JIHADISTS MURDERED 89 PEOPLE IN LE BATACLAN, THEY WERE WATCHED FOR MORE THAN TWO HOURS BY A LOCAL WHO FOUND THEIR BEHAVIOUR SUSPICIOUS


Volkskrant.nl
http://www.volkskrant.nl/buitenland...-en-belt-80-keer-tevergeefs-politie~a4190227/


In the French newspaper Le Figaro a certain Christophe tells how he found himself on Friday evening in a restaurant, at only a three minute walk from the concert hall. At five to eight he sees in front of him how a black Volkswagen Polo with Belgian number plates is attempting to park.

"There was not much space at all. I thought it was crazy. The driver had trouble steering, as if he could barely drive. I went up to them to say that they were badly parked. But they did not open their window and looked dirty at me. I thought they looked like zombies, like they were on drugs."

Back at the restaurant, he notices that the driver leaves the engine running. After three minutes a police car drives past, but that does nothing about badly parked Polo. At half past ten Christophe leaving the restaurant, the men are still in the car.

Then he gets the message about the first attack at the Stade de France. He immediately calls the police, "eighty times, but I did not get through it, possibly due to overloading of the network. A few minutes later the men step out and go to the Bataclan. There, they murder 89 people who attended a concert of the band Eagles of Death Metal.


BBM

 

[wendiesan]

How horrible it must have been for the Christophe in ZaZara's post to have been trying to reach authorities as the tragedy unfolded, only to be unable to reach anyone at the time.
I think, given the degree of their crimes, it is amazing that he was not executed for telling them they were not properly parked.

 

[cottonweaver]

Rather surprised not to have heard about more overnight nights, but as they did, what, 144 raids already , maybe they are investigating the yields from those before their next move.

More seems to be concentrated around Bilal Hadfi: report, 1 minute ago

Bilal Hadfi, one of the suicide bombers at the Stade de France, is the focus of the ongoign police raids in Brussels, which apparently aim to find his associates.

Hadfi had been fighting in Syria as recently as July, posting updates on Twitter under a pseudonym.

Sara Stacino, his former teacher, told VRT television that Hadfi was “a nice student, motivated and interested in politics, more than the others.”

“He stopped listening to music, and he believed that women should be veiled if they didn’t want to be raped,” Stacino said.

After the January attacks on Charlie Hebdo and a kosher supermarket that left 17 dead, Stacino said she alerted the school administrators about Hadfi. “But we all took a rather cautious stand,” she said.

We knew Hadfi had traveled to Syria and had come back,” a Belgian justice ministry spokeswoman told the Washington Post, adding that the phone line at his Molenbeek home had been tapped. “But when he wasn’t found to be home, they had to stop the tapping, according to the legal requirements,” she said.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/li...igate-isis-mastermind-dead-st-denis-raid-live

BIBs above - 2 huge issues there alone. On the second I note that Belgium ( from previous posts I linked to ) has very different approach to electronic surveillance in comparison to all other Western countries- previous link said "relative disregard" for this type of intelligence gathering.

 

[cottonweaver]

and to bolster their argument raise the dreadful spectre of chemical weapons.......
whether that is likely or not it looks like primitive technologies of coke cans on airliners and peppering kids in a concert with powerful guns is just as effective in creating fear and carnage.

6 mins ago Valls warns of 'chemical weapons' attack

French Prime Minister Manuel Valls has warned the network of extremists who targeted Paris may use chemical and biological weapons in future, in a speech aimed at urging Parliament to extend a state of emergency.

Valls presented a bill extending the state of emergency for another three months to the lower house of Parliament, and it goes to the upper house Friday.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/li...igate-isis-mastermind-dead-st-denis-raid-live

 

[cottonweaver]

france's priority - next steps - it will focus on young people in France rather than those returning from Syria.
And no, they are not even focussing on incoming refugees - this is obviously due to risk assessments as opposed to party politics


French PM just said in his speech today

We are at war. But not the kind of war we are used to. No, this is a new type of war - from both outside and within - by which terror is the first goal and the first weapon...Its a war whose front is constantly changing and which finds its way into our daily life.
This new type of war is an organised one, led by an army of criminals. What is new is the way it operates: the ways of killing are constantly changing.
The morbid imagination of the commanders knows no bounds: guns, decapitations, human bombs and knives.
We will establish a new organisation to counter attempts to radicalise young people. This will be absolutely necessary.
He added that it will focus on young people in France rather than those returning from Syria.

 

[Colin de France]

AEI, American Enterprise Institute
http://www.aei.org/publication/bren...grown-under-obama-by-as-much-as-4400-percent/

CIA director Brennan admits ISIS was “decimated” under Bush, but has grown as much as 4,400% under Obama

In a speech at the Center for Strategic and International Studies yesterday, CIA director John Brennan made a startling admission: The Islamic State was “decimated” under George W. Bush and had just “700-or-so adherents left” following the surge in Iraq. Said Brennan:

[ISIS] was, you know, pretty much decimated when US forces were there in Iraq. It had maybe 700-or-so adherents left. And then it grew quite a bit in the last several years, when it split then from al-Qaida in Syria, and set up its own organization.


BBM

More at link

...ISIS didn't exist when Bush was in power, or at the very least was in the state of being created......!

 

[Sonya610]

Times Square would make sense with the strict gun laws in NY. They wouldn't worry about a confrontation with an armed citizen. I imagine they will avoid cities like Dallas or Miami for the same reason.

They most certainly do seem to target Blue States!

It is one of those very rare situations in which the people wanting to take the risks actually ARE more at risk since historically blue cities are targeted for attack.

If they plan to use explosives civilian guns won't matter, if they plan to mow down crowds of people with firearms then that changes things, since a high body count is the goal shooting unarmed people would be preferred.

 

[cottonweaver]

...ISIS didn't exist when Bush was in power, or at the very least was in the state of being created......!

This is not a reply to your as such - it's just yours is the shortest post on this topic

There are some great IMPARTIAL analyses out there on the history, roots and origin of ISIS out there on the net.

I think we ought to not be blaming ISIS's existence on a single politician, whether it be Bush, Sarkozy or Blair nor attributing it's NOT existing to a single politician or administration.

Once we start arguing on this level we may as well put a blindfold on and stick our fingers in our ears.

Anyway whats the mood over there in France? Rural or urban?

 

[cottonweaver]

Another concrete threat being investigated - in Italy

Italy is searching for five possible terror suspects following a warning by US authorities of a possible militant attack, according to Italy’s foreign minister, Paolo Gentiloni.
Possible targets included St Peter’s Basilica in Rome - the world famous church at the heart of the Vatican - and two sites in Milan: the Duomo, the city’s main cathedral, and the La Scala opera house.
“As of yesterday our security forces are working to identify five people,” Gentiloni said in an interview with state broadcaster RAI.
The FBI gave Italy the names of “five Arab individuals who could be in Italy and should be searched for”, according to the Ansa news agency.
The warning comes just three weeks before Rome is expected to welcome an estimated 33 million pilgrims and tourists to the city who are expected to celebrate the Pope’s year of mercy, also known as the jubilee, which begins on December 8

.
NB Italy is not part of the "Five Eyes" security info group.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/li...igate-isis-mastermind-dead-st-denis-raid-live

 

[Sonya610]

...ISIS didn't exist when Bush was in power, or at the very least was in the state of being created......!

The goal of Al Queda was ultimately to create an Islamic Caliphate. ISIL is that Caliphate.

From that standpoint saying that a few years back Al Queda only had a small fighting force is quite relevant since ISIL is the product of their efforts.

 

[cottonweaver]

Article from Times on US preparedness for attack , by venue & infrastructure risk

http://time.com/4117442/us-terror-attacks-infrastructure-paris/

ie. real risks - pretty much the same in the UK
fear - off the scale?

The risk of becoming a victim of terrorism is in fact extremely low; the odds of dying in a terrorist attack in the U.S. from 2007 to 2011 were one in 20 million, according to Richard Barrett, a former British intelligence officer now with the Soufan Group, which provides security services to governments and multinationals. Most domestic terrorist attacks in recent years have been the work of lone wolves acting without marching orders from organizations overseas. The chances of dying from non-terrorist related gun violence, car accidents or a drug overdose are many times higher than from foreign or domestic extremists.

 

[catatonia]

Does anyone else find it chilling that the German Federal Minister of the Interior said he's neither allowed to talk about eveything he knows, nor does he have to (in order to avoid civil disturbance), yet he describes the sitatuation in Germany as serious? I absolutely understand that he can't give too much away, since this would endanger their source as well, but the phrasing leaves you pensive though .....

 

[Friday Fan]

Isis trying to bait USA etc into sending boots on the ground to Syria for some apocalyptic battle, as outlined in their magazine Dabiq:

The article, read by news.com.au, outlines IS plans to expand the borders of its so-called caliphate while continuing its campaign to try to provoke the UK and allied forces into sending boots on the ground, triggering the “final battle between Muslims and the crusaders”.

“An all-out ground attack (will set) the scene for the final battle between Muslims and the crusaders prophesized (sic) to be held at Dābiq in Syria, by conducting an operation overseas that is so destructive that America and its allies will have no alternative but to send in an army,” Mr Cantlie writes.

“This would have to be something on the same scale, if not bigger, than 9/11. Then again, I’m just guessing. American ‘hawks’ may very well come to Dābiq on their own without the Islamic State needing to blow up any dirty bombs in Manhattan.”

http://www.news.com.au/world/middle...r/news-story/42f658dcf4926d98715fd000eb334b90

The magazine: https://azelin.files.wordpress.com/2015/11/the-islamic-state-e2809cdc481biq-magazine-12e280b3.pdf

Although I read the article I can't bring myself to read the magazine....I can't go there!!

 

[Nana]

Well since we in the US and many states in the U.S. have voiced our opinion about not bringing them here, I have already said I don't want them here, it's not very constructive to try a guilt us in to changing our minds either!
Most especially when they live in another country.
IMO anyone that really wants the refugees in there state or their country go for it then pony up the big bucks to support them, I am not interested!

 

[Trident]

Does anyone else find it chilling that the German Federal Minister of the Interior said he's neither allowed to talk about eveything he knows, nor does he have to (in order to avoid civil disturbance), yet he describes the sitatuation in Germany as serious? I absolutely understand that he can't give too much away, since this would endanger their source as well, but the phrasing leaves you pensive though .....

Chilling, yes. Surprising, no. I swear I met Irma Grese and her henchmen when requesting assistance in the Frankfurt Airport. I, and a group of others needing assistance, were treated like inmates in a camp, not travelers through an international airport. Nothing about Germany would surprise me these days.

:cow:

 

[cottonweaver]

The chief of Europe’s policing co-ordination network says at least 2,000 Europeans are foreign fighters who have travelled to Syria or Iraq, with 10,000 names on the EU database.

Europol director Rob Wainwright said the numbers had doubled in the past year, with 2,000 confirmed fighters and 8,000 other suspects or facilitators. The actual number of fighters is likely to be closer to 5,000, he said.

In a speech at the European Parliament, Wainwright said the agency’s priority is to “motivate the national authorities to share their counterterrorist data” and half the information on the database comes from just five countries, out of the EU’s 28 member states.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/li...igate-isis-mastermind-dead-st-denis-raid-live

 

[EllieBee]

n the wake of Friday's massacre in Paris, a new report says the world is paying the highest price for terrorism since the 2001 attack on New York's Twin Towers.


In 2014, acts of terror cost the world $US 52.9 billion

$US 51.51 billion in the aftermath of September 11 ,

Isis............killing more than 20,000 people last year, the study showed.

Russia has the highest number of nationals who have travelled to Syria and Iraq to fight, followed by France.

70 per cent of deaths from terrorism in Western countries between 2006-14 were the product of unaffiliated lone wolves

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/business/the-...er-11-2001-20151117-gl0vfk.html#ixzz3rucKzsm2
Follow us: @smh on Twitter | sydneymorningherald on Facebook

As an aside, I love that the Sydney Morning Herald is "smh.com". Funny.

 

[Friday Fan]

Individuals on FBI’s Terrorist Watchlist Allowed to Legally Purchase Firearms
By GENEVA SANDS
Nov 18, 2015, 3:19 PM ET

Individuals on the FBI’s terrorist watchlist are not prevented from legally purchasing firearms, but two lawmakers want to change that. FBI data from last year show that people on the watchlist were cleared to purchase guns 94 percent of the time.

snip.......................

Lawmakers have introduced bills over the years to try to prevent suspected terrorists from purchasing firearms and explosives. None, however, have passed because of strong opposition by the gun lobby.

The National Rifle Association which opposed previous bills, argued that the watchlist is too broad because it includes people who are still being investigated by authorities.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/individual...d-legally-purchase-firearms/story?id=35264669

____________________________________________________________________________________

This seems like such an easy fix. Much easier than the mental health issues that are often proposed.

 

[cottonweaver]

not going to post her pic on the thread

go to link for photo of this clueless, cowboy hat wearing, boozing jihadi

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...xtrovert-nicknamed-Cowgirl-love-big-hats.html

 

[EllieBee]

Individuals on FBI’s Terrorist Watchlist Allowed to Legally Purchase Firearms
By GENEVA SANDS
Nov 18, 2015, 3:19 PM ET

Individuals on the FBI’s terrorist watchlist are not prevented from legally purchasing firearms, but two lawmakers want to change that. FBI data from last year show that people on the watchlist were cleared to purchase guns 94 percent of the time.

snip.......................

Lawmakers have introduced bills over the years to try to prevent suspected terrorists from purchasing firearms and explosives. None, however, have passed because of strong opposition by the gun lobby.

The National Rifle Association which opposed previous bills, argued that the watchlist is too broad because it includes people who are still being investigated by authorities.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/individual...d-legally-purchase-firearms/story?id=35264669

____________________________________________________________________________________

This seems like such an easy fix. Much easier than the mental health issues that are often proposed.

BBM.

Are we kidding, here? :gasp: