Acts of Terrorism megathread

[Josquius]

Jesus this London mess. So many were quick to scream about an Islamic extremist attack. Really shows the true problem isn't the terrorists themselves.

[garbon]

Jesus this London mess. So many were quick to scream about an Islamic extremist attack. Really shows the true problem isn't the terrorists themselves.

Most of the tweets I saw at the time were about gunshots. Very, very few saying anything Islamic (like truck running over people).

[Richard Hakluyt]

The panic attack in London is very disturbing. The tube is often grossly overcrowded, panics like this could easily cause many deaths.

[Tamas]

Jesus this London mess. So many were quick to scream about an Islamic extremist attack. Really shows the true problem isn't the terrorists themselves.

Most of the tweets I saw at the time were about gunshots. Very, very few saying anything Islamic (like truck running over people).

I am quite certain people didn't panic because they thought it was two gangsters shooting at each other.

[garbon]

Jesus this London mess. So many were quick to scream about an Islamic extremist attack. Really shows the true problem isn't the terrorists themselves.

Most of the tweets I saw at the time were about gunshots. Very, very few saying anything Islamic (like truck running over people).

I am quite certain people didn't panic because they thought it was two gangsters shooting at each other.

Argh. People might have initially fled because they thought a shooting was occurring in the tube station. Then it started a cascade as all the tourists out and about on Oxford Street, remembering it was a busy and crowded day, thought when they saw people running that some sort of terrorist activity was going down.

So sure, terrorism may have been on people's minds but it wasn't the most common thing being said at the time.  Also fwiw, if I see people running fearfully, I'd be running to without needing to think about why I should do so.

[Richard Hakluyt]

The death toll in the mosque attack in Egypt now exceeds 300 and Egyptian officials say that the attackers were IS.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-42122809


Very hard to see this as anything more than complete nihilism.

[CountDeMoney]

Sufis are quiet, peaceful and educated aesthetes.   Which is why they have to die. 


Can't say you never had a ringside seat to a major war of religion, however.  That's always been other centuries.

[garbon]

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/dec/11/new-york-police-explosion-reports-manhattan

New York police respond to reports of explosion near Manhattan transport hub

Police 'responding to reports of explosion of unknown origin at 42nd Street and 8th Ave' and are evacuating the A, C and E subway lines at Port Authority

The New York police deparment said on Monday it was "responding to reports of an explosion of unknown origin at 42nd Street and 8th Ave in Manhattan".

"The A, C and E line are being evacuated at this time," a statement on Twitter said. "Info is preliminary. More when available."

A commuter who travelled through the Port Authority terminal on Monday morning told the Guardian the explosion happened 60 seconds after they exited the building. A police officer told the commuter it was "a guy with a pipe-bomb".

The fire department also said it was responding to the scene. In midtown, sirens could heard racing up Eighth Avenue.

Port Authority is a subway and bus hub serving commuters from New Jersey and around New York City. According to the Port Authority website, about 230,000 bus passengers use the terminal each day. Delays were reported on the subway lines affected and trains skipped the 42nd Street-Port Authority station.

The office of the New York mayor, Bill de Blasio, said: "The mayor has been briefed on the incident in midtown. The NYPD, FDNY and first responders are on the scene."

White House press secretary Sarah Sanders tweeted that Donald Trump had also been briefed on the situation.

There were no immediate reports of injuries.

[DGuller]

Ooh, I'll get to see plenty of assault rifles in the subway for the next couple of days.    I'll feel so safe this week. 

[The Minsky Moment]

Looks like a minor act, other than the high profile location.

I travel through that passageway a few times a week.  It's a logical target.  There is no security other than the turnstiles to enter the subway system.  It's a long narrow tunnel that is jam packed with people especially during commuter rush hour.  Someone with an effective weapon who knew what they were doing could have created real mayhem.

[Razgovory]

Well, Trump will be disappointed.

[Liep]

Had to dig this up from page 4, a good sign? Anyhoo, one dead in Stockholm metro explosion.

Early reports say it was a hand grenade.

[The Brain]

Doesn't sound like terrorism. Vårby Gård is in some of the worst ghetto areas of Stockholm, and a grenade (?) lying around outside the subway is probably related to criminal gangs. But we'll see what the deal was.

[mongers]

What does this tell us, if anything?



I picked it up on twitter, I think from someone who was criticising it as it was being reposted by rightwing types.

[Admiral Yi]

Orange is winning the productivity race.