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Truck plows into Berlin Christmas market

Started by Maladict, December 19, 2016, 03:18:21 PM

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Liep

Quote from: MadImmortalMan on December 21, 2016, 02:52:40 PM
Things are getting pretty messed up in Europe atm from the looks of it.

I'd still say that the US is looking to get even messier.
"Af alle latterlige Ting forekommer det mig at være det allerlatterligste at have travlt" - Kierkegaard

"JamenajmenømahrmDÆ!DÆ! Æhvnårvaæhvadlelæh! Hvor er det crazy, det her, mand!" - Uffe Elbæk

Zanza

Quote from: MadImmortalMan on December 21, 2016, 02:52:40 PM
Things are getting pretty messed up in Europe atm from the looks of it.
In that case, I would suggest "the looks of it" don't paint a realistic picture. This is still a peaceful, safe and open place. 

I can see one political consequence though: the rules on deportation will likely be changed to make deportations faster and easier and to keep deportees imprisoned easier and longer. That will be rather popular among the conservative voters and there won't be much opposition, at most from some far-left Greens or Socialists.

Zanza

To support my earlier assertion, here is an article from WSJ.

http://www.wsj.com/articles/despite-terror-attack-berliners-carry-on-1482340985
QuoteDespite Truck Attack on Christmas Market, Berlin Residents Carry On
Residents of the German capital say the risks are acceptable


People walk Wednesday through a Christmas market near Berlin's city hall, two days after a truck attack killed 12 people in another holiday market in the capital.

BERLIN—Two days after their city suffered one of the most devastating terrorist attacks in recent German history, Berliners were going about their lives with a business-as-usual air.

Waiting for a bus in western Berlin, just down the road from the now heavily guarded site of Monday's deadly truck assault, Urs Daniel said he saw no reason to be too concerned, even though a suspect in the attack was still at large and the drawbacks of the country's relatively relaxed security posture had been exposed.

"Statistically, it is more likely to be hit by a car or have an accident at home than to become a victim of an attack," Mr. Daniel said.

The 47-year-old lawyer cautioned against a government overreaction. "Open society means there is a certain risk," he said, voicing support for German Chancellor Angela Merkel's open-door refugee policy, which has come under stepped-up criticism since the rampaging truck killed 12 people and injured dozens at a Christmas market in downtown Berlin.

At a kiosk in the ethnically diverse, working-class neighborhood of Wedding, an 18-year-old clerk casually chatted and laughed with customers from behind the counter. She said that while she was "shocked" by the attack, she wasn't particularly concerned about her own safety.

"I truly don't have any fear. Nothing has changed here," said Elef Besec, a Berlin native whose family emigrated from Romania. "As a Muslim, I have no fear because whatever happens is God's will."

Jana Rehm, a 27-year-old student at a university near the attack site, insisted she wouldn't let terrorism change any aspect of her daily life.

"I don't think that Germany should become a security state now," she said. "I don't want to have my personal rights restricted,"

Her defiance echoed that of German police officials, who urged the city's residents Tuesday to stick to their habits and encouraged the city's 60-odd Christmas markets to reopen after a brief closure the day after the attack.

Sarah Crean, a 33-year-old Australian who moved to Berlin four years ago, said she still planned to go to Christmas markets. "Spreading fear is what terrorist attacks are designed to do and I don't want them to affect my life," she said.

German officials vowed to step up security at the markets and post police officers with machine guns at public places across the country—a rare sight in Germany—as the manhunt for the attacker continued.

Some Berliners scoffed at the prospect of a greater police presence. "We don't need more police here. The city is mainly secure as it is," said Guillermo Garcia, a 24-year-old Spaniard who moved to Berlin five years ago to study.

Carmen Ostrowski, a middle-aged Berlin native out to do her daily shopping, agreed. While she admitted to being a little afraid as a result of the attack, police on the streets would "only make people more nervous," she said. She added, however, that she welcomed more security in the city's subway stations.

Even tourists seemed to shrug off the attack and its aftermath, with many major hotels noting little interruption in business since Monday.

"We were worried about it, but haven't had any [cancellations]," said Frank Ketterer, a marketing manager at the Sheraton hotel in Berlin.

Marie Wellmann, head of reservations at the Waldorf Astoria, a recently built high-rise that overlooks the Christmas market where Monday's attack occurred, said: "There have been maybe two or three guests who had booked rooms for later this month checking in with us to ask what the overall threat-level situation looks like. That was about it."

derspiess

Wow, so what do you have to do to be denied asylum in Germany?
"If you can play a guitar and harmonica at the same time, like Bob Dylan or Neil Young, you're a genius. But make that extra bit of effort and strap some cymbals to your knees, suddenly people want to get the hell away from you."  --Rich Hall

Zanza

Quote from: derspiess on December 21, 2016, 03:21:41 PM
Wow, so what do you have to do to be denied asylum in Germany?
In his case the asylum was denied because he was considered a threat and because Tunesia is considered a safe country and because he had been in Italy for three years before.

But each case is judged on its individual merit, so it is hard to come up with a complete list of all the reasons why asylum is denied.

Admiral Yi

What happened after his request was denied?  Did he go underground?  Lengthy appeal process?

Josquius

Quote from: Zanza on December 21, 2016, 05:53:04 AM
Police has named a new suspect, a 24 year old Tunesian whose asylum application had been rejected but who went into hiding when police was looking for him, was classified as a potential terrorist by security services and is supposedly part of an Islamist network.  :osama:

They found his ID card in the truck...  :wacko:

That seems a little too perfect.
Giving them too much credit perhaps but seems a smart thing to do if you're the crook in a situation like this is to leave someone else's Id at the scene. Throw the police off the scent. Particularly if they're an accomplis who will give you their Id willingly and play along with being on the run.
Leaving you free for attack number 2
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Zanza

He was allegedly killed by Italian police in Milan.

Pedrito

b / h = h / b+h


27 Zoupa Points, redeemable at the nearest liquor store! :woot:

Liep

Good. Reports here that Italian police was shot at, anyone hurt?
"Af alle latterlige Ting forekommer det mig at være det allerlatterligste at have travlt" - Kierkegaard

"JamenajmenømahrmDÆ!DÆ! Æhvnårvaæhvadlelæh! Hvor er det crazy, det her, mand!" - Uffe Elbæk

The Larch

Quote from: Liep on December 23, 2016, 06:12:02 AM
Good. Reports here that Italian police was shot at, anyone hurt?

According to the news here the Italian policeman is in hospital but not in danger.

Duque de Bragança

Reports indicate he went through France, Chambéry, Savoy to Turin, then Milan. :frusty:
From a train ticket in his backpack, it's true that trains between Germany and France don't ask for IDs in general, thought it has happened since 2015.

The Larch

Quote from: Duque de Bragança on December 23, 2016, 06:39:54 AM
Reports indicate he went through France, Chambéry, Savoy to Turin, then Milan. :frusty:
From a train ticket in his backpack, it's true that trains between Germany and France don't ask for IDs in general, thought it has happened since 2015.

I took the Turin - Chambery train back in 2003 and I was carded at the border by an armed policeman.

Duque de Bragança

Quote from: The Larch on December 23, 2016, 06:42:10 AM
Quote from: Duque de Bragança on December 23, 2016, 06:39:54 AM
Reports indicate he went through France, Chambéry, Savoy to Turin, then Milan. :frusty:
From a train ticket in his backpack, it's true that trains between Germany and France don't ask for IDs in general, thought it has happened since 2015.

I took the Turin - Chambery train back in 2003 and I was carded at the border by an armed policeman.

I mentioned trains between Germany and France.  :P
Did you have a beard back then btw?  :osama:
Bit young for it I'd say and hipsterism was not a big factor then :D