Attacks in Paris

There is a raw, eyewitness account being shared on Facebook - written by a 22 year old woman who was at the concert. It is absolutely chilling and deeply moving at the same time. She wants to assure the loved ones of people who died, that their last thoughts were for their families, and words uttered were expressions of love. She ends her post by listing the many acts of heroism that saved her.

PS Anniebach the clue is in the thread title.

I don't think the "thread police" come into it, but there are certain areas and topics which have had more than their share of thread column inches and it would be a shame if this thread were to morph into a rehash of fundamental Christian or OT theology / white supremacism/or right wing v left wing politics those because some people have hobby horses.
That's all.

Seems it isn't permitted to mention anything than the killings in Paris ,

This thread is about the atrocities in Paris. I'm certain we're all horrified and distressed about it. However, we are surely allowed to debate the background to it all and speculate on underlying issues. Threads do wander and if some people want to discuss the religious background I don't know why the thread police seem to want to prevent it. Thanks granjura for your contributions. Very interesting.

When bombs go off, it can be surprising what bits survive, albeit not intact.
items fare better than bodies do.

I have seen nowhere that the passports were intact - but neither has there been any suggestion that it could have been a plant. France announced a few days ago that it was introducing border checks - as some of these attackers at least came from Belgium it could well be that they thought the checks could be in place already. In France you are supposed carry identity papers with you therefore not quite so surprising as you may think.

I would agree that the passport is probably a plant

Thank you for the replies about the passport.

Iam64, thank you. I wanted to say it, but didn't dare and thought it was 'just me' - sounds really fishy to me too!

I agree, Iam. It does seem odd.

I wonder if it's possible that the Syrian passport is some kind of plant? Most suicide bombers don't leave their passport for someone to find, do they? Isis said they would get their fighters into Europe via Greece as refugees and I suppose it's possible they have done that but I do wonder about finding an intact passport after a suicide bomb.
Apologies if these comments detract from the tone of this thread.

The person with the Syrian passport arrived via Greece last October from Turkey claiming he was a refugee. They have also found an Egyptian passport near the Stade.

I agree Anya, but my hope is that we, as thinking people, can distance ourselves from them, both on GN and in RL.
So if it neither the thread nor the time, can we leave it, and not sneak in odd wee comments like "being short" or " not letting things pas".
Reporting bigotry even second or third hand is "giving it oxygen. "

It was announced on the news a couple of hours ago that one of the terrorists was reported to have entered Greece as a Syrian Refugee in early October.

stb Ana and others

You are right, this is not the time nor the place - nor the right thread.

This is devastating for the relatives, for France and for the freedom of us all.

Vive la France

The only connection these atrocities has to religion is that the attackers are EXTREMISTS. Let's leave it at that please on this thread.

harrigran where does your information come from about one of the attackers being a refugee? I have been following the events since it started and all I have heard is one attacker was identified by his fingerprints. He was born in Paris in 1985 was only known to police for petty crime. A Syrian passport was found near the body of another attacker showed he was born in 1990..

The car used in the attacks was hired in Belgium - the driver has just been stopped at the Franco Belgique border and arrested.

Its a bit too late to restrict the migration. Hundreds of thousands have already arrived. I remember worrying about how it was an open door for terrorists. Oh well. Just have to brace ourselves. We've been comparatively lucky so far. BTW I agree that ISIS is nothing to do with Islam a religion of peace. This is just a bunch of bullies with guns coming up with a lovely justification for carrying out their revolting whims.

The 'uneducated and the bigots' are widespread Alea in the UK

Not he place, as others have said, so will be short. The situation in France and UK re Muslims is totally different- totally- the reasons are very complex, based on the wars with Algeria, on history and secularism- etc.
I have witnessed awful behaviour towards innocent Muslims today in France, and with neighbours and on FB, etc. An American Huguenot group calling for revenge and killings, etc.

Did Muslims suffer in the UK after the July bombs? I don't think that they did, although I admit to sweating a bit whenever a young man of "Islamic" aspect and with a backpack got on a bus or underground train I was on. I fact I didn't use the tube for many months but I think only the uneducated and the bigots descended into xenophobia (talking of which did you see today's Sun headline? Disgusting) or violent anti Islam prejudice. Oh there will be right wing marches by rent a mob, there will be DM or Sun type rants, but hopefully not on GN.

My heart goes out to all those involved.
Surely this makes it all the more important to further strengthen our borders to stop illegal immigration. We have no idea who is entering the country in this way. It makes me fearful for my DC and DGc and what their future holds.

One of the alleged suicide bombers entered Greece from a boat from Turkey, passing himself off as a refugee. This was always a possibility.
My thoughts are with all those in France at this sad time.