Potential terrrorist with a conscience

Sorry to sound negative or sarcastic because I haven't seen the clip,read about it or heard an official report to understand how they know.

How do they know his suicide jacket didn't go off by accident whilst he was heading towards a target. Just interested.

And until we have more details, it's hard to accept the assumption that he was 'a potential terrorist', with or without a conscience.

Perhaps it might have been wiser to put a ? at the end of the thread title.

Really?
Or sheer bloody luck it went off where it did?

My thoughts as well.

If this is what he did do. he also had to face the fact that there was no going back. If he had ditched his jacket and walked away, he would have been a marked man within the ISIL community and never safe within any neighbourhood where he was known.

I can understand the temptation to cynicism - who would not in this sorry situation? But the story came from a French eyewitness whose own life was at risk and he was clear about his interpretation of what happened.

He knows what he saw, of course, but not what was in the bomb-wearing man's mind - that's just his interpretation, possibly fanciful.

He had no incentive or motive to be charitable in his interpretation.

I think this comes under the heading of Mysterious Ways.

He still only knows what he actually saw. He couldn't possibly know that this man 'had the decency to turn away', or indeed whether he had been brainwashed or not.

They've all been brainwashed or they would not be there toting guns.

You think...?

We can't know.He may have been staring in the mirror to give himself courage to act, or may have been having second thoughts, or ... Or..

Or indeed...I am only quoting what the eye witness said - an eye witness who could well have been killed by this man if he had not chosen to go out and blow himself up.

Was this a news report, luckygirl? Was the eye witness at risk because he saw the suicide belt in the gents?

It's quite confusing.

Could you do a link Luckygirl? I can't see any mention of it in news reports.

Anyway, no one needs to let themselves be "brainwashed" to that extent.

It was on a news report earlier this evening - not sure which channel. They interviewed this Frenchman, who spoke good English. As I understand it the eyewitness was at risk - the terrorist had a gun, but chose not to kill and went out and blew himself up. That's what the chap said.

I am not sure that people "let" themselves be brainwashed, any more than vulnerable young people chose to become addicts at the hands of unscrupulous drug pushers.

I read this in the DM some days ago.

I dont think people let themselves be brainwashed either.

I always try and imagine these terrorists as newborns and think what influences have changed them from that innocent creature to the monsters that they become. We need to get at those influences somehow and - I say again - the only way is via moderate and decent muslims making a BIG noise and not just making low-key statements. They need to be out there demonstrating daily - shouting it from the rooftops and decrying what is being done in the name of their religion. Their statements are so quiet that it is tempting not to believe that they are against all the violence - they need to be out their and yelling their heads off.

Perhaps they are too afraid, after all making a big noise if you are a Muslim could also make you a marked person for some fanatic.

Id like to believe he had a change of heart.

Yes nellie - we are all afraid. I just feel that the fact that they keep so quiet not only misses the opportunity to prevent radicalisation, but also raises fears amongst the rest of the population that they are tacitly approving of the terrorists (or worse) and that is very destructive.