British police says responding to serious incident at Manchester Arena

[nontabury]

21 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

Just to be real clear, I abhor this kind of violence and I'd love to see those involved hunted down and skinned alive.  But only those involved.  Not their neighbors, not the other people who go to their place of worship, and not innocent civilians in the countries they came from.

 

This kind of act just reinforces the futility of striking back in a manner that creates more terrorists than they can possibly kill.  The math just doesn't work out when you kill a terrorist in a way that instills a hatred in all the so called "collateral damage" that our leaders seem to think is an acceptable part of their war on terror.

 

After the  recent attack on Westminster bridge that resulted in the death of 5 people. A poll was carried out amongst Muslims in France. I cannot remember the exact number, but it was something like 70+ % agreeing with the attack.

 As for turning the other cheek, and closing ones eyes, to what is unfolding. This was exactly what many people did during the 1930's. Those who dared to stand up and point out what was happening,including Winston Churchill, were often accused of war mongering.

[Somtamnication]

The new norm, unfortunately. RIP.

[bapoboy]

"On her way to work one morning, down the path along the lake, a tender hearted woman saw a poor, half frozen snake. His pretty coloured skin had been all frosted with the dew. 'Poor thing,' she cried, 'I'll take you in, and I'll take care of you.'

 

 

"Take me in oh, tender woman. Take me in, for heaven's sake. Take me in, oh, tender woman, sighed the vicious snake.

"She wrapped him up all cozy in a comforter of silk, and laid him by her fire side with some honey and some milk.

"She hurried home from work that night and as soon as she arrived, she found that pretty snake she'd taken in had been revived.

"Take me in, oh, tender woman. Take me in for heaven's sake. Take me in oh, tender woman, sighed that vicious snake.

 

 

 

"She clutched him to her bosom, 'you're so beautiful', she cried.

"'But if I hadn't brought you in by now, oh, heavens, you would have died.'

"She stroked his pretty skin again and kissed him and held him tight. But instead of saying thank you, that snake gave her a vicious bite!

"Take me in oh, tender woman, take me in for heaven's sake. Take me in, oh, tender woman, sighed the vicious snake.

"'I have saved you,' cried the woman. 'And you've bitten me, heaven's why? You know your bite is poisonous, and now I'm going to die.'

"'Oh, shut up, silly woman,' said the reptile with a grin. 'You knew damn well I was a snake before you took me in.'"

 

Just another day in Eurabia

 

[Somtamnication]

The new norm, unfortunately. RIP.

[goldenbrwn1]

29 minutes ago, Somtamnication said:

The new norm, unfortunately. RIP.

By just saying that, you are unwittingly condoning it. This is not the norm!

[impulse]

5 minutes ago, nontabury said:

After the  recent attack on Westminster bridge that resulted in the death of 5 people. A poll was carried out amongst Muslims in France. I cannot remember the exact number, but it was something like 70+ % agreeing with the attack.

 

You'd have to post a link to that survey for me to find those results credible.  Including how the questions were worded.  

 

I can get 99% of the citizens of the USA to say that guns are a bad thing (in the hands of mentally deranged people in kindergarten classes).

 

I'm not saying it's not possible.  Just not likely.

[stander]

One thing we know for sure is that after this murder of innocent citizens in the name of Allah, Mrs. May will deliver yet another meaningless statement containing nothing of value whatsoever.    

[transam]

44 minutes ago, simple1 said:

Do you wish our government to act in the same manner as those who carry out these terrible atrocities? Personally I do not, nor to use similar language as these killer's ideology. as do some of the weirdos on TV.

The victims were not found guilty of anything in a court of law, they were murdered. The murderers would face a court of law and sentenced. Big difference. Besides these scrotes WANT to meet their maker in their promised land, just help them get there.

 

If it were my daughter torn to shreds by these religious nuts there would be only one punishment l would accept, not have them walking the streets again after 10 years of good behaviour...

[brewsterbudgen]

 
You'd have to post a link to that survey for me to find those results credible.  Including how the questions were worded.  
 
I can get 99% of the citizens of the USA to say that guns are a bad thing (in the hands of mentally deranged people in kindergarten classes).
 
I'm not saying it's not possible.  Just not likely.

I have a feeling that no credible link to this "survey" will be forthcoming. Just unhelpful, inflammatory posturing.

[macksview]

tears for the murdered, wounded and those who witnessed it, sympathy to their familys, strength to the first responders.

 

 

[impulse]

5 minutes ago, stander said:

One thing we know for sure is that after this murder of innocent citizens in the name of Allah, Mrs. May will deliver yet another meaningless statement containing nothing of value whatsoever.    

 

Your assumption that it was in the name of Allah...  Ya figure it may have been retribution for drone attack that killed someone's family and had nothing to do with religion?

 

Still a despicable act.  But I don't know how I would feel if my family were killed in a war on the "Christian" militia group that has a compound next to my niece's place in Texas.

 

[steven100]

25 minutes ago, Somtamnication said:

The new norm, unfortunately. RIP.

US specialists and Reuters news report it was a suicide bomber muslim islam will be in big trouble now.

[KC 71]

Feeling sad !

[ddavidovsky]

3 hours ago, yogi100 said:

 

it's not a tragedy it's a vile, evil atrocity carried out by vile, evil creatures.

...in response to what they perceive as a vile, evil atrocity done against them.

Everyone has their reasons. The west doesn't have a monopoly on feeling aggrieved and offended. Nobody, in these cases of jihadist terrorism (assuming that's what it is), understands the root cause. And there will be no solution, no let up in the terrorism, until the west starts understanding this and doing something about it.

[Khon Kaen Dave]

Saw it on CNN early this morning. Anderson was talking to a Mancunian mum who had not heard from her daughter and her phone was out.

Hope you hear soon mum.

[Jack Mountain]

Something with seeding and harvesting ...

[thaibeachlovers]

4 hours ago, johna said:

Some British politician today will say "we will not be defeated by terrorism" there will be no mention of muslims in that speech.

As there should not be. They are only saying that it is being treated as a terrorist incident at present, not that it is one.

 

Some thoughts about it.

Stadium events will be poorly attended for a while, till people forget.

"Security" will become more intrusive anywhere people gather.

There will be loads of political talking heads pontificating on tv.

Certain demographics of society will be regarded with more suspicion.

 

Given that many injuries were probably inflicted in the panic that occurred after the explosion, surely it is time to start training school children how to react in future such events.

Much like the "duck and cover" training in US schools in the 50s.

It's good fortune that this incident wasn't a one two type incident, but the best thing to do is stay in place and get down under cover if possible. Stay there till help arrives.

 

RIP to the deceased.

[thaibeachlovers]

27 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

Your assumption that it was in the name of Allah...  Ya figure it may have been retribution for drone attack that killed someone's family and had nothing to do with religion?

 

Still a despicable act.  But I don't know how I would feel if my family were killed in a war on the "Christian" militia group that has a compound next to my niece's place in Texas.

 

The explosion, if it was a bomb, was too large to have come from an amateur device. This is from someone that knows about explosives, and that implies organisation, not an aggrieved loner.

[oldcarguy]

there are so many CCTV cameras they will see who did it ,

 

my guess is he did not have a ticket , when they opened the doors for people to leave that is when he came inside.

 

Shame to go after kids , what a coward !

[the guest]

France, Germany, Sweden, UK .... when will the EU wake up that bringing in these Muslims has consequences!

[thaibeachlovers]

40 minutes ago, stander said:

One thing we know for sure is that after this murder of innocent citizens in the name of Allah, Mrs. May will deliver yet another meaningless statement containing nothing of value whatsoever.    

Along with every other western leader. I just watched such from both leaders in Australia. I doubt anything that matters will change hereafter.

[brewsterbudgen]

4 minutes ago, the guest said:

France, Germany, Sweden, UK .... when will the EU wake up that bringing in these Muslims has consequences!

Past atrocities in the UK, like 7/7, were committed by born and bred Britons. 

[DaveE13]

Just now, oldcarguy said:

there are so many CCTV cameras they will see who did it ,

 

my guess is he did not have a ticket , when they opened the doors for people to leave that is when he came inside.

 

Shame to go after kids , what a coward !

Spot on this was planned for the end of the concert when normally doors are opened 

To gain maximum death and carnage.

Hope the security services find the accomplices.

[thaibeachlovers]

3 hours ago, brewsterbudgen said:

I very much doubt that "race" will have played any part in this atrocity, so being labelled racist shouldn't be an issue.

Of course anyone that as much as implies the religion of the perpetrators will be labelled racist.

Nothing must be allowed to impede the agenda of mass immigration to "fundamentally transform" western civilisation.

[brewsterbudgen]

Just now, thaibeachlovers said:

Of course anyone that as much as implies the religion of the perpetrators will be labelled racist.

Nothing must be allowed to impede the agenda of mass immigration to "fundamentally transform" western civilisation.

Race and religion are completely different.  Do you really think all Muslims are of the same race?  The ignorance on display from many in the media is mindboggling.

[thaibeachlovers]

11 minutes ago, brewsterbudgen said:

Past atrocities in the UK, like 7/7, were committed by born and bred Britons. 

Yes, and look where they were radicalised. Wahabbi fanatics have been allowed free rein far too long, IMO.

[thaibeachlovers]

5 minutes ago, brewsterbudgen said:

Race and religion are completely different.  Do you really think all Muslims are of the same race?  The ignorance on display from many in the media is mindboggling.

I know that, but do you know that to a "good" Muslim, the religion comes before race or country? Muslim first and last. They are all brothers, no matter where they come from.

[simple1]

44 minutes ago, transam said:

The victims were not found guilty of anything in a court of law, they were murdered. The murderers would face a court of law and sentenced. Big difference. Besides these scrotes WANT to meet their maker in their promised land, just help them get there.

 

If it were my daughter torn to shreds by these religious nuts there would be only one punishment l would accept, not have them walking the streets again after 10 years of good behaviour...

UK has removed capital punishment from legislation for a number of reasons,. If the person/s responsible for this mass murder face Court they will be sentenced to life, without parole. A lot better punishment than the death penalty if they are indeed followers of Islamist ideology.

[Caps]

4 hours ago, sandrabbit said:

US officials: Suicide bomber suspected ......

Wow...must be true then, maybe the US officials should let the UK Police etc do their work

 

Condolences to the families  

[webfact]

At least 19 killed in suspected suicide attack at concert in British arena

By Jon Super

REUTERS

 

Armed police officers stand next to a police cordon outside the Manchester Arena, where U.S. singer Ariana Grande had been performing, in Manchester, northern England, Britain, May 23, 2017. REUTERS/Andrew Yates

MANCHESTER, England (Reuters) - At least 19 people were killed and 59 wounded in an explosion at the end of a concert by U.S. singer Ariana Grande in the English city of Manchester on Monday, in what two U.S. officials said was a suspected suicide bombing.

 

Prime Minister Theresa May said the incident was being treated as a terrorist attack. If confirmed, it would be the deadliest militant assault in Britain since four British Muslims killed 52 people in suicide bombings on London's transport system in July 2005.

 

Police responded to reports of an explosion shortly after 10:33 pm (2133 GMT) at the arena, which has the capacity to hold 21,000 people, where the U.S. singer had been performing to an audience that included many children.

 

A witness who attended the concert said she felt a huge blast as she was leaving the arena, followed by screaming and a rush by thousands of people trying to escape the building.

 

A video posted on Twitter showed fans, many of them young, screaming and running from the venue. Dozens of parents frantically searched for their children, posting photos and pleading for information on social media.

 

"We were making our way out and when we were right by the door there was a massive explosion and everybody was screaming," concert-goer Catherine Macfarlane told Reuters.

 

"It was a huge explosion - you could feel it in your chest. It was chaotic. Everybody was running and screaming and just trying to get out."

 

Ariana Grande, 23, later said on Twitter: "broken. from the bottom of my heart, i am so so sorry. i don't have words." May, who faces an election in two-and-a-half weeks, said her thoughts were with the victims and their families. Her ruling Conservative Party was preparing to suspend campaigning ahead of the election due to the suspected attack.

 

"We are working to establish the full details of what is being treated by the police as an appalling terrorist attack," she said in a statement. "All our thoughts are with the victims and the families of those who have been affected."

May will hold a crisis response meeting on Tuesday.

 

Manchester Chief Constable Ian Hopkins said police were treating the blast as a terrorist incident and were working with counter-terrorism police and intelligence agencies but gave no further details on their investigation.

 

SUICIDE BOMBER?

 

There was no immediate claim of responsibility, but U.S. officials drew parallels to the coordinated attacks in November 2015 by Islamist militants on the Bataclan concert hall and other sites in Paris, which claimed about 130 lives.

 

Two U.S. officials who spoke on condition of anonymity said that initial signs pointed to a suicide bomber being responsible for the blast.

 

"In the absence of conclusive evidence, the choice of venue, the timing and the mode of attack all suggest this was terrorism," said a U.S. counter terrorism official who also spoke on condition of anonymity.

 

Islamic State supporters took to social media to celebrate the blast and some encouraged similar attacks elsewhere.

 

Britain is on its second-highest alert level of "severe", meaning an attack by militants is considered highly likely.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security was monitoring the situation in Manchester closely but said it had no information to indicate a specific credible threat involving music venues in the United States.

 

British counter-terrorism police have said they are making on average an arrest every day in connection with suspected terrorism.

 

In March, a British-born convert to Islam ploughed a car into pedestrians on London's Westminster Bridge, killing four people before stabbing to death a police officer who was on the grounds of parliament. The man was shot dead at the scene.

 

In 2015, Pakistani student Abid Naseer was convicted in a U.S. court of conspiring with al Qaeda to blow up the Arndale shopping centre in the centre of Manchester in April 2009.

 

PARENTS' ANGUISH

 

Manchester Arena, the largest indoor arena in Europe, opened in 1995 and is a popular concert and sporting venue.

 

Desperate parents and friends used social media to search for loved ones while the wounded were being treated at six hospitals across Manchester.

 

"Everyone pls share this, my little sister Emma was at the Ari concert tonight in #Manchester and she isn't answering her phone, pls help me," said one message posted alongside a picture of a blonde girl with flowers in her hair.

 

Paula Robinson, 48, from West Dalton about 40 miles east of Manchester, said she was at the train station next to the arena with her husband when she felt the explosion and saw dozens of teenage girls screaming and running away from arena.

 

“We ran out,” Robinson told Reuters. “It was literally seconds after the explosion. I got the teens to run with me.”

 

Robinson took dozens of teenage girls to the nearby Holiday Inn Express hotel and tweeted out her phone number to worried parents, telling them to meet her there. She said her phone had not stopped ringing since her tweet.

 

"Parents were frantic running about trying to get to their children," she said. "There were lots of lots children at Holiday Inn."

 

(Additional Reporting by Alistair Smout, Kate Holton and David Milliken in LONDON, Mark Hosenball in LOS ANGELES, John Walcott in WASHINGTON, D.C., Leela de Kretser in NEW YORK, and Mostafa Hashem in CAIRO; Writing by Guy Faulconbridge and Nick Tattersall; Editing by Sandra Maler, Toni Reinhold and Paul Tait)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-05-23