Ariana Grande concert in Manchester - possible terrorist ?

[Coco]

My heart goes out to everyone who has lost someone in this attack.

And while it might seem like an odd thing to say, I sincerely hope that Ariana Grande a) gets the emotional support she needs after this and b) continues to have a successful career.

It is possible that female artists and even female athletes will be targeted by Wahhabi nut jobs as they seek to find new ways to outrage the West. But we can't let that happen. The right to wear what you want and make your own decisions about where you go, who you associate with and what you do (within the laws of civilized society) are essential to our freedoms and must be preserved for all members of society.

ETA: And I also want to say that corporate marketing analysts can know when a 15 year old is pregnant before her own parents do and they can determine when a couple is getting divorced before either of them have even said the words, so why the hell can't we do a better job of predicting who is plotting these types of attacks?

 

[MsZem]

And while it might seem like an odd thing to say, I sincerely hope that Ariana Grande a) gets the emotional support she needs after this and b) continues to have a successful career.

I know she's had a lot of support from fans and fellow musicians. And if there's anyone who can truly relate, it's the members of the Eagles of Death Metal; here's what founder Jesse Hughes posted following the attack.

ETA: And I also want to say that corporate marketing analysts can know when a 15 year old is pregnant before her own parents do and they can determine when a couple is getting divorced before either of them have even said the words, so why the hell can't we do a better job of predicting who is plotting these types of attacks?

Companies have loads of data about what people are searching for and shopping for, linked to their accounts and profiles. People plotting terrorist attacks are often more careful, and tracking their online activities requires warrants and/or other legal procedures. If it were that simple, someone would have figured out how to locate and stop every attacker. There's a lot of excellent and effective intelligence work that we never hear of, but sometimes the bad guys slip through.

 

[antmanb]

It's been a very emotional day here. Thankfully I've had to be occupied doing training with people all day so haven't been able to check the news which is probably a good thing as every new bit of news is horrifying. The poor parents that haven't heard from their children.

I only finished work around 7pm so I didn't see that there was a vigil on tonight until now otherwise I would have gone.

Life has to go on, the bastards can't stop us from carrying on our lives. Manchester is a wonderful city with incredible people and we will bounce back.

Targeting children is about the most heinous thing these people can do. My heart goes out to everyone affected.

 

[NinjaTurtles]

I think intelligence does a fairly good job of identifying people who are radicalized or sympathetic towards terrorism. Making the leap to determining someone who will take action and apprehending before something does actually happen is much harder. Data science might help, but people are also innocent until proven guilty and being radicalized isn't necessarily a crime.

 

[allezfred]

BBC Newsround (news for children) have a video online about the Manchester attacks that any parents on here might find useful in explaining what happened.

 

[skategal]

Sorry for being gruesome but how did they ID the suicide bomber so quickly? Did they find a hand to fingerprint?

The identity hasn't been confirmed by a coroner so maybe through video surveillance of the foyer?

Perhaps the attacker was already known to police or intelligence?

 

[skatesindreams]

Goodness in the midst of the tragedy:
http://www.cnn.com/2017/05/23/europe/homeless-man-manchester-attack/index.html

 

[Tinami Amori]

A couple of hours ago, I heard on German news that the British authorities didn't want to release the name due to the ongoing investigation then read that US media was releasing it anyway. If true, that attitude of US journalists is sickening. Who exploits the death of children for sensationalim? (Exploiting any death for sensationalim is despicable but I find it's even worse when it comes to children)

My heart goes out to everyone who lost someone. I hope that everyone who is currently still injured pulls through. It's heartbreaking to see the photos of children being still missing spread on social media. I can't imagine what those parents are feeling. It must be pure agony.

All international media revealed the name as soon as it became available. Aljazeera was among the first ones: Salman Ramadan Abedi, born in UK, parents from Lybia.
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/...edi-named-suicide-bomber-170523143747628.html

I object to hiding facts, when human safety is involved. It is too bad that Germany likes to hide facts of danger to community, like it did with New Year Rapes of german women by migrants. It prevents country's citizens from being able to protect themselves. It is too bad that government are willing to use their own citizens as "collateral damage" in order to maintain image of Political Correctness.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Year's_Eve_sexual_assaults_in_Germany

"Germany is enduring a fresh round of sexual assaults by Muslim migrants, but until police are less concerned about being called “Islamophobes” than they are about the safety of German women, the attacks will continue, says a top freedom activist in the U.S."
http://www.wnd.com/2017/01/dad-save...e-frenzy-plagues-germany/#x6KxoGlylRIZgMIE.99

 

[overedge]

@Coco I don't think that's an odd thing to say at all. Ariana is going to be terrified the next time she gets up on a stage. I hope she has a good support system around her.

 

[antmanb]

@Tinami Amori go fcuk yourself.

 

[Tinami Amori]

@Tinami Amori go fcuk yourself.

mad lefty's eloquence..

 

[ballettmaus]

According to CNN reporter Sciutto, the UK has raised the threat level to critical. https://twitter.com/jimsciutto/status/867120545481019392
I hope it's just a precaution.

 

[skatesindreams]

@Coco I don't think that's an odd thing to say at all. Ariana is going to be terrified the next time she gets up on a stage. I hope she has a good support system around her.

She has cancelled her tour; at least for the moment.

 

[floskate]

It's been a tough day. Two of my students were at the concert but escaped unharmed. One came to college today but was clearly in shock and we spent some time talking about it. A third has heard that her little sisters best friend is still missing.

All my thoughts and prayers are with those affected by this evil act.

 

[MINAM]

This is awful. All the people there must have been ecstastic when they got their tickets! And this happens! Prayers for all those involved.

 

[liv]

So now they have determined it is effective to just stand outside a venue and wait for people to come out rather than having to evade security on the way in. Very nice. Excuse my sarcasm, but what next? Standing outside a packed arena with machine guns, to pick them all off as they exit??? unfortunately, I am sure that will happen too....

I feel so terribly for everyone affected by this act. These families just wanted to enjoy some music, or make their kids happy by taking them to a concert....All Ariana Grande did was hold a concert to try and make those people happy and now her name will be forever linked with a terrorist event. I can only imagine the breadth and depth of her feeling, poor girl.

My thoughts are with those in the UK who are dealing with this up close...

 

[once_upon]

It's been a tough day. Two of my students were at the concert but escaped unharmed. One came to college today but was clearly in shock and we spent some time talking about it. A third has heard that her little sisters best friend is still missing.

All my thoughts and prayers are with those affected by this evil act.

 

[victoriajh]

CNN interviewed someone who was at concert. The young man said bags were checked as people entered the arena. Explosion happened outside arena as people were leaving in area where there was a box office and entrance to rail system.

That makes more sense - but is even scarier

 

[WildRose]

The attacker's name was leaked by US Officials.
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/may/23/trump-administration-manchester-bomber-name-leak

 

[nlloyd]

Woah, @Tinami Amori, a new low even for you, attempting to score political points off the deaths of young girls and teenagers. The two situations are not in the least comparable.

 

[PRlady]

I read they found the terrorist's ID card at the site, which is how they identified him so quickly. The Libyan community is appalled, apparently it's the first time that one of their own has been implicated in an attack.

ETA: The UK Home Secretary is on the BBC now complaining about leaks from US officials to the US media regarding the attack. WTF. First the Israelis, now the Brits. Our allies aren't going to be telling us the correct time in the future with these damaging leaks from the administration.

 

[4rkidz]

I'm here in Nice and was out last night and talking to locals who were expressing their disgust with what happened in Manchester, having been through the terrorism here.
I'm sure that is why there are units here of soldiers walking the Nice streets with their machine guns. Rarely see any cops but the military little gangs is 6-8 soldiers we see several times a day.
I honestly think though the best way to resolve this is intelligence gathering. so many of these kids doing this are home grown terrorists .. this suicide bomber was born an raised in Manchester. Others must have known what he was planning, hopefully the premature disclosure by the US officials won't impede their investigation. My heart goes out to the people of Manchester an those poor parents and families.

 

[Kultakissu]

I read they found the terrorist's ID card at the site, which is how they identified him so quickly. The Libyan community is appalled, apparently it's the first time that one of their own has been implicated in an attack.

ETA: The UK Home Secretary is on the BBC now complaining about leaks from US officials to the US media regarding the attack. WTF. First the Israelis, now the Brits. Our allies aren't going to be telling us the correct time in the future with these damaging leaks from the administration.

Apart from Lockerbie... but yeah, probably the first in Manchester.

It feels especially heartbreaking because Manchester is such a vibrant, cosmopolitan city. I lived in Whalley Range where the guy came from and I never saw any problems, everybody seemed to get along so well. I personally had had almost zero contact with muslims before I moved to Manchester and I've no doubt I was prejudiced without even realising it. Once there I got to know people of many different religions and my muslim workmates were some of the nicest people I ever met and I'm still friends with some of them after 13 years.

The pictures from St Ann's Square last night are what Manchester is all about.

 

[skatingguy]

I object to hiding facts, when human safety is involved.

What if revealing facts helps allow co-conspirators to escape capture or destroy evidence or put people's lives in danger? These decisions are never easier or straightforward. Release too much information too soon and you risk prosecution of the individuals responsible. Release too little and it could put people's lives in danger.

 

[rfisher]

I am increasingly of the opinion the sleeping shebear needs to wake up and women of the world need to put a stop to this all this patriarchial pseudoreligious nonsense and protect ourselves, our children, our homes, our planet.

 

[PRlady]

Apart from Lockerbie... but yeah, probably the first in Manchester.

It feels especially heartbreaking because Manchester is such a vibrant, cosmopolitan city. I lived in Whalley Range where the guy came from and I never saw any problems, everybody seemed to get along so well. I personally had had almost zero contact with muslims before I moved to Manchester and I've no doubt I was prejudiced without even realising it. Once there I got to know people of many different religions and my muslim workmates were some of the nicest people I ever met and I'm still friends with some of them after 13 years.

The pictures from St Ann's Square last night are what Manchester is all about.

Well, I differentiate between the Libyan community in the UK and that nutcase Khaddafi, who ordered Lockerbie. Just as I would hope that Jewish communities abroad are not held responsible for every Israeli government policy -- although some of the leaders deserve to be, given their vociferous support for occupation.

I'm still thinking about those moms who sent or brought their daughters to that concert. I gave my own daughter money to see some boy band about 15 years ago, and she was over the moon.

 

[Kultakissu]

Well, I differentiate between the Libyan community in the UK and that nutcase Khaddafi, who ordered Lockerbie. Just as I would hope that Jewish communities abroad are not held responsible for every Israeli government policy -- although some of the leaders deserve to be, given their vociferous support for occupation.

I'm still thinking about those moms who sent or brought their daughters to that concert. I gave my own daughter money to see some boy band about 15 years ago, and she was over the moon.

Good point.

 

[Asli]

I object to hiding facts, when human safety is involved. It is too bad that Germany likes to hide facts of danger to community, like it did with New Year Rapes of german women by migrants. It prevents country's citizens from being able to protect themselves.

These two cases are entirely different. What the Home Secretary objects to about the US leaking the identity of the bomber is that the police lost the element of surpise. The homes of the terrorist and his known associates have to be raided before everyone knows they're onto them. Probably anyone remotely related to him went into hiding and destroyed evidence as soon as his name came up.

Witholding news for a limited amount of time can save lives. I am thinking particularly about the day of the Paris attacks. One of the attacks was planned for the France-Germany football match in Stade de France, but the security guards stopped the attacker at the entrance. He did explode his bomb outside but it wasn't heard within the stadium because of the noise. The entire media was asked to withold this huge story while the people were in the stadium.

If the media hadn't complied, imagine the panic and the stampede that would have taken place in the stadium. Many people could have died.

 

[Jenny]

I am confused. The place I learned the attacker's name was straight from the mouth of a Manchester police officer at a press conference that I saw on tv.

Did he only say that after media outlets had already reported it?

 

[allezfred]

Much of Manchester city centre was flattened by an IRA bomb in 1996 (biggest bomb detonated since World War II at the time). Just as I believe most right thinking people didn't hold all Irish people responsible for that atrocity, I hope for the same with this one.