Ariana Grande concert in Manchester - possible terrorist ?

antmanb

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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. :(

This is what is so upsetting to so many people. My work wife is 34 and was so distraught the next day because she remembers first going to concerts at age 14 with her mum. They specifically use the entrance/exit by the box office as it leads you straight down into Victoria station with links to rail and tram. She remembers feeling oh-so-grown-up when they were allowed to attend concerts by themselves under strict instructions to use that exit no matter what, as so many of the other exits throw you out into roads on the other side of the Arena and away from the transport links. Eventually age 16/17 she was allowed to get the tram in just with her friends to attend concerts.

It's the start of the freedom young kids get and start to feel like adults and now a generation of kids in the Manchester area will be scared of situations like this.

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.

Exactly right. The one thing about the IRA bomb was that the tip off came with enough time to evacuate the area and amazingly no one died.

I have heard some truly sickening things from people over the last 24 hours which saddens me, however, they do appear to be in the minority.

I've also just heard that a friend's daughter-in-law has just found out that her friend aged 29 has been confirmed dead. :(
 

Asli

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The victims are either children or parents who were waiting in the foyer to pick up their children.
Either way, it hurts just to think about what the survivors are going through.
 

skatefan

Home in England
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http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-40038630?ocid=socialflow_twitter
The UK government and police have reacted with anger after a US newspaper published photos apparently showing the scene of the Manchester bomb attack.
I hope nothing more is shared outside the UK for the time being until the British Police agree it can be shared. And the leak is identified. This is an intense, complex, live investigation, people are still gravely injured - how disgusting that information is being leaked purely for sensationalism.

ETA It seems from this article that information sharing specifically with regard to the Manchester bombing investigation has been halted https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/may/25/uk-police-stop-passing-information-to-us-over-leaks-of-key-evidence
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/may/25/thursday-briefing-may-to-trump-you-are-not-helping

Not sure whether the above should be in PI?
 
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Asli

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The US media got the news from the US government and didn't know it wasn't supposed to be announced yet. But the people telling them did know. Words fail me.

This has never been a problem during any of the previous terror attacks AFAIK. Information is shared at the highest level, so there's no reason it should be leaked. I hope the US authorities solve whatever issues they are having, because if European countries can't share information on ISIS with the US and vice versa, we are all doomed.
 

Asli

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unfortunately, this seems unlikely without a complete replacement of the current administration :wall:
That's part of what I don't understand. In what way does the Trump administration benefit from divulging this information in this unprecedented way? It's not like it's helping Trump line his pockets! :confused:

If they are doing it from sheer incompetence, of course the more important question for Americans is: does the administration realise why they have been sent this information and are they acting accordingly? They are not a news agency, they have not been sent this information to pass it on to newspapers. They are sent the name of the terrorist so that they can discreetly check out any associates in the USA or trying to enter the USA and protect US citizens. Does someone need to spell it out for them? :rolleyes:
 

antmanb

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I heard from :sekret: last night that the highest people in the Greater Manchester Police were apoplectic yesterday with the leaks and took a unilateral decision to stop sharing any information outside the GMP and notified the government of their decision to do so.

The fact that leaking information like this could compromise the prosecution of the people responsible is sickening. Trump can't solely be responsible for the leaks, and even if he is the one ordering the leaks, then any moron with half a brain who comes into contact with the information should know not to leak it. At this point the problem is bigger than Trump, it calls the entire administration into question.

Yes this probably does fall into PI territory, but I question whether people have been so applauded for leaking information to the press that harms Trump, that they aren't even thinking about the things they are leaking now...or perhaps their pockets are being lined for the information they leak :COP:
 

Jenny

From the Bloc
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I think the US intelligence community is in disarray right now - leadership is uncertain, priorities are uncertain, factions are likely developing, there's media pressure, people likely more concerned for themselves at this point and going rogue.

And yes, that's Trump's fault.
 

skategal

Bunny mama
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I think the US intelligence community is in disarray right now - leadership is uncertain, priorities are uncertain, factions are likely developing, there's media pressure, people likely more concerned for themselves at this point and going rogue.

And yes, that's Trump's fault.

Yes it could easily be someone who expects to lose their job soon and is wanting to make some cash to stash away for when the axe drops.
 

skatesindreams

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30,696
I think the US intelligence community is in disarray right now - leadership is uncertain, priorities are uncertain, factions are likely developing, there's media pressure, people likely more concerned for themselves at this point and going rogue.

And yes, that's Trump's fault.
Trump's own willingness to babble at every turn, sends a message to others that there is nothing wrong/inappropriate in doing so.
 

millyskate

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16,732
I don't think Trump is all to blame for this one - apparently this is a recurring issue.
"
Lord Blair, who was the head of the Metropolitan Police at the time of the bombings in London on 7 July 2005, said a similar leak had happened then.

"It's a different world in which the US operate in terms of how they publish things and this is a very grievous breach but I'm afraid it's the same as before," he said."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-40040210

I have seen other articles describing separate incidents too.
 

skatesindreams

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"It's a different world in which the US operate in terms of how they publish things and this is a very grievous breach but I'm afraid it's the same as before," he said."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-40040210
Even though rules and practices may be different in the US; if authorities elsewhere request secrecy/discretion, that should be "absolute" until they grant permission to release information.
 

skatefan

Home in England
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7,549
Well, the Government did say they would put more armed officers into specific areas especially as it's a long holiday weekend and the attack risk level is critical, but I've just been at a shopping centre here in Yorkshire and there were six armed police there. We just don't see that here. (Although I have seen some armed officers in London.) I know it's meant to be reassuring, and I understand why it's being done, but it was really unnerving.
 

antmanb

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I drove past the Arena yesterday evening that there was a Muslim vigil right on the edge of the police cordon with the I heart MCR signs like my avatar. There was much beeping of horns and thumbs up and the hand heart signs (like the skaters do in the Kiss and Cry). There were loads of tributes and flowers attached the the wall. It really is heartening to see the city gather together as one and support each other.

There is still a minority undertone that ruins it. GMP are reporting that hate crimes against the muslim community doubled in the days following the attack.

I'm also hearing that more victims have died in hospital, however, the authorities will not release any names because the families of the people that have died are still critically ill in the hospital and they don't want people to know before the family do.

It is the great Manchester Run this weekend on Sunday (they lay a 100m track on Deansgate) and security is ever present and parts of the city still closed off to the public. I think there's a music event at Old Trafford Cricket Ground as well that are all going ahead.

Hopefully everyone can stay safe and the injured in hospital can make a full recovery.
 

purple skates

Shadow Dancing
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22,427
Well, the Government did say they would put more armed officers into specific areas especially as it's a long holiday weekend and the attack risk level is critical, but I've just been at a shopping centre here in Yorkshire and there were six armed police there. We just don't see that here. (Although I have seen some armed officers in London.) I know it's meant to be reassuring, and I understand why it's being done, but it was really unnerving.

When we were in Cancun this past January, there were armed military police patrolling everywhere. There were also armed guards constantly stationed at the entry to the street where our hotel was located.

I had the same reaction as you. It was unnerving.
 

antmanb

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The headlines were full of "concert sells out in 6 minutes" and now it seems it was ticket scalpers doing their usual thing. Tickets are now being sold for hundreds of pounds on secondary sites because ticket scalpers apparently have no problem cashing in on a terrorist event and the lost lives.

I know the government are trying to create new computer misuse offences for people and companies that buy up tickets using software, but you'd have hoped that morality might have played a part in this particular concert.
 

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