Terrorist Attacks

[Rincewind]

I am not disagreeing just taking a step back to look at from another angle.I do not know right now another way they could have done it to have the right impact. If you see a headline with just 'Terrorist attack in London'  who would you think would be responsible first? I will bet that it will be the same as the majority of those on Foxestalk, the general public and even me.

If it was not for the couple of complaints nobody would be bothered. 

[Guest MattP]

Not sure about this. The problem is that because of past events and media coverage it is easily accepted that terrorists are thought to be Islamic  The public  are more likely to sit up and take notice if the scenarios portray them as so. I would rather the terrorists be portrayed as nutters but then it would not register within the public's mind.

This is just me attempting to think outside of the box. I can see both  sides.

 

It should be as realistic as possible, if methodists or buddists start to blow masses of people up all over Europe we'll deal with that when it comes to it, at the minute in the vast majority of these attacks the people doing it are claiming to do it in the name of Islam.

 

The police's job is to save as many lives as possible, not pander to the politically correct idiots.

[Darkon84]

I am not disagreeing just taking a step back to look at from another angle.I do not know right now another way they could have done it to have the right impact. If you see a headline with just 'Terrorist attack in London'  who would you think would be responsible first? I will bet that it will be the same as the majority of those on Foxestalk, the general public and even me.

If it was not for the couple of complaints nobody would be bothered. 

 

I can see what the other angle is, but unfortunately I don't think that point of view has a leg to stand on in this instance. It's not about impact, it was about real world training for a likely event, and so, the best way to do it is to train in what has been most commonly occurring. The reason most people would assume a terrorist attack headline would relate to people doing it under the name of Islam (I'm assuming that is what you were implying?), is quite simply, because that is the most common at the moment. Nothing sinister, racist or media-conditioning about it.

You're right there, if it wasn't for people like Dr Erinma Bell and the reactionary, 'get offended by things on other peoples behalf' brigade, trying to blow it out of proportion by turning it in to a racist and islamophoic, people would probably (and rightly) be praising the police for carrying out such a large and realistic training operation.

 

@@MattP That last line is spot on and is exactly what I've been trying to put across. They need to train and deal in possible, real life situations, and that's exactly what they did. They shouldn't be chastised for it.

[Bettsj2]

Exactly why the fvck was footage released of a training drill in the first place?

One thing we know for sure since as far back as I can remember is that anything to do with religion in any context other than its religious intention, offends some people.

This, Life of Brian the Millenium Prayer etc.

Just dont release the footage!

[Darkon84]

Exactly why the fvck was footage released of a training drill in the first place?

One thing we know for sure since as far back as I can remember is that anything to do with religion in any context other than its religious intention, offends some people.

This, Life of Brian the Millenium Prayer etc.

Just dont release the footage!

 

Good point actually. I've not  seen any credit as to who the filming was by, but the Manchester Evening News have credit for some of the photos. If they were to insist on having some of it videoed or photographed to show how they are updating their training, surely they should have someone 'in house' to do it and be a bit more sensible with what to release to the public, if indeed they felt there was a need to.

[Rincewind]

Would  they not have had to give permission? Was it for the police only?

[Guest MattP]

Would  they not have had to give permission? Was it for the police only?

 

I doubt the general public would be up for a terrorist attack rehearsal.

[bovril]

Surprised the attack in Germany hasn't had more press. Maybe we're getting used to it...

[Finnaldo]

Northern Irish terror threat level raised to 'substantial': http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-36267052

[Darkon84]

Surprised the attack in Germany hasn't had more press. Maybe we're getting used to it...

 

Apparently, it's looking like the guy was seriously mentally unstable and a serious drug user, rather than it being planned, ideological, religious or anything. Luckily he's been arrested and detained so will be dealt with accordingly. Though saying that, he may not even stand trial due to his mental instability.

 

The 10 bomb threats across the Czech Ruepublic hasn't had a great deal of coverage either, though I suppose that's because nothing actually came from them and the sites were deemed safe by yesterday afternoon.

 

However, ISIS/Daesh, whatever you want to call them, have claimed responsibility for a car bomb in Baghdad today, killing over 60 and injuring over 80 so far.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-36265245

Edited 11 May 2016 by Darkon84

[Wymsey]

What if someone, who was Islam etc (with links to someone who was part of a terrorist group), was mentally unstable and carried out an attack like that one?

 

Would he be prosecuted under the mental health act, or terrorism-related charges?

[Bettsj2]

What if someone, who was Islam etc (with links to someone who was part of a terrorist group), was mentally unstable and carried out an attack like that one?

Would he be prosecuted under the mental health act, or terrorism-related charges?

To be honest, there's an argument that a terrorist willing to so the sort of things that have been happening would have to be mentally unstable.

[bovril]

To be honest, there's an argument that a terrorist willing to so the sort of things that have been happening would have to be mentally unstable.

 

I was going to say the same thing. Religious fanaticism is mental instability.

[Merging Cultures]

Exactly why the fvck was footage released of a training drill in the first place?

One thing we know for sure since as far back as I can remember is that anything to do with religion in any context other than its religious intention, offends some people.

This, Life of Brian the Millenium Prayer etc.

Just dont release the footage!

 

Also, as it is a police training video, it potentially could provide terrorists with insights about how to engage or avoid the police, or even create more casualties. Even though the video I saw was short, there must be a longer version somewhere, and if it is available online, it could show the terrorists police tactics.

 

I don't care about them shouting 'Allahu Akbar', they have to make it as real as possible.

[Rincewind]

Well if it is for the police many of them do not need much more prompting to br racist so it is perfect for them. The general public should not see the film. I am sure that is not the only scenario they have re enacted. IRA hostages kidnapping?

[Darkon84]

Well if it is for the police many of them do not need much more prompting to br racist so it is perfect for them. The general public should not see the film. I am sure that is not the only scenario they have re enacted. IRA hostages kidnapping?

 

Mind explaining further what your first sentence is supposed to mean, exactly? Are you suggesting that the entire police force is racist? And yes, they will have done training in many other scenarios Ken, it's their job.

 

EDIT: Also a very quick look will provide evidence of another terrorist style drill, conducted last year, to imitate the Tunisian gunman attack, but in London, which can be seen below.

 

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/uk-terror-exercise-met-police-5974067

 

Plus from just 2 days ago, an in depth Sky News report in to the firearms training, and also briefly touching the terrorist drill from last year.

 

http://news.sky.com/story/1692581/rise-in-armed-police-training-to-fight-terror

Edited 11 May 2016 by Darkon84

[Rincewind]

No not the entire force obviously.

[Guest MattP]

You don't half come out with some ridiculous things Ken.

Fine to slander the whole police force as racist but gets worked up because shouting Allah Akbar in a terrorism exercise could offend a few people.

Priorities so ****ed up.

[Rincewind]

It would be like coming on here and starting a topic claiming that the entire Labour party has a problem with anti Semitism

I am on my phone so perhaps the humour did not come across very well

[Darkon84]

No not the entire force obviously.

 

If you know something we don't, care to share the information, or perhaps report it to the PCC for further investigation, or are you just throwing out made up things?

 

You don't half come out with some ridiculous things Ken.

Fine to slander the whole police force as racist but gets worked up because shouting Allah Akbar in a terrorism exercise could offend a few people.

Priorities so ****ed up.

 

Couldn't agree more.

 

It would be like coming on here and starting a topic claiming that the entire Labour party has a problem with anti Semitism

I am on my phone so perhaps the humour did not come across very well

 

The entire party doesn't, and it has never been said within that thread that they all do, though if you have a problem with that, keep it to that thread. Which part was supposed to be humour then? Sticking up for those offended by the police trying to run a real world training exercise? Labelling the entire police force racist? I'm close to believing you are actually trolling these days.

 

Am I really that out of touch with humour these days? I thought I had a decent sense of humour. Or am I just that disillusioned with things at the moment that I'm missing the glaringly obvious?

 

Edited 11 May 2016 by Darkon84

[Guest MattP]

Of course it is Ken.

[Rincewind]

You don't half come out with some ridiculous things Ken.

Fine to slander the whole police force as racist but gets worked up because shouting Allah Akbar in a terrorism exercise could offend a few people.

Priorities so ****ed up.

[Rincewind]

Matt I have agreed with a lot of what has been said I just did not do a kneejerk reaction prefering to think about it first. I was joking. I did not say all but many

[foxinexile]

I find it so sad that in 2016, when we are all very aware of the very real threat of terrorism, whether in the UK, mainland Europe, the US, Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan etc. that the police can be criticised for the use of a phrase that, unfortunately, is associated with Islamic terrorism and will continue to be for the forseeable future. It's incredible to think that people can even claim offence at this, though that is probably more a reflection of our society now, where no matter what someone says/does/thinks, somebody else somewhere will claim offence. I think the police are damned if they do, damned if they don't. God forbid there is another terrorist attack in this country, and god forbid if it came to light that the police hadn't carried out a mock attack. They would be crucified, yet here they are carrying out a procedure to ensure our safety and being criticised for a phrase shouted by a mock suicide bomber! It angers me that our security forces do so much behind the scenes that we're not aware of to keep us safe (and realistically they'll never be able to maintain 100 per cent), yet people will find the most insignificant thing to criticise them over. I consider myself liberal in my thinking, but this reaction by some so-called "liberals" is ridiculous. 

[Dodgy Bob]

There didn't really seem any point to shouting that to be fair. It didn't add any value to the exercise, they could have easily achieved the same goal without any religion being represented. Rightly or wrongly people are bound to comment on things like that in this day and age. The police only need to put a bit of thought into keeping things neutral.