Worst attack since 2005 7/7 bombing
As concert goers were enjoying an Ariana Grande concert last night at Manchester Arena there came a loud bang that at first many people including the media thought were large balloons popping. Sadly they were wrong as one punter described being blown off his feet as he stood talking to an employee of the Manchester Arena.
As he got to his feet, he released he was ok but all around him were bodies, some dead and some obviously in need of medical attention. The gentleman in question stayed behind to help the victims of the attack which had the hallmarks of a terrorist attack and as time went on that has now been confirmed, with ISIS claiming the attack.
Why was security so lacking?
Why was the security at the Manchester Arena last night so poor? The fact that no one was searched either by hand or electronically before the concert goers were allowed into the concert hall is something that will be discussed for a while one would imagine. Why are our public areas like shopping centres, concert halls, sports stadiums etc so lacking in the means of detecting would-be suicide bombers?
If you think back to the attacks on Paris when Germany played France, the security that night was of a far better standard than we apparently have here.
Why are we not having the same security put in place like we do at airports when we know Islamic State or Al Qaeda operatives are lurking to do us harm?
Israel is a good example of a nation hit time and again by terrorist attacks and they have in place the most rigid human and electronic security to stop such attacks. It is about time we did the same in this country because whether we agree with the term War on terror or not, we are at war and we have been since 9/11 so its about time our security was beefed up.
Children among dead
Children are amongst the dead and many people are still missing in the aftermath of the attack with many politicians voicing their shock and anger. Jeremy Corbyn said he was horrified and his thoughts were with the dead and injured. Theresa May, who called a meeting of COBRA, said they knew who the bomber was that was killed in the attack and were investigating if the bomber was part of a wider attack.
White House spokesman Sean Spicer and his boss Donald Trump hobnobbing with leaders in the Middle East said their support and thoughts were with the victims of the attack.
Islamic State on the run but not defeated
Islamic State faces defeat on the battlefield in Syria and Iraq; in the conventional sense of a military battle, that does not mean they cannot launch or plan or inspire attacks against their enemies. Whether the attacks are pre-planned or by inspiration, the result is the same for the victims of this evil.
In actual fact, Islamic State becoming a more shadowy organisation like their counterparts Al Qaeda, which actually makes them more dangerous as they are operating in the shadows.
Islamic State or Al Qaeda, unlike the IRA who in many places gave advanced warning of attacks, do not operate like that.
The modus operandi of these groups is to cause as much carnage as possible and they achieved that last night in Manchester.
We are fighting a vicious enemy and whoever takes over in 10 Downing Street after June 8th had better be aware of this for all our sakes.