Boston Marathon explosions

[DanaC]

Originally Posted by Pete Zicato

I'll be following this story. If it is politically motivated, will we end up living like the Israelis - where you have to be worried about bombs at every large event?

I was really struck by this comment. I kind of assumed that you guys already would be hyper alert to terrorism. I mean, thinking about it I suppose it makes sense that you wouldn't, given how few such attacks there have been. But the shadow of 9/11 and the subsequent war on terror has been so vast I just assumed you'd be on the alert.*

We've had nothing so enormous as the 9/11 attacks over here, but the threat of smaller islamic terrorist attacks pretty much seamlessly took over from the previous fear of IRA bombs. The idea that major public events might be a focus for terrorist attacks would seem a natural consideration. Not that you necessarily expect it: it's pretty rare. But you always allow for it.

Fucking appalling though. Just been watching the news.


* I dont mean alert in a security sense: I'm sure the local police and emergency services are as aware and alert as any others. But in the sense of living 'like the Israelis' with a sense of that possibility around public events.

[monster]

Originally Posted by DanaC

I was really struck by this comment. I kind of assumed that you guys already would be hyper alert to terrorism. I mean, thinking about it I suppose it makes sense that you wouldn't, given how few such attacks there have been. But the shadow of 9/11 and the subsequent war on terror has been so vast I just assumed you'd be on the alert.*

We've had nothing so enormous as the 9/11 attacks over here, but the threat of smaller islamic terrorist attacks pretty much seamlessly took over from the previous fear of IRA bombs. The idea that major public events might be a focus for terrorist attacks would seem a natural consideration. Not that you necessarily expect it: it's pretty rare. But you always allow for it.

Fucking appalling though. Just been watching the news.


* I dont mean alert in a security sense: I'm sure the local police and emergency services are as aware and alert as any others. But in the sense of living 'like the Israelis' with a sense of that possibility around public events.

Was going to say the same thing