Brussel attacks | Imamother

zissy2004

Tue, Mar 22 2016, 10:55 am

We are bh ok here, all the jidden that were there all have tales of miracles to tell BH, Hashem is watching over us. 1 very slightly injured but bh already released. We aren't suprised either, it was just a matter of time Hashem Yerachem Sad

etky

Tue, Mar 22 2016, 11:01 am

DrMom wrote:

Horrified.

But -- unfortunately -- not terribly surprised.

I'm actually sort of surprised that they managed to carry out the attacks davka in Brussels.
After the Paris attacks Brussels was in lockdown for days. The authorities there seemed to be on very high alert since then and I can't imagine that they recently have let down their guard.
I would have thought they might have aimed for a softer target where the authorities were not as on their toes.
Aside from the horror of it all, I'm wondering what this portends for the future. At airports it might be easier to tighten security (as in Ben Gurion) but mass transit is a very problematic issue. I think there were more casualties in the metro than at the airport....

HonesttoGod

Tue, Mar 22 2016, 12:17 pm

etky wrote:

Incredibly sad and scary but as others said apparently they were "waiting for this to happen".
I also read in several news articles that security was surprisingly lax at the airport. There is a limit to what can be done though, bad people will find a way to do bad things.

In NY almost immediately they beefed up security everywhere. My coworkers said there were police officers patrolling every single subway station entrances, stairwells and subway cars. In one station in the city she said they even had dogs.

Amarante

Tue, Mar 22 2016, 12:47 pm

Unfortunately from what I have been watching, these were so called soft targets.

The airport area was before security and how do you protect every subway stop from maniacal suicide bombers.

Wherever you place security, there are always going to be places that are vulnerable. Paris attacks were on regular restaurants and a concert. There are too many places to secure.

And sadly, the intent of the radical movement is to comment terror and repression in free societies

etky

Tue, Mar 22 2016, 12:53 pm

Amarante wrote:

That's the thing. They're going to have to change their conception.
At Ben Gurion there is no 'before security'. European airports will have no choice but to follow suit.
And no , you can't protect every subway stop or bus from suicide bombers or other attackers. We in Israel know that all too well.
Mass transit will always be a soft target unfortunately.

Amarante

Tue, Mar 22 2016, 1:05 pm

etky wrote:

Isn't that just moving the goal post as wherever you place security, by definitions, areas outside of the perimeter aren't secure.

And the terrorists will just move to softer targets. I'm not sure bombing a mall (for example) is less terrifying). Of course bombing an airline terminal is extremely disruptive as air traffic is shut down and the impact spreads out.

But terror and disruption in a free society is the aim of the radical terrorists.

etky

Tue, Mar 22 2016, 1:12 pm

Amarante wrote:

An airport is a strategic target, especially in a place like Israel and hence the extreme security.
Security at Ben Gurion starts at checkpoints on the road a number of kilometers away from the terminals so in theory at least terrorists shouldn't be able to get anywhere near the terminals or the airport grounds.
If they want to attack other cars on the road, in the unsecured area then they can of course, as on any road, but that's much, much different from gaining access to the airport itself.

Amarante

Tue, Mar 22 2016, 2:32 pm

If those types of security measures need to be taken at every airport, the terrorists will have succeeded in their goals of disrupting society.

I can't imagine how checkpoints could work at major airports which have multiple routes feeding into the airport. Of course the checkpoint could be placed at the entrance to the airport where the roads feed into it. A few times I have gone to LAX and they have a checkpoint. I've always just been waved through as not fitting terrorist profile.

etky

Tue, Mar 22 2016, 4:22 pm

Amarante wrote:

More than they want to disrupt society, they want to maim and kill non-believers and destroy Western society.
Sometimes disruptive measures need to be taken to thwart their achieving this ultimate goal.
And unfortunately terrorism has already disrupted society in ways that we no longer even consider disruptive or think twice about. Just look at how air travel has unfortunately been transformed over the past decade and a half since 9/11.
My own life and those of the people around me has certainly been disrupted plenty by terrorism and despite that I sort of consider the fact that we are alive and functioning a victory. Sometimes you have to put up with disruption if you want to stay alive. At least for now- until the battle against terrorism is eventually won.

Ruchel

Wed, Mar 23 2016, 9:18 am

Hashem is waking us up? to what? There are constant attacks over the world, and if it's not that, then it's famine, draught, civil war, tsunami, hurricane,, ebola plague... I don't find spirituality in people's blood. I can see how it would davka desensitize to the spiritual.

asmileaday

Wed, Mar 23 2016, 9:27 am

This is so scary. My mind keeps going to all the ominous signs before ww2 that something terrible was gonna happen and the people should get out but they didn't.
But today it feels like there's no where to run to. The world is so global. Only hashem can keep us safe and only if that's his will. Very scary.