Jingle bells…jingle bombs?
Mulled wine is flowing, Christmas songs are echoing through the streets, people are singing and terrorist are planning an attack to our public joyful events.
Although some locations renamed the Christmas Markets to Winter Markets, it is a part of our Christmas celebrations and a form of expression for the western culture. This is exactly the reason certain terrorists might target these events of happiness, a gathering of fun and laughter. In fact, any crowded places that expresses joy, freedom of religion, speech and beliefs are becoming a target.
The ‘most wonderful time of the year’ turns out to be a high-risk place for terrorist attacks. I made a short recap to illustrate the trend we are facing during the Christmas season.
Strassbourg on 11 December 2018
Cherif Chekatt opened fire in Strassbourg at 19.50 local time at one of the busiest Christmas markets in the country. Four people were killed and French media says a fifth victim is brain dead following the attack, 11 others remain wounded, four of whom are still in the hospital.At 01:15 am on 1 January 2017
A gunman named Abdulkadir Masharipov shot and killed at least 39 people and wounded about 70 others at the Reina nightclub in Istanbul, where hundreds of people were celebrating the new year’s party. Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant claimed credit for the attack.Nov 2017
Anti-Terror police have swooped on six alleged ISIS plotters amid fears they were planning attacks in Germany. The six Syrians were busted on suspicion of planning a coordinated attack on a Christmas market in the north western Germany using weapons and explosives.19 December 2016
Anis Amri drove a lorry into the Christmas Market of Berlin leaving 12 people dead and 56 others injured. The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant claimed credit.November 2016
a 12-year-old German-Iraqi boy left a bag with explosives at the Christmas market of the town of Ludwigshafen. It failed to detonate. A few days later after the 1st attempt failed, he put another explosive device by the town hall. A member of the public alerted the police and nobody was injured.22 December 2014
Sébastien Sarron , inspired by an ISIL video, drove his van into the Christmas market in the French city of Nantes. Ten people, including the suspect suffered non-fatal injuries and one person, a man, was pronounced clinically dead the day after.2000
Mohammed Bensakhria together with 13 others, was convicted for a foiled plot to bomb the Strasbourg Christmas market, at the feet of the Strasbourg Cathedral on New Year's Eve.
The Guardian
Reuters
We are clear now that these types of attacks are becoming a trend in Europe. Terrorism is an instrument, not a movement. It is an immoral means employed by groups, some of which have just causes, some of which don’t.
Whatever may be the cause, it is a plague we cannot ignore as people’s lives and safety is at stake. We have to address the threats seriously. It is time to treat terrorism as the national threat that it is, and track, analyze and punish this violence at the federal level. Winning the fight against terrorism is not about parties or political views or religion; it is about ending violence for the sake of the safety of the people.
