On Terror Attacks - July 2017, The Peacock Magazine

I have not a shadow of a doubt that you’d have heard of, at least one, terror attack within the last couple of months. Recently it feels like the world has been engulfed by hatred, there is so much fear, now, because of the unpredictable likelihood of an attack anywhere. The most publicised attacks being Manchester and London. Why? It is so rare to have an attack in England; we are fortunate to live in a country with very little conflict. So, when something does happen, it covers news stories for days. Countries with less known attacks, being outside the UK, have still crept into front pages of newspapers due to the huge scale of fatalities: Afghanistan and multiple others (particularly in Asia). Five attacks within just three months.  

First off, Manchester: what really happened? The ‘Islamic state group’ have claimed responsibility for the attack that took place, around 22:30 pm, on 22 May this year. The attack was carried out by 22-year-old Salman Abedi, a ‘suicide bomber’, using a bomb which he is believed to have made himself. The attack was situated in the Manchester arena foyer and took place as a crowd was leaving a concert by an American singer, Ariana Grande. A wave of panic spread through the crowd, those of which hadn’t left, when a horrific sound resonated through the arena; the sight of fire, smell of smoke and remains of corpses and nuts and bolts were left for the terrified survivors to view when escaping. People were told to remain in the arena if they were alone and guards helped to direct fans through safe exits.  

The power of the bomb meant that people up to 20 meters away were affected by the explosion: “designed to kill and maim indiscriminately the largest number of innocent people” according to a Greater Manchester police officer. Victims were identified by DNA tests and others by clothing or ID. It has been confirmed that 22 people died from the impact of the attack, one victim was only eight. Many closer to the explosion were instantly affected but others passed away in hospital from injuries. Around 116 people were admitted to hospital with injuries relating to the attack.  

Shortly after the attack Ariana Grande shared a tweet explaining how the attack affected her: "broken. from the bottom of my heart, i am so so sorry. i don't have words." [sic]. In response to the attack Grande held a ‘benefit concert’ on 4 June; those who went to her concert on the night of the attack free entries, 50,000 fans turned out for the concert at Manchester's Old Trafford and 11 million people tuned in. Following the ‘One Love Manchester’ concert, over £10 million was raised for the Red Cross's We Love Manchester Emergency Fund – £2 million was also raised, for families of the victims in the attack, from the concert. 

Less than 24 hours before the ‘benefit concert’ an attack on London occurred. Multiple killings were carried out across Borough Market and London Bridge; eight people brutally murdered and 48 injured. A white van was hired by the leader of the attack, Khuram Butt, who had attempted to hire an even heavier lorry but was denied this. The van was used to hit multiple pedestrians along London Bridge, killing some and injuring many, the attackers left the van and headed to Borough Market. The attacks in pubs and restaurants along Borough Market appeared to be at random; anyone could have been killed. Witnesses claimed they shouted: “This is for Allah”, whilst chairs and bottles were hurled at them. Those who had not been killed set straight to calling the police once the terrorists had left for another place, officers came within eight minutes of the first alert. The armed police eventually tracked the attackers down on the night and fired 50 rounds of fire on them. Khuram Shazad Butt, Rachid Redouane and Youssef Zaghba were the three attackers, killed during the attack by armed officers. All three of them were found carrying long kitchen blades and wearing ‘fake explosive belts’ according to police investigators.  

Khuram Butt was a 27-year-old British citizen born in Pakistan, he was found to have a wife and two children. It was not the first time, however, that Butt had been identified with having extremist views. He was a part of the banned extremist group al-Muhajiroun and had been banned from two mosques. A friend of the attacker claimed he had become radicalised by watching YouTube videos and had expressed extremist views. In a Channel 4 documentary, The Jihadis Next Door, Butt was show unveiling the black flag of Islam in Regent’s Park with a group of radical Muslims. The leading terrorist was seen meeting the two other attackers just days before the attack. Concern has been displayed as to why the attackers, know for extremist views, had not been prevented before hand. 

The victims of the attack came from all over the world: New Zealand, Australia, Canada, Spain, Germany and France. There were no particular targets, whether defending others or just being a chosen kill, people were stabbed multiple times. 

Gathered along a street in North London, close to Finsbury Park, a group of worshippers were preparing for the end of Ramadan and their fast. The attacker presumed these people to be Muslim as they were in the vicinity of the Finsbury Park mosque, therefore early on June 19 Darren Osborne mounted the pavement in an attempt to injure the worshippers. The attack has been declared to be in retaliation of the successive ISIS attacks; Osborne had been influenced and, falsely, led to believe all Muslims were bad. Finsbury Park Mosque had been notorious for the Muslims that went there to have become radicalised in the past, but that is no longer the case and cannot be applied to the Muslim religion. Osborne is what Muslims may begin to fear, Islamophobic. The father of four had been known to display racist remarks in the past, not known to his sister who claimed he was just “angry at the whole world”, but on 17 June Darren Osborne was removed from a pub in Cardiff after talking in anger about a pro-Palestinian march. Furthermore, he was heard calling his Muslim neighbour’s son “in-bred” and is found to be following far right leaders of Britain First on Twitter. 

A group of people had begun to help an elderly man who had fallen over by the worshippers, when waiting for the next set of prayers Muslims came to aid him. Whilst this occurred, the van came round the corner and Osborne set to attacking. Calls were made to the police at 20 past twelve and they responded in a minute; it was quite clearly an act of terrorism and officially declared so just eight minutes after the attack. Waiting for response, people attempted to restrain Osborne and help the 11 injured. Shortly after the attack 51-year-old Makram Ali, who had fallen over, had died. At the time it was unclear whether this was from his illness or the attack but tests have found his death was from multiple injuries. Osborne was heard shouting “I want to kill Muslims” when he leapt from the van and was also seen smiling to the camera as he was taken away in an Ambulance. 

At the scene of the attack, passers-by had wrestled the attacker to the floor in a moment of fury and an attempt to restrain him; the turmoil was stopped when imam of the Mosque, Mohammed Mahmoud, emerged from the crowd shouting: “No one touch him – no one! No one!” 

He had been informed that a man had attempted to kill worshippers and come to calm down the commotion. He was hailed as a ‘hero’ for remaining calm and not retaliating, as well as keeping peace and ensuring there was no harm done despite the actions of the suspect. 

Unfortunately, there have also been multiple other attacks outside the UK. A particularly severe one on 30 May this year occurred in Afghanistan, Kabul. At least 90 people died and over 450 were wounded, deadliest attack since last summer and largest since 2001 in the Afghan capital. No groups claimed responsibility but the Taliban and ISIS have been infamous for attacks in the area. A huge car bomb exploded near the German embassy at the bossiest time of day, meaning many were affected. The ground shook violently and the sound echoed deafeningly across Kabul; it could be heard from the farthest corners of the city. 

Sitting and gathering information for this article I was struck with distress by just how many tabs I had open: conflict in this world seems ever-present. Just look at this terrorist map link and you’ll see just how many attacks there have been in 2017 alone: https://storymaps.esri.com/stories/terrorist-attacks/?year=2017. To have to even discuss and be writing this article is just horrendous; mine and, I am sure, all others’ thoughts and prayers are for the victims of these successive attacks. May all our prayers also be to the families of the victims. But let’s not live in fear of an attack, let it not stop us from getting where we want and need to be and, above all, let it not cause discrimination to one group of people. Fear not the community or religion, for those who act as terrorists are very few.