01-09-2015, 06:24 PM
(01-09-2015, 02:59 PM)username Wrote: I don't dispute the potential risk but weren't these people French citizens? I honestly don't know but somehow I assumed that based on some of the reports I heard (spoke flawless French etc).
They're French citizens -- that's confirmed.
Just like the American Army Major, Nidal Hasan, who killed 13 service members at Fort Hood in support of Islam.
And like Michael Zehaf-Bibeau, a Canadian-born citizen who converted and shot a soldier in Ottawa in the name of Islam.
It's messed up. I think countries today face an equal or greater threat of terrorist attacks by radicalized nationals/citizens as they do from foreign insurgency. The organized extremist groups have done a very good (unfortunately) job in electronic marketing and recruitment, IMO. There are thousands of westerners traveling to Iraq, Syria, Yemen...to fight for Islamic fundamentalism, along with western-based individuals hatching jihadist attacks in their own backyards.
Europe has an escalating anti-Islamic wave within the populations, with politicians striving to curb it. This morning I read about ongoing demonstrations in Germany with very large groups of citizens loudly protesting more open immigration policies for Muslims. I hadn't realized the extent of the controversy there until the Charlie Hebdo shootings. Interesting read: http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/feature...43869.html