Kenya Mall Attack

[BruceVC]

http://edition.cnn.com/2013/09/21/world/africa/kenya-mall-gunbattle/index.html

 

So most of you are probably aware of the deplorable attack yesterday by the Islamic extremist group from Somalia, Al-Shabaab, into a large shopping mall in the capital of Kenya.

 

Details are still coming in but what we know is between 15-25 heavily armed men walked into this mall, Westland, and basically started killing people indiscriminately. They let some Muslim people go but didn't care if women or children were killed. There is now a standoff where these militants are still in the mall and have taken hostages....I don't see a happy ending as Al-Shabaab enjoy the thought of being martyrs and they will take as many innocent people with them in the inevitable violent end to this siege

 

Now why did they do this? Kenya lies on the border of Somalia and has committed troops and resources to a UN sponsored military campaign to wipe out Al-Shabaab in Somalia. This campaign has been mostly successful but  Al-Shabaab still has territory in southern Somalia which it is defending.

 

I can't express enough my disgust for these types of cowardly and despicable attacks on innocents from extremist groups that we still see in several countries globally

[Walsingham]

It's not yet clear that they ARE al-Shabaab. I know the fundis have taken 'credit', but...

 

You just reminded me of a thought I had just before going to sleep.

 

It's a funny sort of army that sends soldiers to kill kids, and kids to kill soldiers.

Edited September 22, 2013 by Walsingham

[BruceVC]

It's not yet clear that they ARE al-Shabaab. I know the fundis have taken 'credit', but...

 

You just reminded me of a thought I had just before going to sleep.

 

It's a funny sort of army that sends soldiers to kill kids, and kids to kill soldiers.

 

I would say its 95% chance its Al-Shabaab but you right its not confirmed yet.

[Malcador]

Let us all be outraged together.

[Walsingham]

Let us all be outraged together.

 

1,2,3...

[Monte Carlo]

Now why did they do this?

 

... because they are members of a quasi-fascist, nihilistic death cult that celebrates the murder of innocents?

 

Edit: And I don't mean Islam. Please see previous Monte-grams for my ongoing respect for the world's great religions.

Edited September 22, 2013 by Monte Carlo

[licketysplit]

Sounds like hell. Feel sorry for any hostages.

[Zoraptor]

 

It's not yet clear that they ARE al-Shabaab. I know the fundis have taken 'credit', but...

 

You just reminded me of a thought I had just before going to sleep.

 

It's a funny sort of army that sends soldiers to kill kids, and kids to kill soldiers.

 

I would say its 95% chance its Al-Shabaab but you right its not confirmed yet.

 

Was confirmed yesterday via Twitter (!).

 

Though I guess there's some wiggle room as it's Twitter and they probably do not have their identification verification turned on for A-S and similar.

[Malcador]

Better add this to Somalia's export list.

[Orogun01]

Can't find any word on the number of attackers.

[BruceVC]

I know these types of terrorist attacks continue to shock us with there callous indifference to loss of innocent  life but this one seems to reach new levels of low

 

Imagine taking your family on a Saturday to a mall for breakfast or some quick shopping and this happens. Al-Shabaab are barbarians and cannot be reasoned with, they need to be arrested or wiped out. That's the only thing they understand

Edited September 23, 2013 by BruceVC

[HoonDing]

Apparently the majority (if not all) terrorists originate from western countries.

[Nepenthe]

Apparently the majority (if not all) terrorists originate from western countries.

 

At present, I doubt it, but historically, almost definitely. Obviously depends on the definition of terror and AFAIK Red terrorists still exist (especially in southern Europe), even if their actions rarely cross the news threshold.

 

The age old dilemma, what's the difference between a ZOMG TERRORIST and a criminal, in the end. (I know, the objective of terrorism is to promote... terror, but yes).

[kgambit]

If the information from the Al-Shabaab twitter account (before it was taken down) is to be believed:

 

There were three Americans who were Naturalized citizens born in Somalia  

Also among the names listed were citizens of Canada, UK, Finland, and Kenya.

2 Somali citizens were also listed

 

Edit:  That has not been unconfirmed but it wouldn't surprise me

radicalized Americans of Somali descent have been a problem for a while

Edited September 23, 2013 by kgambit

[BruceVC]

Apparently the majority (if not all) terrorists originate from western countries.

 

I don't think that's accurate at all. Groups like Al-Shabaab and Boko Haram ( the group doing all the killing in Nigeria) are based on the ideological teachings of Al-Qaeda and the origins of AQ are from the aftermath of the USSR invasion in Afghanistan.

 

Edit: Oh I see what you mean, my bad

Edited September 23, 2013 by BruceVC

[Oerwinde]

So thia, and the Taliban suicide bombing a church in Pakistan killing 70+ people really makes it hard to see the whole religion of peace thing. Almost wish there was some way to mix fire and pork so we could bacon napalm them ensuring when they burn, they go to the right place.

[Malcador]

So thia, and the Taliban suicide bombing a church in Pakistan killing 70+ people really makes it hard to see the whole religion of peace thing. Almost wish there was some way to mix fire and pork so we could bacon napalm them ensuring when they burn, they go to the right place.

Or just keep them alive and make them live with pigs, eat pork. I suppose violating their faith like that is torture but eh.

 

And remember, extremists, your average Muslim isn't militant, etc.

[Walsingham]

Actually if you recall, there was a Thai politician* who suggested that we - in his view very pacifistically - crop spray the Talibs with pork fat. No one would die, he said, and ultimately it would not be poisonous or harm the environment for very long.

 

Naturally there was a huge hoo hah, and it was declared inhumane . So we threw high explosives, and tiny whickering pieces of steel, at them instead.

 

~

 

What I can't understand is the lack of intellectual coherence by Western liberals on these bastards. *rant snipped*

 

 

 

 

*Tinawat Maruekapitak

Edited September 23, 2013 by Walsingham

[licketysplit]

So thia, and the Taliban suicide bombing a church in Pakistan killing 70+ people really makes it hard to see the whole religion of peace thing. Almost wish there was some way to mix fire and pork so we could bacon napalm them ensuring when they burn, they go to the right place.

 

Dawkins has it right. You can't just blame history and politics, the seed for radicalism lies in religion itself. 

[Nepenthe]

Seed for radicalism lies in idle young men with no prospects. 

[licketysplit]

Seed for radicalism lies in idle young men with no prospects. 

 

Throw in 72 virgins and an afterlife and you're all set.

[Oerwinde]

Seed for radicalism lies in idle young men with no prospects.

If they didn't breed like rabbits in an area with no arable land or resources...

[Nepenthe]

 

Seed for radicalism lies in idle young men with no prospects.

If they didn't breed like rabbits in an area with no arable land or resources...

 

 

r-selection: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R/K_selection_theory

 

Edit: And here's one of the cultural applications: http://cfpm.org/jom-emit/1997/vol1/fog_a.html

 

Case in point, lack of arable land, resources and security feeds the phenomenon when a large number of children is the less risky way of making sure your young continue to spread your genes.

Edited September 23, 2013 by Nepenthe

[HoonDing]

I wonder whether Allah is up for equal opportunity? Do female terrorists get male virgins or they become part of the 70 virgins?

[BruceVC]

I wonder whether Allah is up for equal opportunity? Do female terrorists get male virgins or they become part of the 70 virgins?

 

I've never actually thought about that before, good point. How do these extremists position the afterlife when they convince females to be martyrs?