Terror alert in Hamburg

Joana · 08-30-2005

As we had many topics on terror and the dark outcomes of it I wanted to share this one......as many outside Germany might have missed it.

A few days ago we had the second terror alert in the last few years (the first one was on New Years eve a few years ago when it seemed there were plans for a car-bomb and they closed down a whole portion of the city).
A man had overheard three arabic looking men (one of them carrying a backpack) at a busstop- one of them said in arabic "Tomorrow we will all be heroes facing Allah!".
The man informed the police- and the whole city was swarmed by them, many traffic controls were in effect and there were police at all the trainstations- and basically whereever you looked.
It was a weird day- I was lucky and didn't have to leave the house for long.......but whereever you went there were reminders that something might happen.
They had pics of the three men from a cam inside a bus- two of them went to the police volunteerly, one got arrested later- I haven't heard yet what their version of the story was.......but evidence as of now indicates that they are NOT terrorists.

It is weird how double sided the story is in a way. On the one hand it is good to know that measures are taken at the slightest hint.
On the other it shows how weird the situation is- these three men did nothing in the end.....they just looked arabic and had a backpack.....and spoke. And whooops- they are looked for all over the city. Meaning: as tense as the situation is for sure more and more innocent get affected (as the man in London who got shot.......). So in a way the terrorists have achieved something- suspicion is growing and innocent people get "attacked". Sad.

Andiline · 08-30-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joana

As we had many topics on terror and the dark outcomes of it I wanted to share this one......as many outside Germany might have missed it.

A few days ago we had the second terror alert in the last few years (the first one was on New Years eve a few years ago when it seemed there were plans for a car-bomb and they closed down a whole portion of the city).
A man had overheard three arabic looking men (one of them carrying a backpack) at a busstop- one of them said in arabic "Tomorrow we will all be heroes facing Allah!".
The man informed the police- and the whole city was swarmed by them, many traffic controls were in effect and there were police at all the trainstations- and basically whereever you looked.
It was a weird day- I was lucky and didn't have to leave the house for long.......but whereever you went there were reminders that something might happen.
They had pics of the three men from a cam inside a bus- two of them went to the police volunteerly, one got arrested later- I haven't heard yet what their version of the story was.......but evidence as of now indicates that they are NOT terrorists.

It is weird how double sided the story is in a way. On the one hand it is good to know that measures are taken at the slightest hint.
On the other it shows how weird the situation is- these three men did nothing in the end.....they just looked arabic and had a backpack.....and spoke. And whooops- they are looked for all over the city. Meaning: as tense as the situation is for sure more and more innocent get affected (as the man in London who got shot.......). So in a way the terrorists have achieved something- suspicion is growing and innocent people get "attacked". Sad.

And in the end they were not even arabs... I still don't understand why they were talking in arabian if they were russians...

Joana · 08-30-2005

It's been said in the paper that it isn't unusual for Tchetchens (sp?) to speak arabic........the men said the guy overhearing them must have misunderstood something. Which might be due to their accents- or due to the fact that by now people are so high strung that they'll hear the wrong things just because they expect to hear them.......very sad situation.

Seakony · 08-30-2005

I would want to talk to the man who understood what they said and reported it.
The terrorists really don't have to kill anyone to stike panic...Just drop a hint.

Joana · 08-30-2005

The police apparently double checked on him, his language skills and his credibility before going into action- they said and still say that he seemed a believable source.
Unfortunately it seems the beliveable source (which I don't doubt he may be) underwent some sort of hearing prob there......

luvvly linny · 08-31-2005

Coming from the London area, I would rather the police close down and evacuate areas due to "suspicious" persons or items, than to face the terror of a bomb/s exploding without warning!
If I had been in that guys position, I would have reported it as well.
Bringing the city to a controlled halt by police means, is better than bringing a city to an exploding stop by means of terrorism!
Just my two penneth worth.

birdman · 08-31-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by luvvly linny

Coming from the London area, I would rather the police close down and evacuate areas due to "suspicious" persons or items, than to face the terror of a bomb/s exploding without warning!
If I had been in that guys position, I would have reported it as well.
Bringing the city to a controlled halt by police means, is better than bringing a city to an exploding stop by means of terrorism!
Just my two penneth worth.

Ditto!!

MWC · 08-31-2005

I hate to be incendiary, but you just don't know if the "innocent" Chechans were just testing the waters, so to speak. My experience with the Arab culture -- and yes I have some -- is that their relationship with the truth can be a relative thing.

08-31-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by MWC

I hate to be incendiary, but you just don't know if the "innocent" Chechans were just testing the waters, so to speak. My experience with the Arab culture -- and yes I have some -- is that their relationship with the truth can be a relative thing.

You might have a valid piont.

Joana · 08-31-2005

I agree with the opinion that I'd rather have the city full of police and traffic controls instead of having a bomb go off. Totally.

I did somehow still feel sorry for those guys- in the case that they are really 100% innocent that is. Which we will never know for sure.

But: the case goes on- and now it gets really weird!!!! There are strange currents in it- and I wonder what will come out in the end: the guy who overheard them speaking arabic is apparently from Egypt. So far so good- meaning he should know his arabic.
But now it turns out the men are no Tchetchens- but from Ingushia (another part of the eastern block- and only used to live in Grosny. They claim they only speak Russian and Tchetchen- NO arabic. Hm. While the police said they most likely will know some arabic- and the man who overheard them said they spoke arabic.
And- and to me this is really bad- the three men feel that their honour has been insulted and want to sue the man who tipped off the police (not as big of deal here- they won't get anything near the money they'd get in the States if they get through with it.....)!!!!!!!
I think this is really bad as in the future (if they indeed sue.....) many people will think twice of tipping off the police because they will be scared about getting sued and being wrong. I know I still would do it- but I'm sure there are many who wouldn't.

So this is all very confusing- and shows another side of the aftermath of terror.

MWC · 08-31-2005

Problem is, I think the terrorist are being trained to go on the offensive in terms of defending their rights when they are caught. Such a tack would be totally consistent with their infiltrating "decadent" Western cultures, and using the protections guaranteed by such cultures to twist our freedoms to a perverted use.

Seakony · 08-31-2005

Those 3 men would have a hard time proving their case. They can't prove they don't speak arabic. They could never get a jury in the states to side with them.

It seems in Iraq, all you have to do is yell suicidal bomber and people will get themselves killed. Like I said earlier, all they need to do is drop a hint and people will panic. I guess the terrorist have figured that out. sad

08-30-2005	#1 (permalink)
Joana Niiiice!! Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: The House of God Posts: 4,917	Terror alert in Hamburg As we had many topics on terror and the dark outcomes of it I wanted to share this one......as many outside Germany might have missed it. A few days ago we had the second terror alert in the last few years (the first one was on New Years eve a few years ago when it seemed there were plans for a car-bomb and they closed down a whole portion of the city). A man had overheard three arabic looking men (one of them carrying a backpack) at a busstop- one of them said in arabic "Tomorrow we will all be heroes facing Allah!". The man informed the police- and the whole city was swarmed by them, many traffic controls were in effect and there were police at all the trainstations- and basically whereever you looked. It was a weird day- I was lucky and didn't have to leave the house for long.......but whereever you went there were reminders that something might happen. They had pics of the three men from a cam inside a bus- two of them went to the police volunteerly, one got arrested later- I haven't heard yet what their version of the story was.......but evidence as of now indicates that they are NOT terrorists. It is weird how double sided the story is in a way. On the one hand it is good to know that measures are taken at the slightest hint. On the other it shows how weird the situation is- these three men did nothing in the end.....they just looked arabic and had a backpack.....and spoke. And whooops- they are looked for all over the city. Meaning: as tense as the situation is for sure more and more innocent get affected (as the man in London who got shot.......). So in a way the terrorists have achieved something- suspicion is growing and innocent people get "attacked". Sad.

08-31-2005	#10 (permalink)
Joana Niiiice!! Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: The House of God Posts: 4,917	I agree with the opinion that I'd rather have the city full of police and traffic controls instead of having a bomb go off. Totally. I did somehow still feel sorry for those guys- in the case that they are really 100% innocent that is. Which we will never know for sure. But: the case goes on- and now it gets really weird!!!! There are strange currents in it- and I wonder what will come out in the end: the guy who overheard them speaking arabic is apparently from Egypt. So far so good- meaning he should know his arabic. But now it turns out the men are no Tchetchens- but from Ingushia (another part of the eastern block- and only used to live in Grosny. They claim they only speak Russian and Tchetchen- NO arabic. Hm. While the police said they most likely will know some arabic- and the man who overheard them said they spoke arabic. And- and to me this is really bad- the three men feel that their honour has been insulted and want to sue the man who tipped off the police (not as big of deal here- they won't get anything near the money they'd get in the States if they get through with it.....)!!!!!!! I think this is really bad as in the future (if they indeed sue.....) many people will think twice of tipping off the police because they will be scared about getting sued and being wrong. I know I still would do it- but I'm sure there are many who wouldn't. So this is all very confusing- and shows another side of the aftermath of terror. Last edited by Joana : 08-31-2005 at 09:26 AM.

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08-30-2005	#3 (permalink)
Joana Niiiice!! Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: The House of God Posts: 4,917	It's been said in the paper that it isn't unusual for Tchetchens (sp?) to speak arabic........the men said the guy overhearing them must have misunderstood something. Which might be due to their accents- or due to the fact that by now people are so high strung that they'll hear the wrong things just because they expect to hear them.......very sad situation.

08-30-2005	#4 (permalink)
Seakony añejo Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: no longer in Mesquite with nothing to do Posts: 10,147	I would want to talk to the man who understood what they said and reported it. The terrorists really don't have to kill anyone to stike panic...Just drop a hint.

08-30-2005	#5 (permalink)
Joana Niiiice!! Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: The House of God Posts: 4,917	The police apparently double checked on him, his language skills and his credibility before going into action- they said and still say that he seemed a believable source. Unfortunately it seems the beliveable source (which I don't doubt he may be) underwent some sort of hearing prob there......

08-31-2005	#6 (permalink)
luvvly linny sandflea Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Dagenham, Nr London England Posts: 3	Coming from the London area, I would rather the police close down and evacuate areas due to "suspicious" persons or items, than to face the terror of a bomb/s exploding without warning! If I had been in that guys position, I would have reported it as well. Bringing the city to a controlled halt by police means, is better than bringing a city to an exploding stop by means of terrorism! Just my two penneth worth.

08-31-2005	#8 (permalink)
MWC añejo Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Connecticut Posts: 5,845	I hate to be incendiary, but you just don't know if the "innocent" Chechans were just testing the waters, so to speak. My experience with the Arab culture -- and yes I have some -- is that their relationship with the truth can be a relative thing.

08-31-2005	#11 (permalink)
MWC añejo Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Connecticut Posts: 5,845	Problem is, I think the terrorist are being trained to go on the offensive in terms of defending their rights when they are caught. Such a tack would be totally consistent with their infiltrating "decadent" Western cultures, and using the protections guaranteed by such cultures to twist our freedoms to a perverted use.

08-31-2005	#12 (permalink)
Seakony añejo Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: no longer in Mesquite with nothing to do Posts: 10,147	Those 3 men would have a hard time proving their case. They can't prove they don't speak arabic. They could never get a jury in the states to side with them. It seems in Iraq, all you have to do is yell suicidal bomber and people will get themselves killed. Like I said earlier, all they need to do is drop a hint and people will panic. I guess the terrorist have figured that out. sad

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