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Paramedics take cover beside parked ambulances outside the Westgate mall Sayyid Azim/AP/Press Association Images

Kenyan forces storm shopping mall in ‘final’ assault on militants

It comes as the Red Cross revises down the death toll to 62. The Department of Foreign Affairs has issued an updated warning for Irish nationals.

Updated at 3.53pm

KENYAN SECURITY FORCES remained locked in a fierce, final battle with Somali Islamist gunmen inside an upmarket Nairobi shopping mall today as huge explosions and a barrage of heavy gunfire echoed out of the complex.

A thick cloud of black smoke billowed out from the Westgate mall as Kenyan officials said the 50-hour-long siege — which has seen the gunmen massacre at least 62 people and take dozens more hostage — was close to being resolved.

“We think the operation will come to an end soon,” Interior Minister Joseph Ole Lenku told reporters camped outside the vast part Israeli-owned complex, which was popular with wealthy Kenyans and expatriates.

“We are in control of all the floors, the terrorists are running and hiding in some stores… there is no room for escape,” he said, adding that some hostages had been freed, but without giving specific numbers. Two gunmen were also killed in the fighting.

The Kenyan Red Cross said at least 63 people were recorded missing, thought to include hostages as well as those possibly killed or still hiding. Around 200 people were wounded, officials said.

Somalia’s Al-Qaeda-linked Shebab insurgents have claimed responsibility for the attack, which began at midday on Saturday, when the gunmen marched into the complex, firing grenades and automatic weapons and sending panicked shoppers fleeing.

Foreign fighters

Kenyan army chief Julius Karangi said the gunmen had different nationalities. Several foreign fighters, including Somalis with dual nationalities, are members of the Shebab force.

“They are from different countries. We have sufficient intelligence this is global terrorism,” Karangi said.

Lenku denied that any of the insurgents were women.

“There are no women, all the terrorists are men. Some of them had dressed like women,” he said

Shebab spokesman Ali Mohamud Rage warned that the hostages would “bear the brunt of any force directed against the mujahedeen” — signalling that hostages were being used as human shields.

image

[Image: AP Photo/Riccardo Gangale]

Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta vowed the attackers will “not get away with their despicable and beastly acts.”

“We will punish the masterminds swiftly, and indeed very painfully,” he declared in a televised speech to the nation yesterday.

Israeli forces

A Kenyan security source and a Western intelligence official said Israeli forces were also involved in the operation, along with British and US agents.

Non-Muslims selected for execution

The Shebab rebels said the carnage was in retaliation for Kenya’s military intervention in Somalia, where African Union troops are battling the Islamists.

“If you want Kenya in peace, it will not happen as long as your boys are in our lands,” rebel spokesman Ali Mohamud Rage said in a statement posted on an Islamist website.

Shocked witnesses said the gunmen tried to weed out non-Muslims for execution by interrogating people on their religion or asking them to recite the Shahada, or Muslim profession of faith.

image

A Kenyan police security officer runs for cover [Jerome Delay/AP/Press Association Images]

The dead include four Britons including a British-Australian, two French women, two Canadians including a diplomat, a Chinese woman, two Indians, a South Korean, a South African and a Dutch woman, according to their governments.

Also killed was Ghanaian poet and former UN envoy Kofi Awoonor, 78, while his son was injured. The son of the former Kenyan ambassador to Ireland also lost his life in Saturday’s violence — Mbugi Mwangi was also a nephew of President Kenyatta.

Israeli interests in Kenya have come under attack before, and the Westgate mall — popular with well-to-do Kenyans, diplomats, UN workers and other expatriates — has long been seen as a potential target.

image

Kenyans line up to donate blood for victims [Khalil Senosi/AP/Press Association Images]

Red Cross officials have revised down the official death toll from the siege. The figure is now at 62, seven lower than previously reported, due to “double counted bodies”.

Travel advice

The Department of Foreign Affairs has updated its travel advice for Irish citizens in Kenya today, in light of the ongoing siege at the Westgate mall.

The warning, posted on the DFA website this morning, advises all Irish nationals to avoid the area and to “exercise extreme caution”.

It adds: “Irish citizens are advised to keep in touch with the Honorary Consulate Office in Nairobi and to monitor this website for further information.”

Speaking in Dublin earlier, Foreign Affairs Minister Eamon Gilmore said he hoped that the hostage situation could be  brought to a conclusion as quickly as possible “and that everyone will be brought out safely”.

The Tánaiste said he wanted to offer his particular condolences to former ambassador Catherine Muigai Mwangi following the death of her son, and that she was in the thoughts of “her many Irish friends and colleagues and members of the diplomatic corps”.

Additional reporting by AFP.

[This article was originally posted at 12.19pm]

Read: Son of former Kenyan ambassador to Ireland killed in Nairobi siege >

Read: Heavy gunfire and explosions heard as siege continues in Kenyan shopping mall >

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117 Comments
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    Mute Shane Walsh Pics
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 12:47 PM

    And this is why I hate religion, killing innocent people in the name of some fictional god in a fairytale world. What a disgusting world we live in, and to think animals in the wild behave more civilized.

    I am sorry if my anti-religious rant offended anyone, I am just tired of people being slaughtered due to religion/race.

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    Mute Joey JoeJoe Shabadoo
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 12:57 PM

    Its unfair to tar all faiths.

    Intolerance by secularists in an unfortunately common trait.

    In order to backup your rant please reference recent slaughters carried out by Christians, Taoists, Buddhists & Confucians. (spelling).

    Lets not pretend that it’s just 1 religion we are talking about here.

    39
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    Mute Sue Kitchoo
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 1:06 PM

    How about the magdalene laundries?

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    Mute al shamen
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 1:07 PM

    It really is only one religion carrying out this type of mass murder.

    94
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    Mute Joey JoeJoe Shabadoo
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 1:08 PM

    Appaling as that was, it was not a slaughter on scores of lives.

    Try again.

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    Mute Brian Ward
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 1:42 PM

    Al Shamen, what planet are you from? “It really is only one religion carrying out this type of mass murder.”. I suppose it was German Muslims that gassed 6 million Jews, Serbian Muslims killed 8,000 Bosnian Muslims in Srebrenica, and lets not forget the actions of Christians and how they dealt with the natives of Africa and South America.

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    Mute Enda Connolly
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 1:56 PM

    Agreed Brian… Al shamen is filling these pages with ill-informed propaganda. Shame ‘n you, al :-)

    24
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    Mute Shane Walsh Pics
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 1:57 PM

    Well the troubles between Catholic and Protestants over the years have seen a great deal of slaughter, so that is the Christians covered.

    What about Christian slaughter of Jews in WW2? that is Christians covered.

    What about Buddhist Monks killing Muslims in Burma? That is Buddhism covered.

    What about Jews killing Muslims in the middle East? So that is Judaism covered.

    64
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    Mute al shamen
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 2:09 PM

    Planet reality.
    The Yugoslavian war was a war of nationalism.Croatian Christan vs Serbian Christan vs Bosnian Muslim. The Nazis were inspired by ultra German Nationalism and Hitler was known to hold anti-Christian views.The action of Christians in Africa and South America were wrong and could easily be argued to be against the teaching of Christianity and for the most part happened hundreds of years ago.
    I bet you think Islam spread across Africa and Asia through peace and love.I suggest you research the Arab slave trade,which went on far longer than the European version and in some countries still exists to this very day.

    67
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    Mute johnny
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 2:09 PM

    Ya shane, and lets never focus on any of the good that has been done by the different religions

    22
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    Mute al shamen
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 2:11 PM

    Could you kindly point out my ill-informed propaganda?

    29
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    Mute Morticia
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 2:18 PM

    @al shamen, I think Enda is taking the pi** out of the apologists for Islamic Jihad :-)

    28
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    Mute Morticia
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 2:21 PM

    Must have been terrible in those magdalene laundries with all that shooting and Kuffars being shot in cold blood. As a member of ‘Mothers against Arming Nuns’ I’m glad they were disarmed .

    42
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    Mute Paddy Murray
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 2:36 PM

    I’ll say it again. ..describing yourself as Christian or Muslim or Jewish does not make you any of those things any more than my describing myself as black would change the colour of my skin. Religion has been an excuse, a cover – not a cause.

    39
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    Mute Joey JoeJoe Shabadoo
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 2:57 PM

    Brian…. you might recall that it was neither the protestant or Catholic churches that carried out those attrocities.

    Again… wrong answer.

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    Mute Joey JoeJoe Shabadoo
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 2:59 PM

    Shane, what Christian Church carried out the mass execution of Jews in WW2?

    34
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    Mute Joe Gantly
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 3:00 PM

    Think of all the countries that claimed to be ‘democratic’ or ‘democracies’ (from the USSR , East Germany, Bulgaria, to North Korea and the Democratic Republic of Congo) and the numbers of people they have killed. Does that turn you against ‘democracy’ ? No, you know they are abusing the word ‘democracy’. For exactly the same reason, don’t judge all religion by the behaviour of some dangerous, blood-thirsty, badly educated and xenophobic groups or individuals. Real religion is based on a love aof God and your fellow human beings.

    27
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    Mute Deirdre Mac Mahon
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 3:23 PM

    Joe
    If only that was true!
    Islam doesn’t work that way. Enda might be able to spell it out for you

    25
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    Mute Enda Connolly
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 3:37 PM

    Ah, poor Deirdre…. How very articulate of you ;-)

    5
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    Mute Brian Ward
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 3:42 PM

    Joey the Church’s didn’t carry out the atrocities but the followers of the Church’s did so how was my answer wrong?

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    Mute Paddy Murray
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 4:00 PM

    So if a couple of these murderous nutters are followers of Manchester United then Rio Ferdinand is to blame? Mmmm. Interesting thought.

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    Mute Fergal Kelly
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 4:07 PM

    Ah sure those crusades were grand.

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    Mute Michael Skellig
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 4:12 PM

    It’s not about religion. It’s about power. They just use religion as an excuse.

    25
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    Mute Dermot Lane
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 5:04 PM

    George w bush and tony Blair were devout Christians when the launched their illegal war

    9
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    Mute Paddy Murray
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 5:12 PM

    No they weren’t. They claimed to be. Big difference. As I said before if I claimed to be black it would not make me so.

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    Mute John Mangan
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 6:19 PM

    He never said one specific religion, he said religion. And religion is the cause of most conflicts in the world. I’m beginning to ask my self what would the world be like with out it.

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    Mute Paddy Murray
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 6:49 PM

    Oh yes John. Like World War 1, World War 2, Vietnam, Korea….

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    Mute Fuh Qiu
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 6:51 PM

    The war in Yugoslavia was actually a religious war in the same way as NI was, not the main cause but part of the mix. Croatia is Catholic, Serbia Protestant and Bosnia Muslim.

    5
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    Mute Enola Straight
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 9:44 PM

    Shane – due to ONE “religion”.

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    Mute Aoife Keniry
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 12:45 PM

    ha! i’ve been here all weekend and am registered with the consulate – not a peep from them, yet the British embassy checked in on me?!

    195
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    Mute Joey JoeJoe Shabadoo
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 12:48 PM

    I assume the 2 share citizen data.

    The UK foreign office always seems on the ball.

    125
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    Mute Kevin Roberts
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 2:29 PM

    They have never contacted me for anything of the bombings or events since 2011. Deal with the UK embassy.

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    Mute Brian O Cinneide
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 3:07 PM

    Many years ago guys who used to go abroad frequently told me that it was futile asking the Irish representatives for help if necessary but that the Brits would always be of assistance.

    88
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    Mute jake mansfield
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 9:29 PM

    All about you isn’t it!!!!!

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    Mute Joey JoeJoe Shabadoo
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 12:27 PM

    Still waiting on our fellow citizens at the Clonskeagh “cultural centre” to issue something condemning the slaughter of innocents by islamic fundamentalists in Kenya, Pakistan & Nigeria.

    Its the least we can expect from the “religion of peace”.

    153
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    Mute margaret
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 1:26 PM

    You might get something like………Islam is the religon of peace.
    Or killing innocent people is un islamic. They don’t define ” innocent” though. The Koran does. Innocent means Muslim . U

    66
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    Mute Brian Ward
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 1:32 PM

    Margret, any idiot can take the Koran and make it out to say what ever they want it to say. The same goes for the Bible, it’s all down to who interprets it and what their agenda is.

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    Mute Morticia
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 1:36 PM

    There is no excuse for Islamic slaughter of the Kuffar.

    41
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    Mute margaret
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 1:37 PM

    The Koran is not open to interpretation. When the Koran says “kill the unbeliever whereever you may find him” that is exactly what it means. Most Muslims to be fair to go around killing unbelievers , but they don’t condemn those that do. That would be condeming the Koran.

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    Mute Morticia
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 1:38 PM

    Brian, any idiot can take the Koran and make it out to say what ever they want it to say and yiu seem to have done so. The RoP has it’s useful idiots in our midst.

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    Mute al shamen
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 1:44 PM

    @Brian Ward

    There are numerous passages in the Koran encouraging Muslims to slay the ‘infidels’ and ‘Kuffirs’. Nobody is ‘making’ it say that. It does say that.Even Muslim scholars do not dispute that.And as the Koran is seeing as the literal and unblemished word of God ,many Muslims see it as their holy duty to act upon these words.
    And before you mention it yes there is some nasty Christian fundamentalists but even the most hardcore of these do not carry out the almost daily acts of slaughter we see perpetrated in the name of Islam.

    73
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    Mute Brian Ward
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 1:49 PM

    Morticia, any chance that you could clarify your point that “, any idiot can take the Koran and make it out to say what ever they want it to say and yiu seem to have done so”. I can’t seem to see anywhere in my post where I gave any interpretation of the Koran, the Bible or any other text for that matter.

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    Mute Enda Connolly
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 2:01 PM

    Perhaps they are more concerned with offering support to Mr.Sattar after his recent tragedy? Please don’t be so quick to judge.
    To be fair, we haven’t heard a whole lot of apologizing from our own church in the wake of multiple revelations of child abuse by its priests. Instead they cover it up. I know it’s not a mass killing spree, but it’s an act against humanity nonetheless.

    19
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    Mute Brian Ward
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 2:08 PM

    Al Shamen, you still don’t get it do you? These terrorist groups use religion to brainwash recruits to follow more earthly goals. It could be AQIM and their smuggling and robbery aims, the Taliban and their control of the 40,000 or so tons of opiates in Afghanistan or AQAP and their political takeover of Yemen. Of course we can’t leave out Boku Haram and their use of “Islamic Jihad” as a cover for bank robbery, fraud, people trafficking and so on.

    If you look at all terrorist groups that use religion as a supposed motivating goal you will find at the core root either a criminal or political aim and normally both. Religion is just a tool for getting simple minded muppets to quite happily murder innocent people or blow themselves up while their leaders are at home watching the Premiership on Sky Sports.

    As one commentator said of the al Aqsa martyrs brigade, you never saw the leaders or the leaders children volunteering to become martyrs.

    29
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    Mute Morticia
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 2:15 PM

    I get it now. When these RoP boys shout ‘ Allahu Akbar ‘ as they shoot and bomb and hack off heads its really their version of ‘up the dubs’ or ‘go on ye boy ye’.

    32
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    Mute Brian Ward
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 2:26 PM

    Margaret, look at the historical context of that statement and then come back to me.

    If you want to take things so literally without putting them into context then maybe this verse from the Bible might interest you…..

    “If a man is caught in the act of raping a young woman who is not engaged, he must pay fifty pieces of silver to her father. Then he must marry the young woman because he violated her, and he will never be allowed to divorce her.” Deuteronomy 22:28-29

    If the Bible is the Word of God then do you think that you should condemn this verse? A verse which I selectively picked out to suit my own ends and agenda. See how simple it is.

    14
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    Mute al shamen
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 2:36 PM

    Interesting that you picked a verse from the Old Testament,you do know the teachings of Christianity are based for the most part on the New Testament?

    31
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    Mute al shamen
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 2:43 PM

    @Brian Ward
    Oh okay so the Taliban are the same as a South American drug cartel all that implementation of Sharia law and blowing up Buddhist statues was just about control of Heroin supply.And Bin Laden was just an Arabian version of Pablo Escobar who was busy watching Arsenal playing in the Champions League as the 9/11 hijackers crashed the planes.

    Do you realise how silly you sound?

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    Mute Brian Ward
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 2:51 PM

    Really! I’ll ring the Vatican and tell them that they can throw out the Old Testament then. It will save a lot of people a lot of time.

    My point being that the Old and New Testaments make up what is known as “The Bible”. Both Old and New Testament verses are used in the Sacrament of the Mass and we all hear the teachings of Moses, the flight from Egypt etc so the Old Testament is still relevant to the Christian faith.

    What is interesting is your need somewhat disassociate Christianity from a verse of the Bible the moment it becomes inconvenient to you. So in a way you are actually trying to pick out the bits that you like and forget about the bits that you don’t like so as to suit your argument. A bit like those pesky Muslims!

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    Mute Enda Connolly
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 2:56 PM

    Really Al?!… If you learned Christianity from the new testament, then you are missing out. I learned about how God created the universe in 6 days, and rested on the 7th. I learned the story of Moses, and Noah’s Ark, even stuff about 10 commandments. Guess where they come from. Its a 50-50, and I can give you a hint. It’s not the new testament.
    Like I said before, ill-informed propaganda. QED

    15
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    Mute al shamen
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 3:08 PM

    I don’t need to disassociate Christianity from anything,I know too well plenty of it;s adherents have been guilty of great crimes in the past.But I also know it’s been through a reformation and an enlightenment and the nastier verses of the Bible are ignored by Christians today.Same with Judaism.
    The same cannot be said for Islam which is stuck firmly in the 8th century.Case in point Saudi Arabia.The custodian of Islam.

    28
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    Mute Brian Ward
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 3:11 PM

    The Taliban who blew up the Buddhist statues were rebellious zealots, the same type that you get in every religion. If the Taliban were so religious in a religion that outlaws homosexuality then when is it common practice for men to take boys as “servants”. The heroin that they are trying to get their hands on is to finance their Government. That heroin is as a result of a 40 times increase in production since NATO went in in 2001. There was less heroin in AFPAK under the Taliban but the way they see it, if it’s there they might as well use it. With the pull out of NATO troops expect the street price of heroin to hit the floor.

    As for Bin Laden he was motivated by what he saw as Americas betrayal and abandonment of AFPAK as soon as the Soviets pulled out. He had nothing to do with drugs, it was all the local warlords.

    As for my comment about watching the TV, this is the second time that I have had to simplify things for you. The comment was about stupid people believing manipulated religious doctrine and going out killing and getting killed while their fearless leaders were safe in their homes. The whole Premiership and Sky Sports was to add a bit of colour and derision to the comment. For someone who complains about Muslims taking things too literally you are no one to talk.

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    Mute al shamen
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 3:13 PM

    @Enda Connolly

    Did you read the bit where I said ‘for the most part’ Were you raised as a Catholic?If you were you should know most of the teachings come from the New Testament,you know based around the live of certain Jesus Christ.

    19
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    Mute Brian O Cinneide
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 3:19 PM

    The Old Testament was composed for illiterate peasants and is a lot of hogwash.

    16
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    Mute Brian O Cinneide
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 3:24 PM

    Did you ever hear the words from a pashtun poem, “There is a boy across the river with a bottom like a peach but, alas, I cannot swim”?

    16
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    Mute al shamen
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 3:24 PM

    @Brian Ward

    I could not be bothered at this stage replying to your long winded and rambling responses,but may I make a suggestion that you take the time educate yourself and study Salafism,Wahhabism and Qutbism.It might make things a little clearer for you.

    19
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    Mute Brian Ward
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 3:49 PM

    Al Shamen if you find my structured and logical arguments too much for you then I won’t hold that against you. I have studied Salafism,Wahhabism and Qutbism some bit and have a working knowledge of them, I also have the academic qualifications to back up my study of political violence and terrorism. Most of all I treat all religions the same and try not to take a bigoted approach to anyone type no matter how much I might dislike the teachings.

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    Mute al shamen
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 4:15 PM

    May I suggest you take a refresher course,it seems to have washed right over you.

    17
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    Mute Enda Connolly
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 4:33 PM

    @ Al… In what faith I was raised is completely irrelevant. What I am thankful for is having been educated and encouraged to have respect for all people equally. There is nothing to fear but fear itself. And much of the comments on this thread are people who fear what they do not know. Your comments may be well intentioned, and I believe they probably are, but they also fuel the misconception of many others about another religion. There really is no need for it.

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    Mute al shamen
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 5:01 PM

    @Enda

    The misconception is that Islam is a religion of peace.It is not.Of course we know that a majority of Muslims are peaceful people,but the teachings of Islam itself are anything but peaceful.And a large minority are intent on acting upon these less than peaceful teachings.

    Muhammed the central figure of Islam a man who Muslims view as one who should be emulated,would be judged a war criminal and a paedophile by today’s standards.

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    Mute Brian Ward
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 5:02 PM

    Al Shamen, Universities don’t hand out First Class honours to students whose course washed over them.

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    Mute Enola Straight
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 5:06 PM

    Enda – Catholics don’t plug five year-olds with assault rifles. These are barbaric coward of the worst kind. Take them out. Now. Before it is too late.

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    Mute Paul Furey
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 5:24 PM

    Quote from the article.

    “There are no women, all the terrorists are men. Some of them had dressed like women,”

    Thats them fecked when they meet which ever god they think they believe in.

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    Mute al shamen
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 5:27 PM

    My last comment appears to have washed over you as well.Just out of curiosity what are your Qualifications,from which institution did you gain them,why do you feel the need to plug them,and do you feel they give you the definitive opinion on this topic?

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    Mute Mike Houlihan
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 8:54 PM

    Brian, give it a rest. These Islamists are a disgrace to humanity and modernism.
    You can take your study of this rubbish and stick it where the sun don’t shine.
    I, for one, am fed up with these followers of mo and there filthy violence. It should be banned in every western country.

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    Mute Mike Houlihan
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 8:57 PM

    Well what are you going to do with your first class honour? I suggest you start with going up to clonskeagh and asking the mullah to give a rant on the evils of fundamentalist Islam.

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    Mute Enola Straight
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 9:43 PM

    Mike you are 100% right about the ban.

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    Mute ThomasFrancisMeagher
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 4:17 PM

    Real brave soldiers of Islam. Attacking a shopping centre instead of an army base. Cowards.

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    Mute Jim Flavin
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 6:18 PM

    Real brave soldiers of Islam. Attacking a shopping centre instead of an army base. Cowards.”

    – unlike the USA who bomb civilians in Vietnam , Iraq Afghanistan , Yemen – etc etc – and who have a President who makes out a weekly murder list .
    One poster here said it was necessary for Obama to murder civilians – so he could get the guy he wants to kill !!.
    Same as ever – one rule for West another for those that oppose – and as ever the Western Propaganda machine works well .

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    Mute Michelle Mc Loughney
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 12:40 PM

    Don’t hold your breath Joey. They aren’t the ‘condemning kind.’

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    Mute George Vladisavljevic
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 5:54 PM

    Amazing that when a lunatic preacher from the US threatens to burn a Quran the Muslim world goes on the rampage but when their own kill in the name of religion or to advance it as is the case in Nairobi or the attack on a church in Pakistan that killed over 80, there is no condemnation.

    Quite surprised actually that the attack on the church is not making more headlines here or around the world.

    http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/suicide-attack-on-pakistani-church-kills-81-1.1863657

    Religion of peace?

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    Mute Morticia
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 6:02 PM

    @George Vladisavljevic, it was covered here yesterday but you are right, the MSM are afraid to highlight the murder and persecution of Christian and other religions by the RoP.

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    Mute Ben Reilly
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 6:20 PM

    Don’t forget the cartoon !!

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    Mute Morticia
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 6:38 PM

    @Ben, jaziz stop, do ye want us all kilt in the street !

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    Mute Morticia
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 1:41 PM

    As a member of ‘ Mothers against being killed by Jihadis’, Foreign Affairs Wing’, may I caution against travelling to Morocco in the near future.

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    Mute Jazz O'Gorman
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 1:15 PM

    Anyone’s they don’t kill and instead capture, should be publicly hanged (slowly).

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    Mute J. Dunn
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 4:24 PM

    Life in prison is the only real punishment for them. They want to be martyred.

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    Mute Jim Flavin
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 6:12 PM

    When US sanctions killed 500,000 Iraqis – Madeline Albright said it was a price they they [ the US ] were willing to pay . It was of course the Iraqis that paid the price this dreadful price .
    I did not hear anyone calling for Madeline Albright or Bushes to be hanged tho their crime was worse .

    What this blowback now does is give the US an excuse to attack Somalia – since they would not take on Iran . Countries like Afghanistan and Somalia are what they like – more their style

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    Mute Morticia
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 1:02 PM

    And in other news..
    On September 16, 2013, the Mauritanian news agency Nouakchott news (www.ani.mr) reported that it has received a video showing seven hostages (four French, one Dutch, one Swede, and one South African) that Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) has kidnapped at different times in the past three years.

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    Mute Brian Ward
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 1:29 PM

    AQIM are nothing but a bunch of smugglers and gangsters hiding behind religion. A bit like the INLA used to say that they were “Republicians”.

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    Mute Deirdre Mac Mahon
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 3:31 PM

    You might be right
    Doesn’t stop them being cutthroat . They want hard € for their captives.
    We haven’t been told how much the French paid to liberate the family of 7 taken hostage in Cameroon and held subsequently by the Boko Haram group in Nigeria
    Hard to generalize though . There are really a lot of hard line fundamentalist nutters who Believe.

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    Mute ptriley
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 5:47 PM

    Any terrorist that was killed is on his way to heaven for fun and games with 147 beautiful virgins.Do gay muslim terrorists meet gay virgins in heaven ?

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    Mute Morticia
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 4:50 PM

    Don’t forget that this Islamic peace mission now extends from Chechnya right down to Nigeria [and beyond] It is all interlinked. Comparisons to historical events and other religions are odious as the dead are counted and laid to rest in Kenya and Pakistan and Syria and on and on.There is no justification or excusing the murderous march of fundamental Islam.

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    Mute Ben Reilly
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 6:20 PM

    Couldn’t agree more.. Where is the statement from Clonskeagh Mosque condemning this ??? Oh wait we probably need to publish a cartoon for a reaction … Shower of idiots

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    Mute Debi-Nikita Rathbone-Rentzke
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 4:01 PM

    So sad, heard this morning that a friend of my nephew and her mother have both been shot dead.

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    Mute karla carroll
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 2:46 PM

    Would have thought they would have pumped sleeping gas into the ventilation system. Take out the terrorists while they are sleepy or sleeping..

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    Mute Deirdre Mac Mahon
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 3:36 PM

    Didn’t work in the theatre in Russia
    Nearly everybody died ( fentanyl: anesthetic )

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    Mute karla carroll
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 4:05 PM

    What’s the alternative? Let terrorists shoot them.

    I remember that incident and I agreed with the decision to use the gas. It was the lessor of 2 evils.

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    Mute Enda Connolly
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 11:12 PM

    Deirdre – was it really fentanyl that they used in that incident? To my knowledge, fentanyl is marketed in a single form, and that’s as a liquid for injection. It’s highly potent, and would kill in sufficient doses, but not in gaseous form.

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    Mute Morticia
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 2:27 PM

    Is the white woman seen in the Mall the ‘White Widow.’ ?

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    Mute Deirdre Mac Mahon
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 3:34 PM

    Morticia
    Please explain? Thanks

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    Mute Brian Ward
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 3:52 PM
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    Mute Morticia
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 3:55 PM
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    Mute Deirdre Mac Mahon
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 9:57 PM

    Thanks for the links :-/

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    Mute Morticia
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 2:06 PM

    Jamal Osman, a journalist who works with ITN and Channel 4 News, says he has spoken to al-Shabaab, who have told him that their fighters are watching the television on the siege inside the mall.[DT]

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    Mute Morticia
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 2:48 PM

    Samantha Lewthwaite aka the ‘White Widow’ is from Banbridge, I feel certain that she will receive the same assistance from our Government as they afforded the Clonskeagh Four should she need it.

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    Mute Deirdre Mac Mahon
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 3:38 PM

    Hope so
    But banbridge is In the north…
    Don’t think these guys care much about passeports though.

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    Mute AICS (Steve Tracey)
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 9:59 PM

    Aylesbury widow of one of the London July 7 suicide bombers. Arrest warrants in Kenya and UK,

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    Mute Morticia
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 12:17 PM

    Better late than never.

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    Mute Enola Straight
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 5:03 PM

    Scombag cowards.

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    Mute Dom Morgan
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 1:14 PM

    I reckon Kenyan army and police are pretty shabby. This has been going on for 3 days now and reports say it’s only 15 al-Shabaab in there. They are now ‘storming’ the mall. Something they should have done about 3-6 hours after the standoff begun.

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    Mute Morticia
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 1:19 PM

    @Dom, bit of an expert in these things are you? How would you advise the Kenyans to proceed?

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    Mute Dom Morgan
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 1:26 PM

    Depends on the intel available but for sure with al-Shabaab being unhinged (no demands only the drive to kill according to reports) there is no justification for delays.

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    Mute Alan Burke
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 6:27 PM

    Press up on your D-Pad there Dom and call in an air strike.

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    Mute AICS (Steve Tracey)
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 7:48 PM

    Dom,
    Two highly successful operations against terrorist hostage takers Libyan Embassy in London and Mogadishu took place after a long time of watching, listening, evaluating and planning before the assaults were mounted. Going in immediately with all guns blazing doesn’t work.
    I suggest before making stupid comments try and learn a bit, even join one of thevservices who do/may get involved and go through the training. Although they probably won’t take you.

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    Mute Dom Morgan
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 9:34 PM

    Steve, I spent years in service and my suggestion to you is to try to understand a key difference between a situation with hostage takers who have a list of demands and an agenda to negotiate and a situation with killers without demands and with the goal of achieving an impact with high body count. The former does not begin with dozens of deaths and facilitate an analytical approach. The latter as is the case today in Kenya begins with indiscriminate killing and does not provide the luxury of perfect planning and intel. So get informed a bit yourself and don’t try to be smart with things you don’t fully understand.

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    Mute AICS (Steve Tracey)
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 10:03 PM

    Initial reports stated hostages being kept, terrorists stated themselves that they would kill hostages. I served 18 years seeing a fair bit of active service. Lived ih areas where terrorists were operating as a child (father was Army)

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    Mute Dom Morgan
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    Sep 24th 2013, 3:25 AM

    The first 2.5 hours had seen the death toll going to 40. This was not a situation with hostage holding to negotiate demands. This was a shoot to kill mission. There has been no demands just indiscriminate killing of non-muslims from the beginning.

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    Mute AICS (Steve Tracey)
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 7:43 PM

    Hope the Kenyan Security Forces and emergency services as well as any Israeli, British or US people involved don’t lose too many if any.

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    Mute Shane Morris
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 1:13 PM

    Why are the Armed Police in the Pic wearing berets and not helmets while under fire??

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    Mute Dom Morgan
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 1:15 PM

    Because the money intended for helmets went for the chief of police new Land Cruiser.

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    Mute margaret
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 1:29 PM

    …and thats no joke.

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    Mute Jason Culligan
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 2:09 PM

    A helmet isn’t much good against an assault rifle anyway. They can stop some handgun rounds but that’s about it, a .45 pistol or any military rifle will glide right through a modern helmet.

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    Mute Rugby DadaiO
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 4:27 PM

    I think it is simplistic to single out all religion as the problem. Large scale conflict inherently contains nationalism, race, economics, and culture clash. As a side note, those who frame the Protestant/Catholic conflict in Ireland over the centuries as purely a religious conflict really only understand it in at superficial level. Religion is a simplistic banner to fight under but it does rally the troops.

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    Mute Jim Flavin
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 5:45 PM

    Would this attack have taken place if Kenya had not invaded Somalia in 2011- probably not – but we hear little of that attack by Kenya . Kenya invaded Somalia – with US and French support – now Kenya and others pay the price unfortunately – but to simplistically describe this action as mindless Terrorism – while the West gets aqway with its Terrorism is to miss the point completely .

    ”What the USA Today op-ed fails to mention, even as it alludes to impending military intervention in Somalia, is that Kenya has already participated in military operations against its northern neighbor, including a full-scale military invasion complete with US and French military support in 2011. In the UK Independent’s October 2011 article, “Somali invasion backed by West, says Kenya,” it was reported that:”

    full article– http://www.globalresearch.ca/kenyan-bloodbath-reaping-the-benefits-of-us-africom-collaboration/5351037

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    Mute Morticia
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 6:16 PM

    There is no excuse for Islamic slaughter of the Kuffar. The French couple executed in the Nairobi atrocity had nothing to do with the Kenyan action in Somalia. Only the deluded would try to justify this slaughter.

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    Mute Amaru Lee Murphy
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    Sep 23rd 2013, 6:21 PM

    The Al Shabaab were the first to cross the border into Kenya. Also remember the embassy bombing in 1998.

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