Manchester terror attack
Last week, the world was hit by another major terrorist attack in the English city of Manchester. It is the worst terrorist attack in the United Kingdom since the July 7 bombings in 2005 in which 52 people were killed by four suicide bombers. The latest incident was particularly disheartening as most of its victims […]
Last week, the world was hit by another major terrorist attack in the English city of Manchester. It is the worst terrorist attack in the United Kingdom since the July 7 bombings in 2005 in which 52 people were killed by four suicide bombers. The latest incident was particularly disheartening as most of its victims were children and young people. At least 22 people were killed and about 59 were injured at Manchester Arena, shortly after pop singer Ariana Grande concluded a concert. The crowd was beginning to disperse when an explosion rocked the area.
The attacker, identified as Salman Abed, was born and raised in Manchester in 1994, though of Libyan origin. He died in the incident while his father and brother were detained in Libya. The Islamic State [IS] has since claimed responsibility for the act. British Prime Minister Theresa May said “all acts of terrorism are cowardly attacks on innocent people but this attack stands out for its appalling, sickening cowardice, deliberately targeting innocent, defenceless children and young people who should have been enjoying one of the most memorable nights of their lives.” She raised the UK threat level to the highest possible rating.
We join the families, people of Manchester and the United Kingdom government in mourning the death just as we condemn the action in its totality. We also urge the British security agencies to ensure that no stone is left unturned in unravelling the circumstances behind the attack and to apprehend all those responsible. We also commend the authorities of Manchester city for promptly warning citizens against using the incident to instigate hate against minority groups. They should not stop there. They should avoid taking decisions or formulating policies that may discriminate against citizens who hail from some countries from which some terrorist organizations operate.
Terrorism has become a global threat and as such cannot be seen as one country or region’s problem. Therefore, all hands must be on deck in tackling this menace. As the world searches for a lasting solution to this menace, it is necessary for the Western world to engage with other parts of the world meaningfully. Not that there is any justification for attacks such as this one, but it is important for all countries and their citizens to feel that they are part of the global world. It should review its policies to accommodate all. All countries should be treated fairly without any form of discrimination against any.
It is worthy of note that the youngest among those arrested in connection with the incident is 18 years. This further goes to highlight the current trend of youth radicalization. Parents are therefore duty bound to as much as possible monitor their children and the groups they belong to on Social Media. If they notice anything untoward or suspicious, they should report to the appropriate authorities so that action can be taken before it is too late. According to reports, Salmon’s father had observed that something was off about his son, long before the attack and he took some steps to check him but if he had spoken to the authorities, maybe the disaster would have been averted. Reports say Abedi was repeatedly flagged to the authorities over his extremist views and that he also had links to several British-based jihadis with IS connections.
Why was he not properly monitored? How was he able to travel all the way from Libya back to the UK, where he committed the havoc? This should serve as a lesson to security agents across the world not to take chances, especially in view of the current situation across the world. Information sharing among security personnel is crucial in curbing this menace.
Since it has been observed that most attackers are radicalized, there is the need to institute a de-radicalisation programme, where youths can be purged of the hate that may have been injected into them and taught the true tenets of their religions.