Paris Attacks

[Crumpets]

If this is ISIS-related, is it retaliation for something? Has France done anything recently that this could be a response to, or is it just terrorists being terrorists?

[Crumpets]

CNN reporting a shootout is underway between police and the attackers at the concert hall where the hostages are being held.

If this is ISIS-related, is it retaliation for something? Has France done anything recently that this could be a response to, or is it just terrorists being terrorists?

France is one of the, if not the, most islamophobic countries in Europe - that might have something to do with it.

For sure.

[Crumpets]

It's probably worth noting as well that the concert hall is not far at all from where the Charlie Hebdo shootings took place.

[Crumpets]

If this is ISIS-related, is it retaliation for something? Has France done anything recently that this could be a response to, or is it just terrorists being terrorists?

France is one of the, if not the, most Islamophobic countries in Europe - that might have something to do with it.

Yeah in recent months there has been growing animosity between the Muslim and non-Muslim communities post Charlie Hebdo now watch it get worse.

Yeah. Marine Le Pen is probably popping a bottle of champagne right now.

[Crumpets]

Canal+ and French Football Federation reporting that the Stade de France is secure and people will be allowed to leave. It looks like they've been keeping the spectators on the field.

CNN reporting the death toll is up to 60.

[Crumpets]

@michaelh992: #Breaking new attack reported in Les Halles #Paris

Another source

@tweetsintheME: Now Europe 1 is reporting a shooting in Les Halles, more central Paris, another very popular and crowded area. Hoping this is not true.

[Crumpets]

I seriously doubt this was retribution for Jihadi John. This would have taken months to plan.

[Crumpets]

So how many attacks are happening at once? Last I read earlier was there were three separate attacks.

Here's my understanding of what's happening now:

- Two shootings in the 10th and 11th arrondissements, both over. No idea how it resolved.
- Hostage situation at the Bataclan concert hall - some reports that it's over, a big shootout took place. No word on the state of the hostages.
- Two bombings near the Stade de France.
- Unconfirmed additional shooting(s) in the Louvre/Les Halles area.

[Crumpets]

MSNBC is citing a counter-terrorism official in the US government saying that this is more likely Al-Qaeda than ISIS. Just one source, so take it with a grain of salt, but I agree that this seems more similar to some of Al-Qaeda's previous attacks.

[Crumpets]

Fox reporting that Rutgars said five explosions outside the theater.

MSNBC adding that they are likely stun grenades.

[Crumpets]

This might be ridiculous, but could this have any relation to the climate talks next week? Maybe some radical group that gets its money from illicit oil sales? Just a thought.

[Crumpets]

Does anyone else have SJW friends saying that we shouldn't talk about Paris unless we also talk about Beirut and the attack in Kenya in April? It's basically all that's in my news feed right now.

Also, apparently there's a raid going on at the Pullman Hotel just a few blocks from the Eiffel Tower and the Champ de Mars. No idea if it's related, but it seems unlikely that it's just a coincidence.

[Crumpets]

Well, they were in family till the end, the other dead person in Saint-Denis officially was Abdelhamid Abaaoud, operational brain of all 'Jihadist' terror attacks in Europe in the 2010s.

Then Abdelslam would still be somewhere...

Apparently officials were convinced he was outside of Europe until very recently. It'll be interesting to know of his whereabouts over the past year if they can find that out.