March 22, 2017, is the first anniversary of the 2016 terrorist attack in Brussels. Three suicide bombers killed 32 people and injured 316 in the 2016 Brussels bombings at the airport and at the Maelbeek/Maalbeek metro station.
Also on this date, in 2004, Ahmed Yassin, co-founder and leader of the Palestinian Sunni Islamist group Hamas, two bodyguards, and nine civilian bystanders are killed in the Gaza Strip when hit by Israeli Air Force Hellfire missiles.
On this day, in the UK 22-3-17, at about 2:40 (2:37?) pm local time, a terrorist incident occurred. A woman was killed on Westminster Bridge in central London in what police are treating as a terrorist incident. Reportedly a police officer has died too. Five people are reported to have died. At least 40 people have been injured, some severely.
The car.
The police officer was stabbed in the nearby Houses of Parliament by an attacker, who was shot by police.
A doctor at St Thomas' Hospital said a number of other people were hurt - some with "catastrophic" injuries.
A combination of a ramming, stabbings, and shootings occurred. The scene is unfolding, and it is unclear what form of terrorism was thrown at Parliament. There are even reports of a body in the Thames. Breaking news notes that a woman has been recovered (alive) from the river.
The suspect.
This happened just across the bridge from the obelisk named Cleopatra's Needle (which I visited on March 2, 2009).
The Year 2017 has begun with car rammings in Heidelberg, New Orleans (Mardi Gras), Bellingham (UK), and during MardiGras in Gulf Shores, Alabama.
Bonjour.
ReplyDeleteOn saturday, four days before, as Kate and prince William were in France, something called like "terrorism" happened in the south suburb of Paris: a guy was shot to death after trying to get a soldier's gun in Orly airport.
It was very recently reported (about one week ago) that 'London Bridge is down' is the code for 'the Queen is dead'.
ReplyDelete