French Reactions

[JackLuis]

French authorities sweep up dozens of suspected jihadists as military jets pound ISIS strongholds

France staged pre-dawn raids on dozens of suspected Islamists and bombed Islamic State’s stronghold in Syria as the prime minister steeled the nation Monday for more bloodshed after its deadliest ever terror attacks.

As France prepared to observe a minute’s silence in honour of the at least 129 people killed in Friday’s bloodbath, police conducted “several dozen” raids across the country, uncovering in one case “an arsenal of weapons.”

Police found a rocket launcher and weapons in the southeastern city of Lyon as the manhunt for at least one “dangerous” suspect intensified.

French prosecutors said they had identified two more attackers involved in the assault, including one previously charged in a “terrorist” case.

The 28-year-old Samy Amimour was involved in the massacre of 89 people in the Bataclan concert hall, they said.

The second was carrying a Syrian passport in the name of Ahmad Al Mohammad, although authorities said the authenticity of the document had yet to be verified.

Addressing a grieving nation, Prime Minister Manuel Valls warned that more attacks could be yet to come.

“We know that operations were being prepared and are still being prepared, not only against France but other European countries too,” he told RTL radio.

 

[Hard_Rom]

A good round up every now and then is a good tactic!

The following is a partial transcript of the impromptu interview between Tim Ralfe of the CBC and Trudeau.

Tim Ralfe: …what you're talking about to me is choices, and my choice is to live in a society that is free and democratic, which means that you don't have people with guns running around in it.

Pierre Trudeau: Correct.

Ralfe: And one of the things I have to give up for that choice is the fact that people like you may be kidnapped.

Trudeau: Sure, but this isn't my choice, obviously. You know, I think it is more important to get rid of those who are committing violence against the total society and those who are trying to run the government through a parallel power by establishing their authority by kidnapping and blackmail. And I think it is our duty as a government to protect government officials and important people in our society against being used as tools in this blackmail. Now, you don't agree to this but I am sure that once again with hindsight, you would probably have found it preferable if Mr. Cross and Mr. Laporte had been protected from kidnapping, which they weren't because these steps we're taking now weren't taken. But even with your hindsight I don't see how you can deny that.

Ralfe: No, I still go back to the choice that you have to make in the kind of society that you live in.

Trudeau: Yes, well there are a lot of bleeding hearts around who just don't like to see people with helmets and guns. All I can say is, go on and bleed, but it is more important to keep law and order in this society than to be worried about weak-kneed people who don't like the looks of a soldier's helmet.

Ralfe: At any cost? How far would you go with that? How far would you extend that?

Trudeau: Well, just watch me.

Ralfe: At reducing civil liberties? To that extent?

Trudeau: To what extent?

Ralfe: Well, if you extend this and you say, ok, you're going to do anything to protect them, does this include wire-tapping, reducing other civil liberties in some way?

Trudeau: Yes, I think the society must take every means at its disposal to defend itself against the emergence of a parallel power which defies the elected power in this country and I think that goes to any distance. So long as there is a power in here which is challenging the elected representative of the people I think that power must be stopped and I think it's only, I repeat, weak-kneed bleeding hearts who are afraid to take these measures.

 

[JackLuis]

Iran’s president: Paris attacks are ‘crimes against humanity’

Hassan Rouhani postponed Saturday what would have been the first visit to Europe by an Iranian president in 10 years after attacks in Paris he described as “crimes against humanity”.

Rouhani had been due to hold talks in Rome on Saturday with Pope Francis as well as Italian counterpart Sergio Mattarella and Prime Minister Matteo Renzi before travelling on to the French capital.

Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, who had been due to travel with Rouhani, told state television he would now instead head Iran’s delegation to international talks on the Syrian conflict in Vienna.

Deputy Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian had been due to lead the Iranian team.

Rouhani sent a message of condolence to French President Francois Hollande on the shootings and bombings in Paris that killed at least 128 people, Iran’s official IRNA news agency reported.

“In the name of the Iranian people, who have themselves been victims of terrorism, I strongly condemn these crimes against humanity and offer my condolences to the grieving French people and government,” Rouhani said.

 

[dan_c00000]

Yep. Remember the "Freedom Fries" foolishness?

Ugh, sadly I do.

 

[JackLuis]

Muslim waiter braved hail of bullets to save two women’s lives during Paris terror attacks

A Muslim employee — who gave his name only as Safer — at one of the cafés targeted in the horrific attacks in Paris reportedly saved the lives of two injured women by running into the hail of bullets to drag them to safety.

According to the BBC, Safer was behind the bar at Café Nostra when shots rang out.

“I was at the counter. We heard explosions — really loud bangs,” Safer told BBC reporters. “Everyone started screaming, glass rained down on us. It was awful. There was glass all over the place, hitting us in our faces.”

He noticed two injured women outside.

“I saw two women out on the terrace had been hit. One in the wrist and in the other in the shoulder. They were bleeding really badly,” he said.

At a break in the shooting, Safer — who is of Algerian origin — ran outside and helped the two women to safety.

“I picked them up and rushed them downstairs to the basement. I sat with them and tried to stop the bleeding,” he said.

“As we were downstairs, we could hear the gunfire continuing above. It was terrifying,” he recalled.

Safer’s view, he said, is that the attacks have “nothing to do with religion.”

“Real Muslims are not made for killing people,” he said. “These are criminals.”

What should be done with War Criminals?