Mumbai style attack could happen here...

[max_tranmere]

This actually bothers me a bit less than it maybe should. One could be walking around London and some gunmen appear and start indiscriminently firing at people. So there is now not only the possibility of bomb attacks on public transport but of crazed gunmen on the streets too. It was said on today's news that an SAS Unit will be on permanent stand-by and Police marksmen will be more highly trained and with more powerful weapons. Obviously this is serious but I think it is always best to just get on with your life and think it wont happen. I am thinking of staying indoors for the duration of the 2012 Olympics when that happens though. Anyone else worried about any of this?

[andy at handiwork]

'Anyone else worried about any of this?'

No.

[jimslip]

No, I'm not worried at all. If it happens it will have been inspired by some covert mission by the secret services to stir up fear and facilitate some kind of military adventure somewhere in the World.

Mumbai, was a result of Pakistan & India's mutual hatred.

[Arginald Valleywater]

Couldn't be less bothered. How many terrorist attacks do you think get foiled by MI5 and the police? More than you think, occasionally they get lucky but you could get run over by a bus or mugged...sleep easy!

[Lizard]

I'd be more interested in 'why' you think this could happen Max? why do you think this situation could possibly arise in the UK today, as opposed to say, 1985.

[max_tranmere]

Lizard, the radicalisation of people in UK jails, which has been happening in earnest in recent years. It is said that about 1 in 10 muslims in British jails become very radicalised whilst in there. The fact the muslim community and Islam in general is much more prominent in UK society than a quarter of a century go, and the anger in the minds of many people because of the UK's involvement in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars - wars that virtually everyone in Britain (including me) opposed.

[Essex Lad]

I wonder why so many people use the word "radicalised" when surely the real word is brainwashed.

I have a biography on my shelves of Joseph Chamberlain, entitled "Radical Joe". I don't recall his radicalism stretching to wanting to blow up Birmingham town hall...

[mrmcfister]

Yea I am...the goverment spin this as one of the reasons we are wasting billions on Trident submarines when the cold war ended years ago.The arms manufacturers love this bollocks.Only last week the Saudis ordered billions on arms from the USA because of fears that Iran may cause them problems.Meanwhile in Afghanistan we are losing troops to the same weirdos we supported a generation ago in getting the Soviets out.

Mumbai style attacks may happen and some self interested twats at Whitehall probably relish the idea.

[jimslip]

Totally agree, in order for the governments to squander ?billions on "Defence" they must ensure that we are in a constant state of fear. I think the only "Real" terrorist attack, that has happened here, in recent years was the attempt by that bunch of bungling Muslim doctors to crash into Glasgow airport.

[Flat_Eric]

I kind of half agree with Jim.

While I don't buy into all the conspiracy theory stuff that he frequently espouses on here, I do agree that politicians do like to try and frighten people.

Because when people are frightened, it makes it much easier for poilticians to bring in their pet legislation, be it "snooping laws" (allegedly an anti-terrorist measure), laws to combat so-called "extreme porn" (allegedly to protect us from ourselves because if we see images of women in bondage & ball gags or being fisted we're all liable to flip out and turn into violent sex fiends, dontcha know) or all manner of other oppressive "all in the public interest" bollocks that they dream up.

HOWEVER (and it's a big "however"), there's no doubt that the Iraq / Afghanistan misadventures have pissed off a lot of Muslims both here and abroad. There's also no doubt that nutty Islamists do these things to Westerners and to each other in other places around the globe.

So in view of all that, why is it such a stretch to believe that there are also nutty Islamists in the UK who want to do us harm, and would do given half a chance? All it takes is a few pounds of fertilizer and/or a few chemicals and/or a firearm or two, plus a modicum of basic technical know-how (freely available on the Internet and in certain textbooks) and a bit of forethought.

And if only one terror plan in a hundred succeeds, the Islamists have got what for them is a result.

My view is that there *is* an Islamic terror threat, and that said threat is very genuine - but having said, the threat is definitely talked up by politicians and the media, no doubt about it.

- Eric