I must disagree that Europe is broken and defenceless.
Obviously we need to hear what actually happened and who was actually responsible but unless one wants to live in a prison camp or in 1984 there is no real way of stopping someone who is determined to commit suicide and take innocent people with him. And the unacceptable price is the cost of living in a democracy. Wish it were not so. But I'd rather live in Europe or the United Kingdom with the risks that implies than in the sort of hell hole envisaged by Trump or erdogan.
According to The Guardian newspaper the death toll has regretfully risen to 22. And whilst the so called Islamic State have claimed responsibility for the killings , and as Mandy Rice Davies might say they would, wouldn't they, this has not yet been confirmed by the authorities.
A vigil is taking place in Manchester tonight to show solidarity and sympathy with the deceased and their families. And this response by ordinary public is evidence why the terrorists will never win
According to the BBC the murderer was one Salman Abedi. Born in Manchester his family was of Libyan origin. Whether they had sought asylum here has not yet been announced.
It is particularly difficult to identify a potential murderer when he is born over here. Presumably MI5 will share what information they have in due course.
What is heartening is the queue of people seeking to donate blood, the number of people who have opened their homes and hotels to people stranded overnight, to taxi drivers ensuring people got home when public transport was disrupted.
It is great seeing a city come together after tragedy. And i say that as a Yorkshireman who can normally find little positive to say about those on the dark side of the Pennines
One of my grandparents was a refugee who came to this country. Many of our great industrialists, Michael marks of Marks and Spencer comes immediately to mind, musicians and authors came from immigrant families. This country has benefitted greatly from their contributions. Sure they weren't Arabs but I have little doubt that they will in due course also make their contribution.
Yes there are bad apples amongst them but then there always were.
So please forgive me if I disagree with your hypothesis.
I guess we are faced with a risk and benefit analysis. On the one hand there is the fact that there may be a terrorist who commits an offence. This is mitigated by the skills of the police and the secret services in monitoring them. So far this has been reasonably successful. Hopefully this will continue.
On the other hand there are the benefits we will get from a influsion of new blood from immigration.
I think the benefits outweigh the disadvantages.
But in any event I think this bird has fled the coup. The last two attacks have come from native Brits. Clearly we can't deport people born over here. So it's probably too late for us to sort things out even if we wanted to. And I have no doubt that this applies to,other European countries and also the USA.
The terrorists are probably already here. I guess we have to pray that the monitors are successful
"With Allah’s grace and support, a soldier of the Khilafah managed to place explosive devices in the midst of the gatherings of the Crusaders in the British city of Manchester.
The explosive devices were detonated in the shameless concert arena. What comes next will be more severe on the worshipers of the Cross and their allies."