# London Car Bombs **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [June 30, 2007, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-car-bombs/410033 "2007-06-30T12:36:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2007, 8:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-car-bombs/410033/101 "2007-07-03T08:50:52Z")
I was in Timperley village on Monday when 2 Arabs and their wives passed over the other side of the shopping precinct. Both women wore the full face veil leaving just their eyes on display, It was all I could do to stop myself from saying something utterly out of character. Wrong I know, but unfortunately my patience is wearing very thin. My homeland is under threat yet again and as you know I love this country like no other ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2007, 8:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-car-bombs/410033/102 "2007-07-03T08:58:35Z")
There was a Muslim I heard on a phone-in radio show yesterday saying he got terrified on public transport if he saw other Muslims, and would get off the bus/tube/whatever - while acknowledging that he knew people would be scared of him too, and himself being scared of being scrutinised by everyone else and beaten up if he did something that looked ‘suspicious’. Now _that’s_ fucked up. ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2007, 9:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-car-bombs/410033/103 "2007-07-03T09:06:06Z")
How long before thugs decide to beat up a Muslim and defend their action by saying “He was doing something suspicious, I thought he had a bomb” ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2007, 9:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-car-bombs/410033/104 "2007-07-03T09:26:24Z")
[QUOTE=Siam Sam] Whatever. I’m sure you have your facts correct. Hope you get your chip off your shoulder someday, although whether you do or don’t probably won’t affect me personally either way. [/QUOTE] Translation: “I am getting my ass kicked here and wish I hadn’t stuck my oar in, but it’s beneath me to say I’m wrong.” Ignorance of the Rape of Nanking would be a more valid comparison if, say, people in my country were funnelling money into the Rape and my government knew but did nothing. ---
**Author:** ![Capt\_B.Phart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc29f/32.png) [@Capt\_B.Phart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt_B.Phart)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2007, 11:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-car-bombs/410033/105 "2007-07-03T11:36:45Z")
[QUOTE=jjimm] There was a Muslim I heard on a phone-in radio show yesterday saying he got terrified on public transport if he saw other Muslims, and would get off the bus/tube/whatever - while acknowledging that he knew people would be scared of him too, and himself being scared of being scrutinised by everyone else and beaten up if he did something that looked ‘suspicious’. Now _that’s_ fucked up. [/QUOTE] A bombing campaign carried out by doctors? us invading the wrong damn country? these are some fucked up times brother. I think the next step will be a suicide squad composed of comedians and satirists enraged by their inability to come up with anything more surreal than reality itself ---
**Author:** ![tagos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@tagos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tagos)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2007, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-car-bombs/410033/106 "2007-07-03T13:01:35Z")
[QUOTE=Capt B. Phart] I think the next step will be a suicide squad composed of comedians and satirists enraged by their inability to come up with anything more surreal than reality itself [/QUOTE] That ship sailed with Kissinger’s Nobel Peace Prize. ---
**Author:** ![Mehitabel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@Mehitabel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mehitabel)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2007, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-car-bombs/410033/107 "2007-07-03T15:07:52Z")
Wow! **tagos** is Tom Lehrer! 🆒 I’ve seen one woman with a full-face veil in the US, and she was in Cambridge of all places. Plenty of veils on the subway, though, but they show the face and are bright, cheerful colors. I’m glad they’re catching these guys, but it is so screwed up that they’re doctors, with every advantage a free country can give them. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2007, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-car-bombs/410033/108 "2007-07-04T04:10:33Z")
I’m curious about whether the Muslim community in Britain has come out with any sort of denunciation of these people and their actions. The impression I have is that they always get rather defensive about these things rather than disowning the wrongdoers involved. Any word on that? ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2007, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-car-bombs/410033/109 "2007-07-04T06:03:07Z")
[QUOTE=Siam Sam] I’m curious about whether the Muslim community in Britain has come out with any sort of denunciation of these people and their actions. The impression I have is that they always get rather defensive about these things rather than disowning the wrongdoers involved. Any word on that? [/QUOTE] There are some sections of the Muslim community that do decry the actions of the terrorists but unfortunately not enough of them. I believe the reason for this is that they themselves are possibly afraid of negative action against them for what the extremists might consider anti-Muslim behaviour ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2007, 7:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-car-bombs/410033/110 "2007-07-04T07:10:23Z")
[QUOTE=Siam Sam] I’m curious about whether the Muslim community in Britain has come out with any sort of denunciation of these people and their actions. The impression I have is that they always get rather defensive about these things rather than disowning the wrongdoers involved. Any word on that? [/QUOTE] The most prominent Islamic mouthpiece in the UK, the [Muslim Council of Britain](http://www.mcb.org.uk/), has a prominent [response](http://www.mcb.org.uk/features/features.php?ann_id=1617) to the recent terrorism on the front page of its site, which includes: > [@](#): > > …let us be absolutely clear about this: those who seek to deliberately kill or maim innocent people are the enemies of all of us. There is no cause whatsoever that could possibly justify such barbarity. Those who engage in such murderous actions and those that provide support for them are the enemies of all, Muslims and non-Muslims, and they stand against our shared values in the UK. > > The police and security services have the enormous responsibility for trying to ensure the safety of all Britons. As such they deserve the fullest support and cooperation from each and every sector of our society, including all Muslims. > > With this in mind, the Muslim Council of Britain will, this coming Saturday, be convening a meeting at the Islamic Cultural Centre in London of key Imams and leading community activists from across the country. At Saturday’s meeting we hope to discuss how we can work better with other partners, including the police, to try to undermine and defeat the terrorists who seek to attack us. It is our Islamic duty not only to utterly and totally condemn such evil actions, but to provide all the necessary support to prevent such atrocities from taking place. So, pretty decisive. There is also to be at least one anti-terrorism street protest by Muslims. Problem is the mad mullahs don’t listen to these guys - these guys represent decent people. (BTW **Siam Sam** , I like you, but you are dead wrong in your opinion on British people’s response to the US government’s negligence regarding funding of Irish Republican terror - it’s not a “chip on the shoulder”, it’s healthy outrage at blatant hypocrisy.) ---
**Author:** ![Racer1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ee59a6/32.png) [@Racer1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Racer1)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2007, 8:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-car-bombs/410033/111 "2007-07-04T08:56:37Z")
[QUOTE=jjimm] (BTW **Siam Sam** , I like you, but you are dead wrong in your opinion on British people’s response to the US government’s negligence regarding funding of Irish Republican terror - it’s not a “chip on the shoulder”, it’s healthy outrage at blatant hypocrisy.) [/QUOTE] Got to agree with that. After the sympathy and outrage, I remember the next strongest sentiment I heard from people in the UK after 9/11 was “Screw ‘em, see how they like it”. There is a train of thought that 9/11 was actually good for Britain as it turned America against any support for terrorism and effectively forced the IRA to the table. I don’t know if that holds any truth, but it’s an opinion I’ve heard a number of people express. ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2007, 8:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-car-bombs/410033/112 "2007-07-04T08:57:07Z")
That’s probably the most decisive and unequivocal statement I’ve heard from the Muslim Council of Britain. Good for them. …Didn’t they split from the British Muslims’ Council? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![chappachula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d2c977/32.png) [@chappachula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chappachula)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2007, 9:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-car-bombs/410033/113 "2007-07-04T09:28:55Z")
[QUOTE=Malacandra] That’s probably the most decisive and unequivocal statement I’ve heard from the Muslim Council of Britain. Good for them. [/quote] yes, it is the first time I’ve heard them say something more than whitewash (“don’t blame all Muslims, it’s only a small minority, but understand why some of us are angry about Iraq, Israel, etc”) Still, I would love to hear what they say to each other privately in Arabic. Is Saturday’s meeting in London going to be conducted in English? Will the press be invited? ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2007, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-car-bombs/410033/114 "2007-07-04T14:17:12Z")
[QUOTE=Malacandra] …Didn’t they split from the British Muslims’ Council? 😉 [/QUOTE] I thought that was the Muslim People’s Front of Britain. Or was it the Popular Muslim Front? ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2007, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-car-bombs/410033/115 "2007-07-04T17:38:16Z")
[QUOTE=jjimm] I thought that was the Muslim People’s Front of Britain. Or was it the Popular Muslim Front? [/QUOTE] Splitters! ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2007, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-car-bombs/410033/116 "2007-07-04T19:13:27Z")
[QUOTE=chappachula] Still, I would love to hear what they say to each other privately in Arabic. Is Saturday’s meeting in London going to be conducted in English? Will the press be invited? [/QUOTE] Why would they be speaking in Arabic? A lot of them will only know koranic Arabic, if that. The majority of them speak Urdu, I’d imagine. Many would speak Indonesian, Malay, etc. as well as the Arabic speakers. Seriously, do you think they’ll go “Hey, Abdul, secretly I love the terrorists and wish they’d succeeded in killing the infidel, oh quick, here are the cameras - er… we condemn this outrage!” ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2007, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-car-bombs/410033/117 "2007-07-05T04:04:19Z")
[QUOTE=jjimm] The most prominent Islamic mouthpiece in the UK, the [Muslim Council of Britain](http://www.mcb.org.uk/), has a prominent [response](http://www.mcb.org.uk/features/features.php?ann_id=1617) to the recent terrorism on the front page of its site, which includes:So, pretty decisive. There is also to be at least one anti-terrorism street protest by Muslims. [/QUOTE] These things should get out into the media more. For instance, is _The Times_ reporting on that? How many people are going to visit that website anyway? Too often the Muslim response I hear – I know I’m in Thailand, but I have access to BBC and other news sources – is one of, “Well, so what? What do you guys expect?” ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2007, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-car-bombs/410033/118 "2007-07-05T06:04:42Z")
[QUOTE=Siam Sam] These things should get out into the media more. For instance, is _The Times_ reporting on that? [/quote] [Yes](http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article2023003.ece). > [@](#): > > How many people are going to visit that website anyway? Too often the Muslim response I hear – I know I’m in Thailand, but I have access to BBC and other news sources – is one of, “Well, so what? What do you guys expect?” That, my friend, is the fault of the media. And selective reading by people with certain preconceptions. ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2007, 10:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-car-bombs/410033/119 "2007-07-05T10:39:07Z")
Yesterdays newspapers reported that an Asians shop in Glasgow had been ram-raided and then set afire. Police/authorities believe that this is an immediate backlash arising from the attempted Glasgow airport incident. Will it stop there or escalate? time will tell ---
**Author:** ![Szlater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90ced4/32.png) [@Szlater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Szlater)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2007, 11:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-car-bombs/410033/120 "2007-07-05T11:17:38Z")
[QUOTE=chowder] Yesterdays newspapers reported that an Asians shop in Glasgow had been ram-raided and then set afire. Police/authorities believe that this is an immediate backlash arising from the attempted Glasgow airport incident. Will it stop there or escalate? time will tell [/QUOTE] Was there a backlash towards the large Irish community in England after IRA bombings in London, Manchester, Warrington, Deal etc? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-car-bombs/410033.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-car-bombs/410033.md?page=7)