I don't feel scared of terrorists, am I wrong?

[grand cherokee]

most replies seem to be 'NIMBY' - because you are not likely to be affected does not reduce the overall threat to the UK

there is a very clear and credible threat - SS/SIS do not make these things up - they work with CIA/NSA to mention a few agencies

because you don't know about these threats does no mean they do not exist

numerous 'plots' have been uncovered and stopped - but because of intelligence gathering sources used they are never released to the public

I know a bit more than most - and yes, there is a clear and present danger to UK citizens

some may be small - like a guy trying to buy a gun and attempt a 'shooting outrage' - others are far more serious like Mumbai/Kenya

what you 'good people' do not realise is that professional criminals/gun dealers will not sell to even suspected Islamists and even tip off the security services - bet that's a surprise?

neither will they smuggle arms etc into the UK

that's why the UK Islamists are stuck - they cannot buy or smuggle arms/explosives - so they have to resort to poor quality/low grade home made products

[ShaunTheSheep]

The machinery seems to work then. Why should we bother about it?

[grand cherokee]

ShaunTheSheep said:

The machinery seems to work then. Why should we bother about it?

because terrorists are always looking for the lapse in security

to paraphrase the IRA after the Brighton bombing - we have to be lucky once - you have to be lucky all the time

and that's why you should be aware/afraid - yes, 9/11 showed how the greatest intelligence apparatus the world has ever seen got caught out

lessons are learned but human fallibility is still our greatest weakness

[Rude-boy]

Given that they have yet to take to roaming the streets with their weapons and aren't setting off bangers in town every Saturday night I am currently more 'scared' about the fact I plan to go shopping to France this weekend and might dent my car if I have to run over anyone trying to force their way into it...

[ShaunTheSheep]

My level of fear does not make you more or less effective at your job.

Edit: but elevated fear levels do have a cost to the country

[mcdjl]

grand cherokee said:

most replies seem to be 'NIMBY' - because you are not likely to be affected does not reduce the overall threat to the UK

there is a very clear and credible threat - SS/SIS do not make these things up - they work with CIA/NSA to mention a few agencies

because you don't know about these threats does no mean they do not exist

numerous 'plots' have been uncovered and stopped - but because of intelligence gathering sources used they are never released to the public

I know a bit more than most - and yes, there is a clear and present danger to UK citizens

some may be small - like a guy trying to buy a gun and attempt a 'shooting outrage' - others are far more serious like Mumbai/Kenya

what you 'good people' do not realise is that professional criminals/gun dealers will not sell to even suspected Islamists and even tip off the security services - bet that's a surprise?

neither will they smuggle arms etc into the UK

that's why the UK Islamists are stuck - they cannot buy or smuggle arms/explosives - so they have to resort to poor quality/low grade home made products

In which case thanks to you, SS, SIS etc for doing a good job so that i don't live in fear. The fact that I don't fear something and that is(n't) a threat aren't the same thing though.

[onomatopoeia]

Like many I grew up in the 70s and 80s with the threat of the IRA hanging over us. I lived inside what became the M25 and went into London fairly often. My parents both worked for a major MOD supplier.

I am and have always been completely unmoved by the terrorist "threat". The politicians using it as a lever to force more and more draconian legislation onto us in the name of security is a far greater threat.

[Catatafish]

Esseesse said:

I've often wondered what the risk of terrorist activity is like at the EU Parliament. After watching that programme where Farage walks in with a camera crew, security seems lax.

Would anyone notice if they got wiped out?

[MarshPhantom]

grand cherokee said:

most replies seem to be 'NIMBY' - because you are not likely to be affected does not reduce the overall threat to the UK

there is a very clear and credible threat - SS/SIS do not make these things up - they work with CIA/NSA to mention a few agencies

because you don't know about these threats does no mean they do not exist

numerous 'plots' have been uncovered and stopped - but because of intelligence gathering sources used they are never released to the public

I know a bit more than most - and yes, there is a clear and present danger to UK citizens

some may be small - like a guy trying to buy a gun and attempt a 'shooting outrage' - others are far more serious like Mumbai/Kenya

what you 'good people' do not realise is that professional criminals/gun dealers will not sell to even suspected Islamists and even tip off the security services - bet that's a surprise?

neither will they smuggle arms etc into the UK

that's why the UK Islamists are stuck - they cannot buy or smuggle arms/explosives - so they have to resort to poor quality/low grade home made products

Surely some of these attacks that have been stopped would result in people being prosecuted for terrorism?

Why don't we hear about this?

Apart from the shoe bomber I can't think of any.

You say there is a current threat to UK citizens but that could be British people living/working abroad, which is very different to there being a threat to the UK.

Edited by MarshPhantom on Tuesday 16th September 15:43

[valiant]

WinstonWolf said:

I think us Brits are more concerned with the disruption than actually being bombed. If you grew up in the seventies you were kinda used to it...

I work on the tube and was in early the day after the 7/7 attacks when a punter comes up to me and starts ranting about why the Circle Line was suspended. Thought I'd give him the benefit of doubt (some people do tend to live in some sort of cocoon) and proceeded to tell him about the bombings the previous day. He then exploded with "You've had all night to fix it!!!!". I had to walk away.


Op, something like 3.5 billion journeys are made on the tube and around 2 billion rail journeys are made each and every year. The chances of being caught up in a terrorist attack are so tiny that they may as well be zero.

Signal failures on the other hand.....

[so called]

I try not to let it effect me but as I fly a couple of hundred times per year mainly to India and the US, I do occasionally find myself giving the odd sideways glance.
I did call the travel agent a few weeks ago to make sure India Airways were not flying the same route as Malaysia Air (not the same, I know).

[AreOut]

Esseesse said:

I've often wondered what the risk of terrorist activity is like at the EU Parliament.

hah, lightning doesn't strike into the nettle