UK - 22 dead in explosion at Ariana Grande gig, Manchester, 22 May 2017 #1

[margarita25]

"The last time the country deployed troops was in 2003 in reaction to a plot by a suspected al Qaeda cell to bring down a British airliner. But it was only at Heathrow Airport.

Likewise, there have only been two prior instances when the threat level was raised*to "critical." Both were in response to a specific plot or attack:

-- In 2007, a man tried to ram a burning four-wheel-drive, loaded with gas canisters, through the main terminal of Glasgow Airport.

-- In 2006, officials thwarted a plot to simultaneously blow up as many as 10 jets leaving Britain for the US."

Source: CNN (gah how do I link without getting that plug in box?)

 

[dotr]

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news...med-salman-abedi-suicide-attack-ariana-grande

this is one of the first pictures of Manchester suicide bomber, Salman Abedi, taken some years ago during a class at a mosque. Photograph: handout

“Salman? I’m astonished by this,” one member of Manchester’s Libyan community told the Guardian. “He was such a quiet boy, always very respectful towards me. His brother Ismail is outgoing, but Salman was very quiet. He is such an unlikely person to have done this.”

Salman and his brother Ismail worshipped at Didsbury mosque, where their father, who is known as Abu Ismail within the community, is a well-known figure. “He used to do the five and call the adhan. He has an absolutely beautiful voice. And his boys learned the Qur’an by heart.

But others had a different recollection. Mohammed Saeed, a senior figure of Didsbury Mosque and Islamic Centre, said Salman Abedi had looked at him “with hate” after he gave a sermon criticising Isis and Ansar al-Sharia in Libya.

Saeed said he gave a strong sermon against terrorism and about the sanctity of life in 2015. He said 2,000 members of the mosque were with him; a small number were not; and a few signed a petition criticising him.
“Salman showed me a face of hate after that sermon,” he said. “He was showing me hatred.”

Saeed said a friend was so worried that he got his adult children to sit beside Salman Abedi in case he was attacked Saeed.
Saeed, who was born in Libya and came to the UK in 1980, said he was worried he would be labelled a “snitch”. But he said: “I have to speak out to protect our community, to protect innocent people.”

 

[gregjrichards]

I do not know how to feel about this monster getting coverage in the press. I understand it is news but I hate to think his notoriety is inspiring others to die for their cause. No criticism of you intended dotr.

 

[Eloise]

I do not know how to feel about this monster getting coverage in the press. I understand it is news but I hate to think his notoriety is inspiring others to die for their cause. No criticism of you intended dotr.

Same. It's what they want. IS feed on media coverage of these attacks. It's a fine balance between keeping people informed as much as they need to be and not letting IS get off on the endless coverage.

Charlotte Campbell has just confirmed her daughter Olivia has died in the attack. Heartbreaking.

May Olivia Campbell Rest In Peace.

so, so sad, and what I came here to find out. I knew when she wasn't found by last night (my time) - the time around which all the other missing, but alive people had been located by - that this would be the result.

her poor family.

We think that this is Isis at it's worst---but look what is going on RIGHT NOW in the Philippines:

Sadly, terrorism outside of the west seems to be viewed by western media as business as usual and not worthy of coverage. People are people, though. It's wrong.

Ariana Grande has arrived back in the U.S she is receiving backlash on social media for not staying to visit her young victims in hospital. I don't think this criticism is justified at the moment, perhaps a special meet and greet can be arranged at a later date.

people are ridiculous. I fully believe that if she HAD stayed and HAD done that she'd cop criticism that she was cashing in on a tragedy for PR. She can't win so she should do what works for her and I think going home IS best. I'm sure no non-essential personnel are welcome in ICUs and wards anyway, she can come back, if she thinks its best, when people are in recovery not still critical.



I do wonder about how this guy got in, even to foyer. I guess security starts at where only ticket holders can get in? From now on there will probably be security even outside venues. Might make it harder for young people to attend concerts "on their own" if their parents can't easily gather outside to wait. I wonder if that made this concert in particular appealing? that there would be a lot of adults mingling around the foyer while their kids were inside about to come out??? Or did they/he not think that far.


Also I don't think Ariana was targeted for being from the US> The UK is very much a terror target all on its own. IS twitter accounts specifically were calling the UK out, saying this was retribution for the RAF bombing Syrian children. I doubt IS actually gives a **** about syrian children, but they were nonetheless saying this was very much about the UK.

 

[LaborDayRN]

Charlotte Campbell has just confirmed her daughter Olivia has died in the attack. Heartbreaking.

May Olivia Campbell Rest In Peace.

:rose:

 

[creepcrusher]

Charlotte Campbell has just confirmed her daughter Olivia has died in the attack. Heartbreaking.

May Olivia Campbell Rest In Peace.

Oh man. That's so sad. Her video pleas were heartbreaking. Fly high Olivia.

 

[littlemo2015]

was hoping Olivia would be ok , how devastating

 

[lizziginne]

Been awake for almost 20 hours now, can't sleep, just lying here feeling so helpless. So many young, vulnerable people targeted. It could have so easily been someone I knew
I usually find knowing as much as possible about an event like this is comforting to me, but tonight I just feel so shaken.
May all the victims, and their families find their peace ❤️


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Spellbound]

Charlotte Campbell has just confirmed her daughter Olivia has died in the attack. Heartbreaking.

May Olivia Campbell Rest In Peace.

I tried to hold out a bit of hope she would be found, perhaps injured but alive. I saw her mother pleading for any info/help and was heartbroken. :rose:

Gregjrichards, Thank you for the updates as these come in. I don't know why the names should matter so much to me, but they do. I think they really personalize and memorialize these victims. Unfortunately, this brings back 9-11 and being here with WS peeps who were worrying about their relatives and friends. we all came together then as we are now.

my heartaches grow with each of these awful incidents, for the victims and for all of us. :tears:

 

[jamiect]

Manchester- 5/22/17. Ariana Grande sings "One Last Time" shortly before explosion.
[video=youtube;GYPvlLcCOMk]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYPvlLcCOMk[/video]

 

[gregjrichards]

Been awake for almost 20 hours now, can't sleep, just lying here feeling so helpless. So many young, vulnerable people targeted. It could have so easily been someone I knew
I usually find knowing as much as possible about an event like this is comforting to me, but tonight I just feel so shaken.
May all the victims, and their families find their peace ❤️


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I totally understand how you feel. Please look after yourself and try and take a break from following this tragedy for a while to do something you enjoy.

 

[gregjrichards]

Two further victims have been named.

Two mums who were waiting to pick up their daughters from the Ariana Grande concert both died in the suicide bombing , their families said last night.

Alison Howe, 45, and Lisa Lees, 47, from Royton, Oldham, were in the foyer together when the blast went off.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/mums-waiting-collect-teenage-daughters-10486764

May they Rest In Peace.

 

[crhedBngr]

I do wonder about how this guy got in, even to foyer. I guess security starts at where only ticket holders can get in? From now on there will probably be security even outside venues. Might make it harder for young people to attend concerts "on their own" if their parents can't easily gather outside to wait. I wonder if that made this concert in particular appealing? that there would be a lot of adults mingling around the foyer while their kids were inside about to come out??? Or did they/he not think that far.

RBBM

Not sure what the screening procedures were for the Ariana concert, but here's what DH and I went through when attending the U2 concert at the Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, CA, this past Sunday (05/21):

1. When attending a Rose Bowl concert, all non-prohibited items brought in must fit into a 12" x 6" x 12" see-through plastic tote. (Roughly 30.48 x 15.24 x 30.48 cm for our UK readers.) NO EXCEPTIONS.

2. All of us passed through metal detectors, similar to the ones at U.S. airports. DH had to take metal keys out of his pocket and put them into a receptacle for Security to see.

3. After going through the metal detectors, we each had to go through narrow openings in a high metal fence when presenting our tickets to Security. (One person at a time.)

4. When leaving, Security herded us through exits. They did not prohibit people from going back into the stadium, which definitely poses a problem, IMHO.

We had issues with our tickets not scanning, so we had to get this cleared with the "Will Call" service. Both times, Security checked my cell-phone holder that I had attached to my belt.

Stricter security will be enforced for Houston's U2 concert: http://www.khou.com/entertainment/s...-u2-john-legend-concerts-in-houston/442168973.

Just a bit of info.

May the Victims RIP.

 

[klily444]

https://www.facebook.com/MissingPiecesNetwork/posts/1681052245534280

Sadly, a number of concert goers who attended the Ariana Grande concert at the Manchester Arena are still missing. Below are the names and photos of those unaccounted for. We will update as more information becomes available.

 

[crhedBngr]

https://www.facebook.com/MissingPiecesNetwork/posts/1681052245534280

Sadly, a number of concert goers who attended the Ariana Grande concert at the Manchester Arena are still missing. Below are the names and photos of those unaccounted for. We will update as more information becomes available.

A heart-felt "Thanks" to all of you who are keeping us posted.

 

[dotr]

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toron...to-reacts-to-deadly-concert-bombing-1.4127433

Sidewalk art featuring the phrase 'Strength to Manchester' on Bay Street at College Street, in Toronto on May 23, 2017. (Linda Kelly/CBC)

[h=1]'Strength to Manchester': Toronto reacts to deadly concert bombing[/h]
[h=3]Toronto artist creates sidewalk art to commemorate the lives lost in Manchester, England[/h]

Staff and visitors at Toronto's British Consulate arrived Tuesday morning to find a message of solidarity emblazoned on their front sidewalk: "Strength to Manchester."

"I wanted to do it because the people at the consulate would be coming into work with very heavy hearts this morning," said artist Victor Fraser.

Fraser painted the message on the pavement Monday night after learning of the attack. He had previously left a message reading "strength" with a Union Jack in front of the consulate after the 2005 London bombings.

"It's very important to me as a free Canadian artist to battle back to these acts of hate," he said.

[h=2]The attack is weighing heavily on the minds of other Torontonians, including the many who follow Manchester's hugely popular soccer team, Manchester United F.C.[/h]"It's quite shocking and disheartening," said Graham Pate, treasurer of the Manchester United Supporters Club of Canada.
Pate and other club members have visited to watch matches and some have friends and family in Manchester year round. The club started checking in on people in the city after learning of the attack

 

[LadyL]

Ariana is back in the States for now.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/re...returns-U-S-following-Manchester-bombing.html

 

[Snick1946]

My college son is in the UK now on a school trip, he will be returning Saturday. I know London, where he is, is a ways from Manchester but this is just worrisome. Trying not to overthink this. We will be so glad when he is home.

Did anyone else see the ISIS statement calling the victims 'Crusaders'? Yeah that eight year old girl and the 18 year old med student were crusaders. Sick evil bastards.

 

[LadyL]

well you have more of a level head than me ... please let us know when your son is home safe

My college son is in the UK now on a school trip, he will be returning Saturday. I know London, where he is, is a ways from Manchester but this is just worrisome. Trying not to overthink this. We will be so glad when he is home.

Did anyone else see the ISIS statement calling the victims 'Crusaders'? Yeah that eight year old girl and the 18 year old med student were crusaders. Sick evil bastards.

 

[LadyL]

at this link is a diagram of the stadium, showing where the concert-goers entered and where the bomber was
there are four exits and the bomber entered the Victoria Station exit 'through unsecured outer doors'
scroll down about 1/4 of the page

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4535338/Police-swoop-home-bomber-Salman-Abedi-s-brother.html