It’s not even a month since I last posted on the Sydney Siege. Memories are still fresh and while the affected individuals are still recovering, the Charlie Hebdo incident sends a sharp shiver down the spine of the entire world.
My heart is with Paris. 14 months ago I was there, charmed by the rich architecture and its deep culture. It’s special because it’s the first European country I set foot on, hosted throughout the trip by a lovely and warm couple.
I was following the live updates on Telegraph when I was caught off caught by the news. First of the terrorists taking hostage in a printing company, followed by another hostage situation at kosher supermarket. The drama unfollowing before my eyes felt unreal, like reading the script to a hollywood production. But they are real – the siren of the police vehicles, the spinning blade of the helicopters and smell of gunpowder. It felt as though I was at the scene.
The suspects linked to the killings are dead, but not without 17 innocents dying along them. Many are injured, some of them are in critical condition. One of them are still on the run, but I’ve no doubt that she will be apprehended soon. Meanwhile, how will France and Europe and the rest of the Western world react?
Rage make people think irrationally and make insensible decisions. We have to keep a clear head and think, think about what the consequences of what retaliation or the impact of any of the actions. This is not a case of a religion dictating its followers to carry out the attack. This is extremists in action, with an agenda in mind to unite existing extremists and recruit new followers should the Western world condemn the religion.
But as Paris and the world unite, we should take stock of the ever-increasing frequency of such terror attacks. The intensity has gotten stronger as well. It could only get worse if the leaders don’t handle the situation appropriately.
May the world be at peace.