 |
| Photo; Terror attacks in Kuwait, France and Tunis |
**Here are the latest highlights on all three attacks.
- More than 60 people have been killed across three continents, during three separate attacks in Tunisia, France and Kuwait. These attacks are not believed to be coordinated
- At least 38 people have been killed in a terrorist attack on a beachside hotel in Sousse, Tunisia and 36 wounded (eight in critical condition).The British Foreign Minister confirmed 5 Britons were among the dead, as was one Irish woman
- Guests at the Imperial Marhaba hotel, barricaded themselves in hotel rooms throughout the day. British holidaymakers are being flown back to the UK on Friday night to Gatwick, Doncaster and Manchester airports.
- Tunisia’s president said the attack was “worse than terrible” and has called for a unified international response to terrorist threats
- The Tunisian interior ministry said a gunman was killed in an exchange of fire with security forces.There were conflicting reports over whether there was another gunman, and, if so, whether he was still at large
- In Kuwait, at least 27 people were killed by an explosion at a Shia mosque in Kuwait city during Friday prayers. More than 227 people were injured.
- In France, police have arrested four people – including the main suspect Yassin Salhi – after a decapitated body was found following an attack on a factory in Saint-Quentin-Fallavier, south of Lyon. The suspect had reportedly tried to blow up the factory belonging to a US gas company
- The three attacks come just days after after an Islamic State (Isis) spokesman urged jihadists to make the holy month of Ramadan “a time of calamity for the infidels … Shias and apostate Muslims”.
- Isis has claimed the attack in Kuwait but no group has claimed the attacks in Tunisia or France
Islamic State achieve one of its great goals - the mass slaughter of British citizens in Tunisia
Thirty-nine people - mostly Britons - have been killed in the attack.
A year - almost to the day - since they declared a caliphate in Syria and Iraq, the group that calls itself Islamic State has achieved one of its great goals - the mass slaughter of British citizens.
The attack was on Britain, even though it was in Tunisia. The country known as ‘the lighthouse of the Arab world’ was always a likely target for a proxy strike against the UK - a place where the transition towards democracy disgusts extremists and the golden beaches attract tourists.
British holidaymakers appear to have been singled out by the laughing gunman.
And so, suddenly, the perceived threat to the UK from ISIL has become a real one.
Murderers on three continents - whether acting under direction or as ‘lone wolves’ - chose the holy month for their Bloody Friday.
The slaughter at a beach resort in Tunisia was the bloodiest expression of their poisonous ideology.
Perhaps at home, the efforts have been more robust. In 11 days, following the tenth anniversary of the 7/7 attacks, we will be able to say that Islamist terrorism has claimed only one life in Britain in a decade. That is, the death of soldier Lee Rigby on the streets of Woolwich, which was considered tragic and gruesome - but there is no doubt that our security services had expected more.
Compare that toll with France, where the Charlie Hebdo slaughter was one of several attacks by jihadists over the last year.
But terrorism’s impact is not only measured in death tolls but in fear. There is plenty of that. Hours after the Tunisia killings, security in London was being elevated ahead of celebrations for Armed Forces Day.
With the number of British casualties in Tunisia creeping up, it seems increasingly difficult to not see the threat posed by jihadist groups across the world as a specific concern for Britain
Tunisia shooting is 'worst terror attack on British people since 7/7'
At least 15 Britons have died in the Tunisian beach attack but the toll "may well rise", the Foreign Office has said.
Thirty-nine people died when a gunman linked to Islamic State opened fire in the popular resort of Sousse on Friday.
The massacre is "the most significant terrorist attack on the British people" since 7/7, Foreign Minister Tobias Ellwood said.
A third member of the same family who was killed in the Tunisia beach terror attack has been named as Patrick Evans. He is understood to be the father of Adrian Evans, and the grandfather of Joel Richards, who was also killed in the attack.
Though it is not yet clear whether the attacks in Tunisia, Kuwait andFrance were co-ordinated by ISIL, it would be surprising if the group's recent calls for slaughter during Ramadan didn’t play a significant part in all three.
Predictably, David Cameron today vowed to defeat ISIL - what he couldn’t explain is how.
Britain’s contribution towards the coalition air campaign against ISIS has been limited; the deployment of ground troops has been ruled out; only a small amount of arms have been provided to the Kurds, who are making some gains, including today in Kobane.
A year - almost to the day - since they declared a caliphate in Syria and Iraq, the group that calls itself Islamic State has achieved one of its great goals - the mass slaughter of British citizens.
The attack was on Britain, even though it was in Tunisia. The country known as ‘the lighthouse of the Arab world’ was always a likely target for a proxy strike against the UK - a place where the transition towards democracy disgusts extremists and the golden beaches attract tourists.
British holidaymakers appear to have been singled out by the laughing gunman.
And so, suddenly, the perceived threat to the UK from ISIL has become a real one.
Murderers on three continents - whether acting under direction or as ‘lone wolves’ - chose the holy month for their Bloody Friday.
The slaughter at a beach resort in Tunisia was the bloodiest expression of their poisonous ideology.
Perhaps at home, the efforts have been more robust. In 11 days, following the tenth anniversary of the 7/7 attacks, we will be able to say that Islamist terrorism has claimed only one life in Britain in a decade. That is, the death of soldier Lee Rigby on the streets of Woolwich, which was considered tragic and gruesome - but there is no doubt that our security services had expected more.
Compare that toll with France, where the Charlie Hebdo slaughter was one of several attacks by jihadists over the last year.
But terrorism’s impact is not only measured in death tolls but in fear. There is plenty of that. Hours after the Tunisia killings, security in London was being elevated ahead of celebrations for Armed Forces Day.
With the number of British casualties in Tunisia creeping up, it seems increasingly difficult to not see the threat posed by jihadist groups across the world as a specific concern for Britain
Tunisia shooting is 'worst terror attack on British people since 7/7'
At least 15 Britons have died in the Tunisian beach attack but the toll "may well rise", the Foreign Office has said.
Thirty-nine people died when a gunman linked to Islamic State opened fire in the popular resort of Sousse on Friday.
The massacre is "the most significant terrorist attack on the British people" since 7/7, Foreign Minister Tobias Ellwood said.
A third member of the same family who was killed in the Tunisia beach terror attack has been named as Patrick Evans. He is understood to be the father of Adrian Evans, and the grandfather of Joel Richards, who was also killed in the attack.
Though it is not yet clear whether the attacks in Tunisia, Kuwait andFrance were co-ordinated by ISIL, it would be surprising if the group's recent calls for slaughter during Ramadan didn’t play a significant part in all three.
Predictably, David Cameron today vowed to defeat ISIL - what he couldn’t explain is how.
Britain’s contribution towards the coalition air campaign against ISIS has been limited; the deployment of ground troops has been ruled out; only a small amount of arms have been provided to the Kurds, who are making some gains, including today in Kobane.