Paris lockdown after terror attacks
France declares attacks an act of war. Troops patrol city. Three days of mourning
By Chia Han Keong, In Paris, The Sunday Times, 15 Nov 2015
Parisians woke up yesterday to an eerily silent and tense city, after a night of terror with a series of coordinated gun and suicide bomb attacks at popular nightspots that left at least 128 people dead and 300 others injured.
Eight of the attackers died, seven by suicide blasts.
President Francois Hollande blamed the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) for the attacks, declaring three days of national mourning, and said that military troops would patrol the capital.
France remained under a nationwide state of emergency.
"It is an act of war that was prepared, organised and planned from abroad, with complicity from the inside, which the investigation will help establish," Mr Hollande told the nation from the Elysee Palace.
France declares attacks an act of war. Troops patrol city. Three days of mourning
By Chia Han Keong, In Paris, The Sunday Times, 15 Nov 2015
Parisians woke up yesterday to an eerily silent and tense city, after a night of terror with a series of coordinated gun and suicide bomb attacks at popular nightspots that left at least 128 people dead and 300 others injured.
Eight of the attackers died, seven by suicide blasts.
President Francois Hollande blamed the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) for the attacks, declaring three days of national mourning, and said that military troops would patrol the capital.
France remained under a nationwide state of emergency.
"It is an act of war that was prepared, organised and planned from abroad, with complicity from the inside, which the investigation will help establish," Mr Hollande told the nation from the Elysee Palace.
Mr Hollande did not specify what intelligence pointed to the militant group's involvement but ISIS claimed responsibility for the attacks, saying they were designed to show that France would remain in danger as long as it continued its current policies.
It was a clear reference to French air strikes in Syria and Iraq.
Much about the attacks was still not clear by late yesterday, including the identities of the eight attackers; whether any accomplices remained at large; and how a plot of such sophistication and lethality could have escaped the notice of intelligence agencies, both in France and abroad.
Much about the attacks was still not clear by late yesterday, including the identities of the eight attackers; whether any accomplices remained at large; and how a plot of such sophistication and lethality could have escaped the notice of intelligence agencies, both in France and abroad.
With little known, the palpable sense of fear among Parisians was understandable.
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Major attractions were shuttered, from Disneyland in the east and the Eiffel Tower in the centre to the Chateau of Versailles in the west, and its picturesque squares and avenues were eerily quiet. Sporting fixtures were cancelled on the orders of the city or national authorities.
Major attractions were shuttered, from Disneyland in the east and the Eiffel Tower in the centre to the Chateau of Versailles in the west, and its picturesque squares and avenues were eerily quiet. Sporting fixtures were cancelled on the orders of the city or national authorities.
Schools, museums, libraries, sports halls, swimming pools, tennis courts, food markets and district town halls were also closed.
Usually a bustling centre of traffic, the Gare de l'Est train station was subdued at around 7.30am, with only a handful of grim-looking residents using the Metro trains or the buses at the terminal outside.
Even fewer travelled into the city via the regional trains, most of which were largely empty.
Those who braved the public transport encountered police barricades and closed Metro train stations near the six locations where the horrific attacks took place.
Barricades and police vans blocked the vicinity near the Bataclan theatre, site of the worst carnage where more than 80 people attending a concert were gunned down.
"I had wanted to open my souvenir shop, to show that life goes on as normal," said Mr Guy Blatt, 52. "But they've closed the road, so I can only go home and wait until it's safer."
French media reported that there were queues of people wanting to donate blood at hospitals. Medical officials have asked for people to space out donations, over the weekend and throughout next week.
No reports of Singaporeans directly affected by the attacks have emerged but the primary concern for those visiting Paris was getting out of the city conveniently, especially after Mr Hollande ordered the closure of borders.
Said Mr Ken Low, 33, a project manager on a business trip in Paris: "I hope when I leave the city on Sunday, it will be smooth-sailing at the airport."
World leaders were unanimous in condemning Friday's terror strikes. US President Barack Obama described them as "an attack on all of humanity and the universal values we share", while President Xi Jinping, in a phone call to his French counterpart, said that China was ready to join France and the international community in stepping up security cooperation and combating terrorism.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong expressed shock in a Facebook posting.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong expressed shock in a Facebook posting.
Mr Lee, who is attending the G-20 summit in Antalya, in Turkey, beginning today, said a planned discussion about terrorism at the meeting was "more relevant and urgent than ever".
He said: "Each time it happens, we again feel appalled and outraged beyond words, for an attack like this is in fact an attack on our shared humanity."
Shocked to wake up to the news of the multiple terrorist attacks in Paris. At least 40 people have been killed, and...
Posted by Lee Hsien Loong on Friday, November 13, 2015
The Paris attacks were dastardly. We have raised our alert level in Singapore, increased our checks. MHA has issued...
Posted by K Shanmugam Sc on Friday, November 13, 2015
Singapore raises alert level, steps up security
By Danson Cheong, The Sunday Times, 15 Nov 2015
Singapore has stepped up security in the wake of the Paris attacks.
Home Affairs and Law Minister K. Shanmugam yesterday also urged people to be on the alert.
"These attacks show that no country is immune, even when there is a state of heightened security. In Singapore, today, we have raised our alert level. We have stepped up security measures, border checks and vigilance," he said in a statement.
"Together, everyone plays a part to keep Singapore safe and secure. We encourage everyone to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities or persons to authorities."
Singapore has stepped up security in the wake of the Paris attacks.
Home Affairs and Law Minister K. Shanmugam yesterday also urged people to be on the alert.
"These attacks show that no country is immune, even when there is a state of heightened security. In Singapore, today, we have raised our alert level. We have stepped up security measures, border checks and vigilance," he said in a statement.
"Together, everyone plays a part to keep Singapore safe and secure. We encourage everyone to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities or persons to authorities."
<<Terror attacks in Paris>> We grieve with the families and people of Paris who are now coping with the shock and...
Posted by Ng Eng Hen on Friday, November 13, 2015
Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen, in a post on Facebook, said that Singapore air force personnel in France were safe and taking extra precautions.
"We have also stepped up vigilance at our local camps, especially at our naval and air bases. Our security agencies are monitoring the situation closely. Let's all be vigilant and keep each other safe," he wrote.
"We have also stepped up vigilance at our local camps, especially at our naval and air bases. Our security agencies are monitoring the situation closely. Let's all be vigilant and keep each other safe," he wrote.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has received no reports of Singaporeans directly affected by the attacks and, along with the Singapore Embassy in Paris, has managed to get in touch with most of those who have registered their presence in the French capital.
The ministry urged Singaporeans residing in and travelling to Paris to stay indoors, monitor local news and heed the instructions of the local authorities.
#masagos am saddened by the response of some of my brothers on the massacre of innocents in Paris. Even while the French...
Posted by Masagos Zulkifli on Saturday, November 14, 2015
Defiant chiefs vow to act against terror
Outpouring of grief over horrific Paris attacks comes with expressions of solidarity, resolve
By Jeremy Au Yong, US Bureau Chief In Washington, The Sunday Times, 15 Nov 2015
There was an outpouring of grief and support yesterday as a shocked world learnt of the horrifying terror attacks in Paris - but it came mixed with a dose of resolve and defiance.
In the immediate aftermath of Friday's attacks that killed at least 128 people, world leaders did not just extend their sympathies, they also pledged to act.
A sombre President Barack Obama told reporters at the White House that the United States will do whatever it takes to bring those responsible to justice.
Outpouring of grief over horrific Paris attacks comes with expressions of solidarity, resolve
By Jeremy Au Yong, US Bureau Chief In Washington, The Sunday Times, 15 Nov 2015
There was an outpouring of grief and support yesterday as a shocked world learnt of the horrifying terror attacks in Paris - but it came mixed with a dose of resolve and defiance.
In the immediate aftermath of Friday's attacks that killed at least 128 people, world leaders did not just extend their sympathies, they also pledged to act.
A sombre President Barack Obama told reporters at the White House that the United States will do whatever it takes to bring those responsible to justice.
"This is an attack not just on Paris, it is an attack not just on the people of France, but this is an attack on all of humanity and the universal values we share," he said, just hours after news first emerged of the tragedy.
"We are going to do whatever it takes to work with the French people and with nations around the world to bring these terrorists to justice, and to go after any terrorist networks that go after our people."
Similar expressions of solidarity came from Britain, Russia and China, among others.
British Prime Minister David Cameron tweeted: "I am shocked by events in Paris tonight. Our thoughts and prayers are with the French people. We will do whatever we can to help."
Russian President Vladimir Putin, in a telegram to his French counterpart Francois Hollande, said Friday's attacks have "become another testimony of terrorism's barbarity, which poses a challenge to human civilisation".
In a phone call with Mr Hollande, Chinese President Xi Jinping said China was ready to join France and the international community in stepping up security cooperation and combating terrorism.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo, leader of the country with the world's most populous Muslim population, which has borne the brunt of similar attacks, said terrorism, "for whatever reason", should not be tolerated, while Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak called for unity in the war against terror.
Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong expressed shock, and said the attacks made a planned discussion about terrorism at the Group of 20 meeting, due to begin today, "more relevant and urgent than ever".
The attacks were similarly condemned by several leaders in the Middle East, including in Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, who is due to attend a global climate summit in France at the end of the month, condemned the savagery of the attacks, but also cancelled his trip to Paris.
While questions remain over the identity of the culprits and whether the plans involve Paris alone, other cities are not taking any chances and are ramping up security.
In the United States, the authorities in New York and Boston said they were boosting security, but also stressed that they did not have any intelligence of a credible threat.
The Philippine capital Manila, meanwhile, pledged tighter security for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit this Saturday.
"Our security establishment... will be taking the necessary steps to fine-tune as necessary our plans and our contingency plans," said President Benigno Aquino's spokesman Abigail Valte. "We are committed to ensuring the safety of our visitors and our people," she added.
Mr Obama, Mr Xi and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe are among leaders from 20 Asia-Pacific economies expected at the summit.
Several global landmarks, including the spire of One World Trade Centre in New York - built on the site of the Sept 11, 2001, attacks - were lit in the French colours of blue, white and red in a show of solidarity with the country.
ISIS claims responsibility for attacks
France will remain top target as long as it continues with its policies, group says
The Sunday Times, 15 Nov 2015
SINONE (Iraq) • The Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) has claimed responsibility for the deadly attacks in Paris, calling them "the first of the storm" and mocking France as a "capital of prostitution and obscenity", according to statements released in multiple languages on one of the terror group's encrypted messaging accounts.
Yesterday's remarks came in a communique published in Arabic, English and French on ISIS' mobile messaging Telegram account, and then distributed via its supporters on Twitter, according to a transcript provided by the Site Intelligence Group, which tracks extremist propaganda.
"Eight brothers, wrapped in explosive belts and armed with machine rifles, targeted sites that were accurately chosen in the heart of the capital of France," the group said in the statement.
"Let France and those who walk in its path know that they will remain on the top of the list of targets of the Islamic State (IS)," the statement added, referring to the attacks at the Bataclan theatre and several districts in Paris, and using another name for the terror group.
France will remain top target as long as it continues with its policies, group says
The Sunday Times, 15 Nov 2015
SINONE (Iraq) • The Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) has claimed responsibility for the deadly attacks in Paris, calling them "the first of the storm" and mocking France as a "capital of prostitution and obscenity", according to statements released in multiple languages on one of the terror group's encrypted messaging accounts.
Yesterday's remarks came in a communique published in Arabic, English and French on ISIS' mobile messaging Telegram account, and then distributed via its supporters on Twitter, according to a transcript provided by the Site Intelligence Group, which tracks extremist propaganda.
"Eight brothers, wrapped in explosive belts and armed with machine rifles, targeted sites that were accurately chosen in the heart of the capital of France," the group said in the statement.
"Let France and those who walk in its path know that they will remain on the top of the list of targets of the Islamic State (IS)," the statement added, referring to the attacks at the Bataclan theatre and several districts in Paris, and using another name for the terror group.
France was targeted by ISIS due to its involvement in a US-led coalition conducting an air war against ISIS in Syria and Iraq, where the terrorist group declared a caliphate last year after seizing swathes of both countries.
In addition to the claim of responsibility, the celebrations by ISIS supporters online were such that the Site monitoring group said that it could suggest the terror group's involvement.
"The extent of the celebration far exceeded past online rallying by IS supporters," Site said in an analysis.
"The way IS supporters have embraced this attack appears much more coordinated at a much earlier stage than massive reactions to past attacks."
Earlier yesterday, ISIS distributed an undated video threatening to attack France if bombings of its fighters continued.
Its foreign media arm, the Al-Hayat Media Centre, made threats through several militants, who called on French Muslims to carry out attacks. "As long as you keep bombing, you will not live in peace. You will even fear travelling to the market," said a militant identified as Abu Maryam the Frenchman.
Foreign fighters who join ISIS are seen as especially dangerous because Western passports enable them to live in and travel to Western countries undetected.
"Faced with war, the country must take appropriate action," French President Francois Hollande said yesterday, without saying what that meant.
Mr Hollande will address Parliament tomorrow in an extraordinary meeting.
NEW YORK TIMES, REUTERS, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
NEW YORK TIMES, REUTERS, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
The security nightmare that all cities face
Attacks in Paris a reminder of how difficult it is to protect any urban centre from acts of terror
By Jonathan Eyal, Europe Correspondent In London, The Sunday Times, 15 Nov 2015
"I've never seen anything like this... It was a night of nightmare," Mr Philippe Jouvain, a hospital director, tweeted as his emergency ward doctors struggled with the blood-soaked aftermath of the Paris terrorist attacks.
The chaos and carnage at one of the French capital's leading hospitals came at the end of the bloodiest night in Paris since World War II.
But the nightmare for security and intelligence services throughout the world is only just beginning. For the events in Paris are a grim reminder of how difficult it is to protect any urban centre from terrorist attacks.
Ironically, Paris is already one of Europe's most heavily policed capitals. Many policemen are deployed along the city's central avenues, the so-called "grand boulevards". Vans full of heavily armed officers belonging to the CRS crack security units are parked discreetly behind most public buildings.
Attacks in Paris a reminder of how difficult it is to protect any urban centre from acts of terror
By Jonathan Eyal, Europe Correspondent In London, The Sunday Times, 15 Nov 2015
"I've never seen anything like this... It was a night of nightmare," Mr Philippe Jouvain, a hospital director, tweeted as his emergency ward doctors struggled with the blood-soaked aftermath of the Paris terrorist attacks.
The chaos and carnage at one of the French capital's leading hospitals came at the end of the bloodiest night in Paris since World War II.
But the nightmare for security and intelligence services throughout the world is only just beginning. For the events in Paris are a grim reminder of how difficult it is to protect any urban centre from terrorist attacks.
Ironically, Paris is already one of Europe's most heavily policed capitals. Many policemen are deployed along the city's central avenues, the so-called "grand boulevards". Vans full of heavily armed officers belonging to the CRS crack security units are parked discreetly behind most public buildings.
France also has a long tradition of centralised authority, which means that its resources can be quickly deployed. Few other European countries would have been able to impose a state of emergency, order the closure of all places of entertainment and seal the country's frontiers at the same time, yet French President Francois Hollande did all these things, and his orders were carried out almost instantly.
The French mistrust authority, but also worship it. And they respond with defiant collective national pride whenever their country is under threat. The crowds evacuated from the Stade de France stadium in the wake of the terrorist attacks burst into a spontaneous rendition of their national anthem.
The French mistrust authority, but also worship it. And they respond with defiant collective national pride whenever their country is under threat. The crowds evacuated from the Stade de France stadium in the wake of the terrorist attacks burst into a spontaneous rendition of their national anthem.
Yet none of these national advantages can insulate France from determined terrorists, who retain the initiative because they can choose the battlefield.
The men of violence are no longer interested in targeting government buildings, famous tourist landmarks or main shopping streets like the Champs-Elysees, all of which are already under considerable protection. Instead, they now go after any place where large numbers of people gather, with the aim of killing as many civilians as possible.
The fact that most of the attackers appear to have been suicide terrorists also simplifies their murderous task: Since they don't have to worry about escape routes, terrorists can position themselves in the midst of crowds, boosting the number of casualties even further.
And, by launching simultaneous attacks in a number of places, the terrorists not only retain the element of surprise, but also slow down the response of the security services, another factor which maximises casualties. The killers at the Bataclan, a popular concert venue in Paris, had time to reload their Kalashnikov assault rifles no fewer than three times before they were confronted by law officers.
What's more, terrorists in France now appear to favour a new, deadlier innovation: The capture of large numbers of people who are then held hostage not, as previous generations of terrorists used to do, in order to exchange them as part of a deal, but simply in order to prevent people from escaping, and to butcher as many as possible.
An early version of that occurred in January, when two gunmen stormed into the office of Paris-based Charlie Hebdo satirical magazine and shot dead 12 people while an apparent accomplice killed a police officer and four hostages held at a market shortly after.
This tactic forces the security services to storm such hostage hideouts almost immediately, without preparation; that is what happened with the Bataclan concert hall on Friday night. Sadly, such hurried rescue operations almost never end well: They invariably result in a higher number of casualties, both among hostages and rescuers.
Ways to minimise future attacks do exist. Israel, for instance, now imposes airport-style security checks at all places where large numbers of people mingle, including shopping malls, cinemas, concert halls, markets and even major streets. These are hived off into various parameters, each one with its own checkpoints. The effect has been almost no civilian casualties in years.
However, it is unlikely that the residents of European cities would accept such restrictions.
And even if governments are prepared to pay the considerable costs which such intrusive security measures entail, it is doubtful that they can be applied to great effect: The Israeli measures work on "racial profiling", on separating those who appear to be Jews and are given only cursory checks, from others who look racially different and are subjected to intensive checks.
Yet, no European city - and especially not Paris - can resort to such invidious procedures without unleashing ethnic tensions.
The only other alternative remains that of using the intelligence services to dismantle terrorist plots while they are being hatched. The French have foiled at least three attacks this year alone.
But no government can offer complete protection against any threat, and particularly not against terrorism which resurfaces under different guises.
All that governments can do is what Mr Hollande has already pledged: Ensure that peaceful societies make no compromises with the men of violence, and that the murderers of Paris will be pursued mercilessly.
The ISIS threat: At least 7 Singaporeans have been known to have joined or planned to join ISIS. Five people have been identified and dealt with. More here: str.sg/Zamx
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