Bad things happening in Paris, France right now, possibly a terror attack

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-34814203

Possibly 40 dead. Three separate shootouts and a hostage situation.

Here's the live thread on Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/live/vwwmdb26t78v

A good friend of mine just left Paris yesterday. Good timing.

I'm curious if this was preplanned or a response to the drone strike taking out "Jihad John"

In reply to captdownshift:

It sounds like multiple coordinated attacks from what the radio flash said.....so most likely either pre planned or activated sleeper cells.

WOW Really Paul? wrote: In reply to captdownshift: It sounds like multiple coordinated attacks from what the radio flash said.....so most likely either pre planned or activated sleeper cells.

That was my first thought as well. Unfortunately my spidey sense is telling me this is just the start to something. I hope I'm wrong.

So I just heard on ABC the concert hall had and American band on its schedule.

The Eagles

The guy reporting called them a "death metal California rock band".

In reply to moparman76_69:

There's a band called "The Eagles of Death Metal." They were playing in Paris, Not Don Henley's band.

Apparently the report is that police just took the concert hall.

My mom just referred to this as "France's 9/11"

I just read over 100 dead, but unconfirmed. Very sad.

Looks like the ordeal is over.

Yeah, not The Eagles, but The Eagles of Death Metal.

Regardless, there are reports of casualties in the concert hall, but they have locked it down just minutes ago, while killing two of the assailants. The band itself escaped, but other people in the venue have been killed or hurt. And that's just one of the attack sites.

This reminds me of the madness that was the week of the Boston Marathon bombings in a way. I was at a concert venue in town seeing a similar band (Fu Manchu) while right up the street from the killing of Officer Sean Collier on the MIT campus. We actually drove right through MIT on the way to the show. Obviously, the Paris situation is more widespread, which is even scarier.

No one should have to deal with this kind of violence or live in fear. I also get the feeling like more of this is on the way. I sure hope I am wrong.

Live feed on reddit https://www.reddit.com/live/vwwmdb26t78v

Over 140 dead. wtf no one claiming responsibility that I have heard.

Rob_Mopar wrote: In reply to moparman76_69: There's a band called "The Eagles of Death Metal." They were playing in Paris, Not Don Henley's band.

Yeah the guy reporting it paused between Eagles and Death Metal and didn't say of, lol.

This would seem like a response to the drone killing of Jihadi John earlier this morning. With death tolls rising it's hard not to agree with BlueInGreen44's comment on being France's 9/11.

In reply to 84FSP:

Yep, so has IS territory been turned to glass yet?

Reports that the Charles DeGalle (sic) is steaming to the Med for air support. The prime minster has pledged to fight those responsible, without saying who exactly. French are jumping into the Middle East pool with both feet. Things just got really interesting..

Hard to say if this was a direct result of our taking out JJ. It seems to be too well-coordinated to be an ad hoc retaliation. Wouldn't have been enough time to coordinate this kind of attack. But as the poster above said, things just got really interesting. And serious too, I'd say. So far, the experts aren't sure if it's ISIS or Al Qaida responsible.

Just such a sad devolution of the world order. While attempting to be a realist in all things I just keep hoping the world won't continue it's progress down this dark path.

yeah, they are saying that at the concert there may have been suicide bombers who entered the crowd, then folks with Kalashnikovs at the emergency exits. Up to 6 sites where gunfire has been exchanged.

Headed to other parts of Europe next week so this will be interesting indeed. Boarders are closed in France right now.

Gary wrote: Hard to say if this was a direct result of our taking out JJ. It seems to be too well-coordinated to be an ad hoc retaliation. Wouldn't have been enough time to coordinate this kind of attack. But as the poster above said, things just got really interesting. And serious too, I'd say. So far, the experts aren't sure if it's ISIS or Al Qaida responsible.

I agree, this would take a degree of planning and organization that makes it unlikely to be a response to Jihadi Johnny. Besides which, JJ's death was a combined British/American operation, so why attack France in retaliation?

Anyhow, just an awful situation. As I posted on Facebook, these jihadi pieces of E36 M3 want to drag the world back into the middle ages. They won't succeed, but that doesn't mean they aren't taking a lot of innocent lives as they try to.

FYI I saw a post on the Eagles of Death Metal Facebook page that all members are safe, but there seems to be some uncertainty about members of the crew.

WOW Really Paul? wrote: In reply to 84FSP: Yep, so has IS territory been turned to glass yet?

What is IS territory? Even if you killed every man, woman, and child in "IS territory", what would that do to stop the operatives who are already spread across the globe? Nothing. In fact, it would just tick them off more.

No one should have to live through this E36 M3.

Tom_Spangler wrote:

Gary wrote: Hard to say if this was a direct result of our taking out JJ. It seems to be too well-coordinated to be an ad hoc retaliation. Wouldn't have been enough time to coordinate this kind of attack. But as the poster above said, things just got really interesting. And serious too, I'd say. So far, the experts aren't sure if it's ISIS or Al Qaida responsible.

I agree, this would take a degree of planning and organization that makes it unlikely to be a response to Jihadi Johnny. Besides which, JJ's death was a combined British/American operation, so why attack France in retaliation? Anyhow, just an awful situation. As I posted on Facebook, these jihadi pieces of E36 M3 want to drag the world back into the middle ages. They won't succeed, but that doesn't mean they aren't taking a lot of innocent lives as they try to.

I heard one of the talking heads say tonight (so, take that "source" with a large grain of salt), that it could be a series of sleeper cells. If that was the case, I would assume that they could be "activated" fairly quickly. Plus, given that it is several spots of smaller havoc (vs. something like 9/11) would indicate that it was done quickly.

But, I agree with the question of why the French instead of Britain or the U.S. Perhaps because France is the closest "western" country to attack?

-Rob