OPINION:
Paris is again in chaos and counterterrorism investigators have been called to the scene, after the driver of a BMW deliberately plowed his car into a group of soldiers outside their barracks, injuring six.
It’s got all the markings of an Islamic hit job.
But typical of such attacks that are later found to have roots in Islamic terror, authorities like local Sen. Roger Karoutchi are saying in the Guardian: “As for the motives, we will have to wait until the person or people concerned are arrested.”
Maybe the guy hated those uniforms.
Either way, it’s still, as defense minister Florence Parly deemed it, a “cowardly act,” but not necessarily a terrorist act. Or, more to point, an Islamic-tied terrorist attack.
“Security forces are actively seeking the perpetrator who is on the run,” Parly went on. “The ongoing probe will determine his motives and the circumstances in which he acted.”
The fact that authorities are being so gosh-darned careful to keep any potential motive from leaking to the people, but at the same time so assuredly calling the suspect a “he,” tells that somebody got a look at the guy, enough to identify gender. Chances are, that look was enough to determine the hair color, skin tint and beard-versus-no-beard appearance of the suspect as well.
The burning question: Is he of Middle Eastern or Northern African descent?
Or, as the European Union likes to call it — Asian.
This attack, after all, comes just four days after an 18-year-old, screaming “allahu akbar” and waving about a knife, was arrested at the Eiffel Tower. His motive? He told police outright he wanted to kill a soldier.
Go back a bit more, to June, when an ISIS supporter smashed his car, loaded with bottles of gas, into a military vehicle that was driving nearby. In that incident, it was the terrorist who died, when his car caught fire. All of the soldiers escaped unharmed.
Besides all that, France has been in a state of emergency since November 2015, when a series of coordinated terror bombings and shootings left 130 dead.
“There was no doubt that this was a deliberate act,” said the mayor of Levallois-Perret, Patrick Balkany, explaining to local BFMTV how the car was “pre-positioned” in a small nearby alley, waiting for troops to emerge from the building.
Again: Saw the car — but no suspect description for the citizens?
Two more curious terror hints: The soldiers who were plowed into are part of France’s Operation Sentinel, a outfit that was established after the Charlie Hebdo terrorist assault in January 2015. And, the neighborhood of incident, Levallois-Perret, is home to the headquarters of France’s main intelligence facility, the DCRI.
Why’s that all matter?
Terrorists love their symbolism.
More to point: Islamic terrorists love their symbolism. Almost as much as liberal leaders love to protect and shield Islam from criticism.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.