OPINION:
Stay out of France — that’s the message the terror-struck nation seems to be sending the world of late.
And now, four American college students were just sent to the hospital with acid on their face, after a woman approached and sprayed them down at a train station in Marseille.
Authorities are saying don’t worry — it’s not a terrorist attack.
But then again, they’re also saying they can’t rule out terrorism just yet. And we’re still waiting to hear: Is this Islam tied in any way?
Police have made an arrest and so far, what we know, is the suspect is female, 41, and “disturbed,” as Metro put it, citing police.
That’s obvious. Now how about releasing her name?
The victims’ names have been released — Courtney Siverling, Charlotte Kaufman, Michelle Krug and Kelsey Korsten. And they’re all Boston College students studying abroad at the college’s Paris program.
“It appears that the students are fine, considering the circumstances, though they may require additional treatment for burns,” Nick Gozik, the director of BC’s Office of International Programs, said in a statement.
Thank God. But at least two of the students were “slightly injured,” with burns. And their mental state right now?
Probably one of fear. Probably one of fear that’s not really soothed by the fact that investigators have already pretty much decided — nothing to see here, the suspect’s just a mental case, no cause for future worry, just go home now.
The suspect reportedly remained at the scene, rather than tried to flee, and police were easily able to apprehend her. But the elephant in the room is this: Was she inspired by a terror group to commit this act?
Is she a Muslim who believes women ought not be walking around in public without a burka, without a face covering — a la sharia law?
Is there any connection to Islam, or Islamic terror, at all?
Calling this suspect “disturbed” just ain’t cutting it. France has been under siege by radical Islamic terrorists of late, with at least seven known attacks this year alone — an ISIS shooting of police in April, a car ramming in June, a hammer attack in June.
And now comes this acid attack — on Americans. So forgive, please, if the branding of the assault as a random crime committed by a “disturbed” individual just doesn’t smooth and soothe. We want to know if this was yet another Islam-tied act of terror, and if these poor college students were purposely targeted because of their American roots and because they weren’t wearing their Muslim-mandated facial coverings. Waiting.
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