AIBU to feel really sorry for the wife of the terror suspect in France?

[PacificDogwood]

My French is not up to much, but the poor woman sounds distraught and beside herself.

I have no idea what he thought he was up to, but my heart goes out to her.


Condolences to those who lost a love one today; in France and elsewhere.

[Ohfourfoxache]

Apparently she's been arrested too Pacific

Utterly awful if she truly was in the dark about it all though

[Sconejamcream]

I bet she knew, they usually do so I have no sympathy. Getting fed up with these people pleading ignorance and blaming everyone else.

[maxxytoe]

for gods sake , she definitely knew!
Your husband can't be up to all that and you not knowing a single thing !
She's just trying to save herself now

[AuntyMag10]

No sympathy for her.

[NewFlipFlops]

YABN (naive).

[NRomanoff]

At this point I have no sympathy for her at this point. I think she knew. She was on radio very soon after they named him professing her innocence, made me think she did know and was trying to shift suspicion. You see this all the time in these cases.

People say they don't know, then is slowly comes out theredod or there were raging red flags that they chose to ignore.

[NRomanoff]

Sorry I repeated 'at this point' obviously need more coffee

[ScoutandAtticus]

I think you should feel sorry for the victim and his family. Sympathy of her can wait until the facts come out.

[NewFlipFlops]

I wish the secret services would do something about the people they know rather than just watch them for a bit and forget them until they commit an atrocity at which point we always find out they were 'on the radar'. What's the point of the radar if we can't act on it?

[Thereyouarepeter]

I'd save your sympathy till we know more. Sometimes they don't know. Sometimes (usually) they do.

[Tiredemma]

No sympathy- she would have known something was quite right.

If more people related to these murdering scum spoke up then we wouldnt see so many innocent people, just going about their own daily business, being slain in such a disgusting way.

Those that 'know' and continue to remain silent are just as guilty as those who commit the act.

[aladyofindeterminateage]

NewFlipFlops
The police and secret services prevent many more attacks and incidents than the very few that slip through. Each one they miss is a tragedy, but they are up against a large and very well funded organisation, not to mention (especially here in the UK) the constant need to avoid being accused of racism or islamophobia.

[Tiredemma]

It was said by someone (on the news I think) the other day that the terrorists only have to get lucky once- the Police and security Services have to get lucky every time.

[harryhausen]

NewFlipFlops, I don't know about France but in the UK it takes about 10 surveillance officers to monitor a person of 'interest' around the clock. It's just impossible to monitor everyone they might have slight suspicion of 24/7.

Having said that our UK secret service should be applauded for having stopped some July 7th style plots and Lee Rigby style attacks.

[BigChocFrenzy]

There are thousands on the radar, not enough evidence to charge them. Democracies don't have not enough manpower for a 24/7 watch on each - must take 3 shifts of at least 2 people.

Such terrorists almost always marry those with the same fanatical religious views, sympathetic to their aims, but may not always confide their exact plans.
Reportedly his sister drove several times around the site with a male suspect just before the attack, so family may be involved as helpers.

We'll learn eventually how much the wife knew, but my sympathy is 100% for the victims and their families:
Dreadful to lose any loved one, but horrific to know they were beheaded. That is deliberately evil and sadistic, to cause additional pain to the bereaved.

[bamboostalks]

Strange post. Save your sympathy for the beheaded why don't you? You actually know nothing about this woman's culpability yet. What are you bending over backwards for?

[aladyofindeterminateage]

I don't believe for one minute that his wife didn't know.

[DoingTheBestICan]

My sympathies lie with the victim, his family and friends and also all the other innocent people who were killed worldwide.

Our police and intelligence service do a fantastic job when you think how many people of interest they must be looking over here in the UK.

[Moreshabbythanchic]

I have no sympathy for her, I believe she knew exactly what was going to happen. Sympathies only with the victims, RIP.

[TendonQueen]

tiredEmma I think that was a quote from a message the IRA put out after the Brighton bombing, to Mrs Thatcher: 'You have been lucky this time, but you have to be lucky every time. We only have to be lucky once'. They're right, unfortunately

[AuntieStella]

"What's the point of the radar if we can't act on it?"

We can and do. Though news coverage of people on trial for a foiled plot isn't as eye catching as an 'if it bleeds it leads' headline.

And of course, why do you think there is a ban on liquids in hand luggage?

[DamsonInDistress]

She knew. He'd been under suspicion & monitoring for nearly ten years. You can't live with someone becoming that radical and disturbed for that long without condoning or supporting it, or at the least having suspicions.

Also we'll never know the number of potential attacks etc prevented, precisely because of national security

[Gemauve]

the poor woman sounds distraught and beside herself.

Because she got caught, presumably.

[ollieplimsoles]

This is crazy op!

I have NO sympathy for her, I don't give a shit how upset she is!!!

[Signlake]

I think it's odd to suggest feeling sorry for her (even if she somehow remarkably didn't know what her husband was planning) when there's the victims and their families who have lost much more and are more deserving of your sympathy