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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To be feeling unusually unsettled after seeing the news

48 replies

SamuelWestsMistress · 22/02/2013 05:57

Last night I saw the news regarding the failed terrorism plot. Hearing the details of what these people had planned really did turn my blood cold.

AIBU to feel so unusually disturbed by this? I am by no means a paranoid worrier about these things usually, but I can't help but think that it's only a matter of time before something horrific happens. These men who have been arrested can't be the only ones in the UK who were motivated enough to plan extremist attacks on such a scale?

OP posts:

NopeStillNothing · 22/02/2013 15:29

Yanbu, it is scary. But I comfort myself with the knowledge that years of training and millions of pounds are dedicated purely to stopping these things happening. Ofcourse there are random pricks around who just want to watch the world burn but statistically, I certainly wouldn't bet on them succeeding.

NopeStillNothing · 22/02/2013 15:33

What I mean is, terrorists are in a hell of a lot more danger every day than the general public!

GrowSomeCress · 22/02/2013 15:38

BigAudioDynamite I'm well aware of that, thanks.

SoggySummer · 22/02/2013 15:45

No YANBU to feel unsettled.

I do honestly think it is a matter of time until one group of terrorists get lucky (for want of another word) and succeed in their sick plans. There are lots and lots of extremists living among us, lots turning to terrorism. Our Anti Terrorist police are uncovering plans and watching lots every single day. We only get to hear of the larger scale incidents such as when there are several arrests or a bomb making factory is uncovered.

I choose not to dwell on it too much, I try and think I managed the late 80's and early 90's in London and other mainland large cities amid several IRA attacks and threats. The regular threats we had then were just part of life. It was a fairly regular occurance to have our offices evacuated due to bomb scares and one of my office blocks was blown up one weekend.

sleepyhead · 22/02/2013 15:47

It feels like it should be quite easy for a terrorist attack to succeed, and yet it clearly isn't going by the number that are prevented v the (vanishingly) small number that actually happen. That doesn't make the damage and loss of life/limb any less horrific when it does happen, but it's some comfort.

We still live in a comparatively safe country and the vast majority of us will live out our lives without coming across serious violent crime.

A shop near us was held up with a machete yesterday. The owner managed to chase them off and they then tried to hold up another local shop, failed and were caught by the police. Luckily criminals are often very stupid, and we live in a country where they tend not to have guns which limits the damage they can do. (not really relevant, but again, the sort of thing that's more common than terrorism).

nailak · 22/02/2013 16:11

growsome it depends on who "us" is though? we live in an age of globilisation and a result of this the people living in this country as British citizens have links all over the world. So although they may not be a direct threat to you, they are a direct threat to friends and family of many British people.

BigAudioDynamite · 22/02/2013 18:38

My sentiments on this, exactly nailak

Booyhoo · 22/02/2013 18:48

some parts of NI are quite scary to live in but the part i live in has been pretty safe. the odd bombscare and yes a few tradgedies but i certainly dont live my life in fear of it. unless i hear something on the news (which i rarely do as i dont watch news/read papers) then i dont even think about the terrorism here. i actually forget it exists until someone reminds me. i know i am lucky that i can.

Booyhoo · 22/02/2013 18:50

and TBH i see little point in feeling scared by something that is out of your control. it will either happen or it wont whether you are scared or not. the best you can do is respond at the time to whatever the situation is in the best way to keep you and your family safe.

andubelievedthat · 22/02/2013 18:58

and just to really cheer you up ,wait till they get their hands on bio weapons , with this one small container (or rather the contents off) i here by condemn you all to the afterlife > wouldn"t get worked up about it , what will be ,will be.

discotequewreck · 22/02/2013 19:43

At the end of the day I find all this hysteria about some rogue Muslims riduculous and misleading.

The biggest threat to us all daily is Corporations. Corporations lead by indiscriminate sociopaths who only care about growth and wealth, for growth and wealth's sake.

Most religious people are merely seeking something that transcends this shit, the mystery of being which is common to us all. Whatever our colour, religion whatever.

Those within a religion that choose to act in this heinous way, do not do so in the name of a God, but in the name of linear, progress at all costs bred by the corporate giants of Capatilism.

If life is about bigger, better, more, why shouldn't we have it too?

discotequewreck · 22/02/2013 20:22

And has no one thought that the way oil giants make their money is by selling terrorism as a threat?

It sells weapons?

BegoniaBampot · 22/02/2013 20:31

Don't worry seems like we've killed a lot more of them than they have us. They also seem more intent of killing their own as well given the reports from Syria and the daily suicide attacks in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iraq etc.

FurryDogMother · 22/02/2013 20:36

Fairydogmother - you're in the Nrth? coincidence - I'm in the South (usernames..lol). Must be something in the air.

SocialClimber · 22/02/2013 20:41

I do think there will be another atrocity at some point. But then I think about MI5 and the amazing job they do. Have faith in them.

Aman1975 · 22/02/2013 20:53

I would be more worried about driving to work OP. About 2000 people are killed on British roads every year, or 5 a day. Its all about putting risk into perspective.

Fairydogmother · 22/02/2013 21:17

Lol furrydogmother I'm in the north!

Us dogmothers should stick together!

nailak · 22/02/2013 21:27

disco you make a good point

HoHoHoNoYouDont · 22/02/2013 22:16

I'm with you OP and get quite disturbed by these reports. Many years ago I experienced it first hand being in Manchester City Centre when it was bombed. As were several members of my family, we were blessed to come away physically unscathed.

A few years ago a friend of the family helped foil another attempt on the city. He witnessed some strange behaviour and reported it to a security guard in the shopping centre. He wasn't satisfied with the response he received and couldn't rest until he took it to the police. It paid off, the police said his information was important to other info they had received and led them to a plot to attack several sites in the city.

I think when you've experienced incidents like this and constant bombs threats (IRA) over the years it is normal to feel on edge at times.

cumfy · 23/02/2013 14:09

About 2000 people are killed on British roads every year, or 5 a day

Yup, and those dang terrorists are going to have to get there act together if they want to catch up with the 6000 excess deaths at Mid-Staffs.:)

MrsSlocombesPussy · 23/02/2013 14:21

I grew up in near Manchester in the 70's and 80's, so was very aware of the terrorist threat.
When the IRA tried to kill most of the government in Brighton, the IRA released a statement which said "Today we were unlucky, but remember, we only have to be lucky once; you will have to be lucky always."

BoffinMum · 23/02/2013 14:24

We have MI5 and MI6 to worry about this stuff so we don't really have to, thank god.

Fairydogmother · 23/02/2013 17:53

Afraid we have the police to rely on and they are over stretched and under resourced. Ad now they've given us G8 this year - gee thanks!

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