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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Gatwick Drones- Aibu to think the police need to let the public know what is really happening

75 replies

Debbie99hastings · 23/12/2018 21:29

I've been following this story with great interest because I'm a boring person with nothing better to do.
But I am now wondering several things

A. How can the police rule out terrorism when they don't know who is behind it. Im not saying it is But seems odd how you would rule out something without knowing who the perpertator is.

B. Why the couple who were arrested and named were so from only a tipoff.

C. Given the police are now offering a reward, does that mean they are unable to identify the perpetrators.

This whole thing is really strange.

OP posts:
Sitranced · 23/12/2018 21:33

They will tell us once they've sorted out the law banning drones which this has clearly been staged for.

PerkingFaintly · 23/12/2018 21:35

I'm wondering why you joined MN just to post this.

PerkingFaintly · 23/12/2018 21:35

Since we're listing things we're wondering about...

Grace212 · 23/12/2018 21:37

and now saying there might not have been a drone...

is it just me who thought the drone was spotted on radar or by officials?

and now I'm seeing stuff about "relying on reports from the public". Confusing.

Original poster
Debbie99hastings · 23/12/2018 21:37

perkingfamily I'm wondering why you care so much about what I post. Don't like the thread don't post.

OP posts:
Original poster
Debbie99hastings · 23/12/2018 21:38

perkingfaintly

OP posts:
Ta1kinpeace · 23/12/2018 21:41

YABU
The police can decide what to disclose when they want
nobody is harmed by them letting it drop for now
and the daily fail are bastards

PattiStanger · 23/12/2018 21:43

What on odd comment perkingfaintly, everyone has to make their first post, is there some kind of rule as to what it can be about?

It's weird that there's now a suggestion that there may not have been a drone. The police are making themselves look a bit bumbling.

1Redacted1 · 23/12/2018 21:45

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Grace212 · 23/12/2018 21:47

oh I agree the police don't have to tell us

I was just really confused about the "it might not have been a drone, it might be fake eyewitness reports" thing.

NotDavidTennant · 23/12/2018 21:48

That assumes the police know what's happening. All evidence so far suggests they haven't got a clue.

PerkingFaintly · 23/12/2018 21:49

Actually I will post on threads started by people who've joined MN just to be all stirry, ta all the same.

For anyone who's interested, the Hamilton Dashboard tracks Russia-linked influence networks on Twitter. On Friday it showed Gatwick was the Russians' top Trending Topic.

Doesn't mean Russia had anything to do with the drone , just that their troll factories have seized on it as a big ol' stirry stick.

They like to whip up fear, anxiety, uncertainty and dissatisfaction. Or just suggest It's All A Conspiracy – on pretty much any passing subject.

The Dashboard's now offline till the New Year for an upgrade, but here's the general Hamilton 68 page for anyone interested.

securingdemocracy.gmfus.org/hamilton-68/

Gatwick Drones- Aibu to think the police need to let the public know what is really happening
Original poster
Debbie99hastings · 23/12/2018 21:51

I can assure you I am not Russian. Or maybe I am. Wink

OP posts:
ScrumptiousBears · 23/12/2018 21:58

There's a lot of shit that happened In this country that the public knows nothing about. The interruption of Gatwick couldn't be denied, it was all over the press. This has nothing to do with you and is not your business. What the police and beyond are doing to keep our country safe is not for your nosiness or gossip.

1Redacted1 · 23/12/2018 22:01

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

katseyes7 · 23/12/2018 22:04

ScrumptiousBears This is absolutely true. l worked in police stations for 28 years, we had a 'security level' board by the back door from the car park. On occasions when it was flagged as "RAISED" or "HIGH" we were never told why. l imagine that would have defeated the object. lt was intended to make staff aware of the increased need to be vigilant.

thefinn · 23/12/2018 22:06

Don't know if you're BU but this is a weird case and very interesting, for me as I'm a boring person too.

dementedma · 23/12/2018 22:06

ok. I work (sort of) for the MoD. Please know that what you read in the papers and on social media is either what you are allowed to know, or what journalists have made up. neither will bear much resemblance to what is actually happening on the ground.

PerkingFaintly · 23/12/2018 22:08

I agree with Talkin and other PP.

Unless a drone operator is caught red-handed, I'd expect this sort of thing to take a long investigation. and I wouldn't expect the police to reveal details until it was complete / at trial.

Eg the investigations into the Salisbury poisoners took months – but now we have names, photos, itineraries... the lot. The only reason those guys aren't on trial is they fled the UK immediately.

Juells · 23/12/2018 22:09

This has nothing to do with you and is not your business.

Blimey the Thought Police are out in force tonight.

I noticed on Yahoo earlier today that in the comments about the arrest of the couple most posters were asking "Why have these people been named, where they live shown and photos of them published?" Turns out the posters were spot on - those people have been dragged through the media and now it appears they didn't have anything to do with it.

And as I'm having a rant... how come it took 14 hours to get on board that ship off Margate, to tackle four men armed with scrap metal?

brighteyeowl17 · 23/12/2018 22:11

I think there is much more than we will ever know going on here and we have been drip fed the bare minimum.

ThePinkOcelot · 23/12/2018 22:12

Scrumptious - you could say that about nearly every thread posted, so wind your neck in eh?!

Juells · 23/12/2018 22:13

No-one has said there was no drone, they are saying the investigation is ongoing.

"Asked about speculation there was never such a drone flown over the airport, Detective Chief Superintendent Jason Tingley told the BBC: "Of course, that's a possibility. We are working with human beings saying they have seen something."

AnchorDownDeepBreath · 23/12/2018 22:13

I was just really confused about the "it might not have been a drone, it might be fake eyewitness reports" thing.

They've found a drone near Gatwick. A ruined one; but there definitely was one...

The rest is a matter of criminal law. They don't just arrest people who may be responsible; they arrest people who may have information. The media (especially people like Piers Morgan) were hugely inappropriate.

They cannot release everything they know. You must see why l.

AnchorDownDeepBreath · 23/12/2018 22:15

Sort @Juells; cross posts.

I think the fact that the BBC now has to have a "why trust the BBC" section says it all.