Security overrides personal freedoms

My jaw drops every time I read about the so-called personal freedoms people want to cling to in the face of increasing terrorist attacks. To me, it is as simple as ensuring safety for everybody at whatever cost and this is why. We get one shot at life. Once you’re dead, that’s it. Your freedom of expression, movement and such no longer matter. Belgian and other Western countries that don’t seem to be taking this terrorism threat seriously need to wake up. Most terrorists have no qualms about blowing themselves up on buses, trains and at airports as just happened in Brussels. Some Belgian officials had the nerve to say that giving up personal freedoms is equivalent to letting the terrorists win and so continued police presence and rigorous security checks will not be sustained for long. This, on the very day over 30 people were killed and hundreds more injured! The two suicide bombers at Brussels International Airport were able to make it into the departure lounge without any security checks. No metal detectors, no scanners, no security guards outside the terminal of one of the main airports in the capital and they are surprised that these attacks are taking place? Another official said they would most likely just deploy regular personnel to look out for troublemakers! It was at that point that I knew these people have no idea about the threat they are facing. Most terrorists look just like everybody else. They wear sneakers and Jeans, they smile and can be charming. If you have seen the widely circulated picture of the two suicide bombers, only the black gloves they were each wearing on what appears to be their left hands would have raised alarm because they each had just one glove. But ordinary airport staff or travellers rushing to check in would most likely not notice that or even find it odd. Only detectives and those involved in fighting terror would know that the gloves were an attempt to conceal bomb detonators. If trained security guards had been posted outside the airport terminal, they would have picked out those individuals and they would never have made it inside. We have metal detectors and scanners at banks and small supermarket chains here at home and a major airport in Europe doesn’t? I’m stunned. Someone else said it would create long waiting hours and inconvenience travellers! Are these people serious? Isn’t that why people are asked to check in early? What do all those European foreign secretaries and ministers discuss when they meet at the frequent summits they convene? They’re giving Turkey billions of dollars to stop refugees from making it to Europe but can’t invest in basic security measures at home? Speaking of Turkey, the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan says his country only recently deported Ibrahim El Bakraoui who has since been identified as one of the suicide bombers. He had been picked up near the Syrian border and Turkey warned Belgium that he was one of the foreign ISIS fighters but Belgian authorities still released him saying there was no terrorism connection! There have been repeated reports that Belgium has the most Nationals of any European country fighting in Syria and these young men fly in and out of Europe without a care in the world. There’re communities in Belgium where the police doesn’t go because they don’t want to antagonize the residents! Europe is under attack partly because they’re treating known terrorists with kid gloves.

Lifestyle

Security overrides personal freedoms