• Our booking engine at tickets.railforums.co.uk (powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!

Explosions in Brussels

Status
Not open for further replies.

Trainfan344

Established Member
Joined
13 Oct 2012
Messages
2,306
2 explosions in the departure lounge, and one in the metro station within the last hour or so. Details sketchy right now.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-europe-35869266

Key Points

Explosions reported at Brussels airport
Early reports at least one person killed and several injured
Pictures show significant damage to the terminal building
The blasts come days after the capture of Salah Abdeslam, the main suspect in the Paris attacks in November
 
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R

RailUK Forums

Tetchytyke

Veteran Member
Joined
12 Sep 2013
Messages
13,305
Location
Isle of Man
Details very sketchy, but there seems to be at least 13 people killed at the airport.

Thoughts with everyone :(
 

Quakkerillo

Member
Joined
23 Jan 2015
Messages
553
There has been a photo of the carriage in which the explosion happened. It was still in the station, and completely destroyed.
I first posted it, then I thought: might tag it with warning. Then I saw (parts of) corpses in the image, so I won't post it anymore.

But it's truly horrible. Staying indoors here.
 
Last edited:

Puffing Devil

Established Member
Joined
11 Apr 2013
Messages
2,742
Why is this still rolling news on BBC1? Very little new or relevant is coming out and this is a simulcast of the BBC News channel, where people can go if they want to join the ghoulish voyeurism.

Don't think I'm not sympathetic - I am truly sorry for those involved and their relatives and anyone impacted by the whole situation. I just don't think we need the kind of saturation coverage we have now.
 

Xenophon PCDGS

Veteran Member
Joined
17 Apr 2011
Messages
32,268
Location
A semi-rural part of north-west England
.....one of the airport bombers was a suicide bomber.

This is the difficulty that we face when suicide bombing is adopted as a course of action by those who have little regard for life, either their own or those they attack. Many Imams have said suicide bombing goes against all Muslim ethics in the past.

The co-ordinated action seems reminiscent of the Madrid railway bombings in 2004.
 
Last edited:

Steveman

Member
Joined
24 Feb 2016
Messages
405
This is the difficulty that we face when suicide bombing is adopted as a course of action by those who have little regard for life, either their own or those they attack. Many Imams have said suicide bombing goes against all Muslim ethics in the past.

The co-ordinated action seems reminiscent of the Madrid railway bombings in 2004.

Being reported that the first bomb was set off to cause people to run right into the suicide bomber which is the same tactic as the IRA used to use.

They have been rubbishing the Belgium security services on the BBC this morning saying how they just don't have the ability or ideas on how to stop anything terrorist related.
 

Gutfright

Member
Joined
22 Jan 2016
Messages
639
Many Imams have said suicide bombing goes against all Muslim ethics in the past.

And yet, many Imams have studied the Hadith and read the Koran from cover to cover, and come to completely the opposite conclusion.

It's difficult to know which is the correct interpretation without ever having read the Koran, don't you think?
 

TheKnightWho

Established Member
Joined
17 Oct 2012
Messages
3,184
Location
Oxford
And yet, many Imams have studied the Hadith and read the Koran from cover to cover, and come to completely the opposite conclusion.

It's difficult to know which is the correct interpretation without ever having read the Koran, don't you think?

You're saying this like they're equal in number, which is completely false.
 

Tetchytyke

Veteran Member
Joined
12 Sep 2013
Messages
13,305
Location
Isle of Man
And yet, many Imams have studied the Hadith and read the Koran from cover to cover, and come to completely the opposite conclusion.

You make it sound like they are equal in number, that this particular interpretation is Islam is common.

You'll be telling me Fred Phelps spoke for all Christians next. Or maybe you won't.
 

Xenophon PCDGS

Veteran Member
Joined
17 Apr 2011
Messages
32,268
Location
A semi-rural part of north-west England
And yet, many Imams have studied the Hadith and read the Koran from cover to cover, and come to completely the opposite conclusion.

It's difficult to know which is the correct interpretation without ever having read the Koran, don't you think?

I have read an English translation of the Qu'ran that was written by a British-born Muslim theologian very many years ago. As you say, there are different emphasis placed by the traditional ultra-conservative Wahaabist school of thought that is seen to be in vogue in less Western connected areas such as the North and South Waziristan regions of Pakistan and Afghanistan, the Horn of Africa, the northern Nigerian areas, plus of course, the Saudia Arabian and other like states of the Middle East against some who wish a more open version of Islamic thought more based in the 21st century than the 7th century times.
 

Gutfright

Member
Joined
22 Jan 2016
Messages
639
You make it sound like they are equal in number, that this particular interpretation is Islam is common.

You'll be telling me Fred Phelps spoke for all Christians next. Or maybe you won't.

Fred Phelps does not speak for all Christians. However, when he says that the bible says that God hates fags he isn't just pulling it out of his @rse - the bible clearly does say that (although it doesn't use those exact words)

Salah Abdeslam does not speak for all Muslims. However, when he says that the Koran says that Allah will reward those who kill the infidel, is he lying? How can you know for sure he's lying without ever having read the Koran?
 

TheKnightWho

Established Member
Joined
17 Oct 2012
Messages
3,184
Location
Oxford
Fred Phelps does not speak for all Christians. However, when he says that the bible says that God hates fags he isn't just pulling it out of his @rse - the bible clearly does say that (although it doesn't use those exact words)

Salah Abdeslam does not speak for all Muslims. However, when he says that the Koran says that Allah will reward those who kill the infidel, is he lying? How can you know for sure he's lying without ever having read the Koran?

Why are you assuming none of us have read the Koran? That seems awfully presumptive of you, and given Paul Sidorczuk's response, completely unfounded and untrue.

For the record, I have also read it.
 

Gutfright

Member
Joined
22 Jan 2016
Messages
639
I have read an English translation of the Qu'ran that was written by a British-born Muslim theologian very many years ago. As you say, there are different emphasis placed by the traditional ultra-conservative Wahaabist school of thought... against some who wish a more open version of Islamic thought more based in the 21st century than the 7th century times.

As the Koran was not written in the 21st century, it could be argued that the ultra-conservative 7th century interpretation is likely to be correct.
 

Tetchytyke

Veteran Member
Joined
12 Sep 2013
Messages
13,305
Location
Isle of Man
Fred Phelps does not speak for all Christians. However, when he says that the bible says that God hates fags he isn't just pulling it out of his @rse - the bible clearly does say that (although it doesn't use those exact words)

The English version of the Bible sort of says that, and it sort of doesn't, depending on which translation from Hebrew and Aramaic you believe and how you choose to interpret it.

Religion is a social construct and, as such, there is no "correct" interpretation. Some people will interpret things in one way and others in another.

I've no doubt that the terrorists working for ISIL are sincere in their beliefs. Whether views that are so far removed from the mainstream are "Islamic" is a different matter altogether, and really a matter of subjective opinion.
 
Last edited:

Gutfright

Member
Joined
22 Jan 2016
Messages
639
This is exactly the point that ISIL would make to justify their actions.

Exactly. I'm glad we agree.

Too many barbaric actions are seemingly being justified by saying "This 7th century book told me to do it". The rest of us are left with three options:

1) Put up with the barbarism
2) Try to argue that the 7th century book isn't that barbaric really if you interpret it the "right" way
3) Try to argue that it's ridiculous and dangerous to live life completely based on what a 7th century book says

Society has seemingly chosen option 2), although personally I favour option 3)

Religion is a social construct and, as such, there is no "correct" interpretation. Some people will interpret things in one way and others in another.

I've no doubt that the terrorists working for ISIL are sincere in their beliefs. Whether views that are so far removed from the mainstream are "Islamic" is a different matter altogether, and really a matter of subjective opinion.

To some people, it doesn't matter what the mainstream Islamic consensus says; the only thing that matters is what the Koran and hadith say.

The fact that their views are so far removed from the mainstream is of no consequence to such people, they only care about the word of Allah.

And if the Koran calls for actions the mainstream sensibly ignores, such people will feel compelled into those actions. Even at the cost of their own lives.

And with the Bible, too. I'm not sure what your point is.

I wasn't making a point, I was asking questions:

However, when [Salah Abdeslam] says that the Koran says that Allah will reward those who kill the infidel, is he lying?

How can you know for sure he's lying without ever having read the Koran?

Care to answer either question?
 
Last edited:

D1009

Established Member
Joined
22 Feb 2012
Messages
3,166
Location
Stoke Gifford
Eurostar have now suspended trains to Brussels.
BBC News were reporting that the main stations in Brussels were reopening to allow people to get home. Sky News is now reporting that Eurostar is also restarting, but Foreign Office advice is to avoid travel to Brussels unless absolutely essential
 

NY Yankee

Member
Joined
26 Mar 2012
Messages
487
Location
New York City
This all started when the US began supporting Israel in their occupation of Palestinian territory. The Palestinians are wrong for using suicide bombs and killing innocent people. However, Israel is wrong for provoking them by building settlements in Palestinian territory. The US also intervened in other conflicts within the Middle East. And then, 9/11 happened. Fundamentalist Muslims abhorred the western way of life. They were also tired of the US sticking its nose in their business.

President George W. Bush exploited 9/11 and used that as justification for starting a war with Iraq. Although Saddam Hussein was a tyrant, he was never a real threat to the US. In fact, he fought against the radical Muslims in his country and Iran. The invasion caused instability in the country and provided a breeding ground for terrorists.

Several western European countries decided to participate in the Iraq invasion. They probably felt obligated to do so since the US saved them from Nazi Germany in World War 2. However, by helping the US, they became entangled in the War on Terror. The terrorists decided that along with the US, the Western European nations would be their next target. So far, Madrid, London, Paris, and now Brussels have been beset by terrorism.

None of this would've happened if the Western European nations stayed out of the Middle East.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Top