posted
I know this really belongs on International, but there is not a lot of activity there, so I am putting it here, also.
Despite the earlier news that the takedown was by two Marines it was by two members of other services and a civilian friend. The following article from the London Daily Mail was very detailed and had many pictures.
Despite the headlines, these were not two marines, but Air Force airman Spencer Stone and Oregon National Guard member Alek Skarlatos, another American, Anthony Sadler, and a middle aged plus Brit, Chris Norman.
The two US servicemen grabbed the gun and wrestled him down. Stone had several serious cuts, including near loss of a finger. While this was going on the French train crew was supposedly finding a place to hide. (How many times do we have to pull these people's bacon out of the fire for them?)
The guy was a Moroccan, Ayoub El-Qahzzani, age 26, He had an AK47 with plenty of ammunition (how did he manage this in super gun control western Europe?)
He is quoted as saying he discovered the Kalashnikov automatic rifle 'under a bush' in a Brussels park, and that he found the guns and took them into the train toilet to understand how they worked, not to carry out an atrocity. And if you believe that, I have some shares in the Golden Gate bridge I would like to sell.
It appears that he was already being watched by the Spanish police.
I don't think it a good idea to publish these people's names as who knows what form of retribution these maniacs may try to put on those that thwart their plans, but they were in the newspaper.
In another article on Yahoo, the Brit was described as an accountant, born in one of the British colonies in southern Africa, now living in the south of France with his wife and a couple of grandchildren.
Geoff Mayo Member # 153
posted
I did notice that the news has been rather selective in the facts (I shouldn't be surprised). Today I read that SIX people have been, or are to be, honoured with a French award for their efforts in stopping whatever was to happen. Not just the three commonly mentioned.
As for getting hold of an AK-47, well, Africa is but a short speedboat away from Europe, and the Middle East to Europe can be achieved by land alone.
Jerome Nicholson Member # 3116
posted
Now the song plays in my head: "Team America, F*K YEAH! And those terrorists thought the train was entirely populated by cheese - eating surrender monkeys! TEAM AMERICA...
George Harris Member # 2077
posted
And in an update, we may have falsely maligned all Frenchmen. It appears that the first person to grab the guy was a 51 year old Frenchman who got shot for action. <<<Correction: further reading in the Telegraph article described the guy as Mark Moogalian, a 51 year old French-American professor of English at the at the Sorbonne who wrestled the gun from the attacker and was wounded in the neck and back.>>> His action to grab the guy's gun may have provided the opening for the US guys to get him without being shot themselves, since it appears they were coming after the guy head on. There was one more Frenchman involved who wishes to remain anonymous.
Having now "been over" twice in as many years, I am simply astounded at the ease of access to trains and stations. Even at a one time Port of Entry, Salzburg, walk up to a platform, no problem, want to take a picture?, no problem, baggage? want to blow yourself up? See your friends off? well, you can't be Bogey and Ingrid anymore, but walk up with them OK.
posted
Having been a fairly regular rider of the San Joaquin trains between San Francisco (bus to Emeryville) to Fresno and occasionally other places, I can say there is no access control of any sort at these stations. You don't even have to go through the station at all, much less some form of access control.
Yes, Jerome, seems like once again the Americans pull the fat out of the fire for the French, and it appears that our "French-American" was actually an American that has been working in France for quite a few years.
posted