A Deadly and Barbaric Terrorist Attack against France

A Deadly and Barbaric Terrorist Attack against France

By E. Stanley Ukeni

Evil has once again visited the French capital as unsuspecting Parisians and tourists reveled on the night of Friday, the 13^th day of November, 2015—personified in the eight terrorists who laid siege on a number of targets across the city of lights. The radical assailants—that included gunmen and suicide bombers attacked restaurants, a concert hall and a sports stadium situated in different parts of Paris, killing at least one hundred and twenty-nine people, and critically injuring about two hundred others.

It has been reported by news reports from across the globe that the gruesome and cowardly attacks were carried out by eight terrorists—seven of whom detonated suicide bombs and one in a shootout with the police at a concert hall called, the Bataclan, where the murderous attackers methodically killed at least eighty innocent men and women.

Another forty innocent victims were reportedly killed in seemingly coordinated attacks outside the Stade de France—located just north of Paris, where the French and German national soccer teams were playing an exhibition match, and at four other locations across Paris.

Parisians awoke on Saturday morning to a new reality that they must adapt to, as the grief stricken city of Paris remains under a state of emergency, with public transportation curtailed and public institutions—including schools, museums, libraries, pools and markets shutdown.

The French President, Francois Hollande, promptly declared three days of national mourning for the over 129 innocent victims who died from the deadly terrorist attacks—equally declaring a nationwide state of emergency.

Addressing his traumatized nation from the Elysée Palace, President Hollande—using an Arabic acronym for the Islamic State, said, “It is an act of war that was committed by a terrorist army, a jihadist army, Daesh, against France. It is an act of war that was prepared, organized and planned from abroad—with complicity from the inside, which the investigation will help establish”.

The French President further stated that, “France, because it was foully, disgracefully, and violently attacked, will be unforgiving with the barbarians from Daesh”.

President Hollande resolutely declared that France would go after the terrorist perpetrators in accordance with international law, while employing “all necessary means, on all terrains, inside and outside, in coordination with our allies, who are, themselves targeted by this terrorist threat”.  

Pope Francis joined other world leaders—including the heads of government of the United States, the European Union states, the African Union, Canada, Russia, India, Malaysia, and Mexico, to condemn the horrific attacks.

In a surprise telephone call to TV2000—the Italian Episcopal Conference owned television station, the Holy Pontiff said in a note of compassion, “It is difficult to understand such things, done by human beings.”

The Holy Father maintained that he remains in prayer of the bereaved families of the deceased, and for all those who suffer.

In an impromptu press conference at the white house on Friday, the United States President, Barack Obama, firmly condemned the terrorist attacks in Paris, “It’s an attack not just on the people of France. But this is an attack on all of humanity and the universal values we share”.

The US President continued, “Those who think that they can terrorize the people of France or the value that they stand for are wrong”.

The American further affirmed—citing France’s national motto, “We are reminded, in this time of tragedy, that the bonds of liberte, egalite, Fraternite, are not just the values French people share, but we share. Those go far beyond any act of terrorism or the hateful vision of those who perpetrated the crimes this evening.”

The German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, pledged solidarity with France, in an emotional address on Saturday.

The German Chancellor—dressed in black suit, declared in a somber tone, “We, your German friends, we are so close with you. We are crying with you. Together with you, we will fight against those who have carried out such an unfathomable act against you”.

She continued—her voice noticeably quavering, “Those who we mourn were murdered in front of cafés, in restaurants, in a concert hall or on the open street. They wanted to live the life of free people in a city that celebrates life. And they met with murderers who hate this life of freedom”.  

The different nation-states that constitute the African Union have almost all expressed solidarity with the French government, and the French people in this time of tragedy.

The Archbishop of Paris, Cardinal André Vingt-Trois, said, “Our country has again known pain and mourning and must stand up to the barbarism propagated by fanatical groups”.

The Archbishop announced that he would celebrate a mass at the Cathedral of Notre-Dame on Sunday for the victims of the tragic terrorist attacks, their families, and for France.

Our love, our cares and our prayer is with the people of France. May God continue to bless the French Republic.

This article is authored and published by E. Stanley Ukeni. Copyright © 2015. All Rights Reserved. This material and other articles or stories posted on this blog site may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed, in whole or in part, without prior expressed written permission from the author, E. Stanley Ukeni.