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The Kosher Market Hostage Incident

Update: Police say Hayat Boumeddiene is believed to have left for Turkey before the attacks and may be headed to Syria or now in Syria.

Update: A Muslim employee at the Kosher market is being hailed as a hero for protecting the shoppers in the freezer.

When the Islamist gunman broke into the store, Lassana Bathily, a 24-year-old Muslim from the African country of Mali, told customers to hide in the store's basement freezer.

Closing the freezer's doors, he told the customers to wait calmly inside while he keeps a lookout. After police raided the supermarket and killed gunman Amedy Coulibaly, the hostages emerged safely from the freezer.

Original Post Below

The Daily Mirror reports there were "30 Jewish shoppers" huddled in the freezer two floors below the market during the hostage siege. All were safely evacuated. The four hostages killed in the market reportedly were killed by Amedy Coulibaly when he first entered.

Was the market attack aimed at solely at Jews? At the French in general? Could it have been neither, and a sudden desperation move aimed at freeing the Kouachi brothers and any store would have sufficed? As to the theory it was chosen because it was a Kosher market, not everyone agrees.

One woman who visited the Kosher shop described its manager Michel Emsalem as a 'kind' and 'patient' man. Latifa Benjamaa, 37, said: 'He is kind, nice and polite. He is not someone who cares about religion. I often went to shop there and I'm a Muslim,' she said.

She disputes the store was chosen based on religion.

French leaders say the market attack was the product of antisemitism. The recent increase in antisemitic attacks in France is resulting in large numbers of Jews deciding to leave France. If France, rather than its Jewish population, was the target of the market attack, the distinction should be made clear. I wrote about this a few weeks ago.

Roger Cukierman, the head of CRIF, a French umbrella group for Jewish organizations, for decades has taken the position that Jews have been in France for 2,000 years and would never leave, en masse. Last weekend, at a rally, he struck a different chord when he said (to applause by the crowd):

“Jews will leave in large numbers and France will fall into the hands of either Shari’a Law or the Front National.”

There's no question antisemitism has increased in France.

France's Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve stated a few days ago that "anti-Semitic acts and threats have increased by well over 100% in the first ten months of the year." He also advanced the figure of "more than 930 cases" that have been prosecuted in the first half of the year. For its part, the National Consultative Commission on Human Rights (CNCDH) noted in its latest report that there has been "a decline of tolerance [for Jews] between 2012 and 2013.

In that same post, I pointed out there were two new ISIS videos featuring fighters in Lebanon speaking in French.

ISIS released two videos last week featuring fighters speaking in French (in one, the fighter threatened to execute captured Lebanese soldiers and in the other, the fighter gave a recruitment speech, railing against nationalism. It's called "A Message to You, O Believers" or in French, "Recevez Ce Message."

Last month, ISIS released a video with three french fighters burning their passports and advocating the killing of Westerners. This week, ISIS released the first issue of its magazine in French, "Dar al-Islam" (available here.)

It seems that Jihadists have a problem with all of France, not just its Jewish population. The Charlie Hebdo cartoonists were not targeted for their religion. While al Qaida has said it directed the attack on them, it has not, as of now, said it also directed the attack at the kosher market. The market attack strikes me as having more of a "lone wolf" character to it. If the market attack was not chosen for religious reasons, there's no reason for France's Jewish population to consider leaving because of it.

[Added: New information indicates Coulibaly told the media only the Hebdo attack was planned in advance with the Kouaje brothers, everything from after that, including the killing of the police woman, he did on his own. There is also information attributed to the prosecutor that Coulibaly had "cased" the Kosher market the week before and he did tell the media his intent was to target Jews. Is this based on the statement of a family member of the market owner who says he as seen at the market a week before and noticed because he looked out of place?]

On a related note, when it comes to the question of how to respond to these attacks, I have some thoughts on how not to respond. First, I think those who take to Twitter to post Islamophobic rants are part of the problem, not the solution. They are just as bad as their opponents. Plus, they sound like imbeciles. Reading them makes me want to wash out my eyes.

Second, I think it is unfortunate that Western countries seem to get blinded by emotion whenever these horrific attacks happen. Instead of thinking calmly, the trend now is to ratchet up the ineffective airstrikes, threaten increased military intervention, restrict civil liberties and jail dissenters. The West still hasn't learned the most fundamental lesson of any war: Know and understand your enemy.

In treating ISIS and the other militant groups simply as terror organizations, rather than examining their beliefs, grievances, and goals, and capitalizing on cracks in their ability to get their message out and transport their recruits across the border, and in ISIS' case, examining the cracks in its ability to govern, and figuring out ways to demarginalize the economically and socially disadvantaged youth who are most susceptible to their propaganda, the West is just ensuring that these groups will continue to spread. Death by bombing or execution is not a deterrent to these groups. How many times do they have to tell us it's a privilege to die for Allah before we believe them?

No country has the ability to conduct a war that will last for generations. Another solution has to be found.

One more related topic: Was Hayat Boumeddiene, the girlfriend of the dead jihadist Amedy Coulibaly, with Coulibaly at the market? If so, how did she get past police to leave? Also, there are conflicting reports of who she had 500 contacts with the past few days. The prosecutor gave a statement yesterday, and despite every French media outlet covering it, their versions are different. Some say the prosecutor was referring to her contacts with Coulibaly and one of the Kouachi brothers; one says the reference was to her contacts with an accomplice of one of the Kouachi brothers, and another says her 500 contacts were with the wife of Chérif Kouachi. The wife of one of the Kouachi brothers is being detained. Is it Cherif's wife?

Added: Now the claim is that the prosecutor said Boumedienne was in touch with Izzana Hamyd, the wife of one of the Cherif Kouachi brother 500 times in the past year. (Interesting that TIME spells her name differently in the same article: "Boumeddiene" and "Boumeddienne.")

Paris prosecutor François Molins said that there had been regular telephone contact (over 500 calls a year) between Boumeddienne and Izzana Hamyd, Chérif’s wife.

Coulibaly started shooting when he ran into the market. Is it possible he picked the shop at random, on the spur of the moment, or in a panic, and didn't even think about what kind of a shop it was? I wouldn't be surprised. I also wonder how the Mirror knows all 30 people hiding in the freezer were Jewish. I doubt they all stopped for interviews. On the other hand, surely by now the hostages who were in the presence of Coulibaly have been debriefed by authorities. They would know if Hayat Boumeddiene was with him in the market or not. The fact that no one has definitively said she was there makes me think she was not there. Either way, considering the three men known to have been involved in the attacks are dead, if France wants more answers, it should instruct law enforcement on the importance of bringing her in alive. Another dead terror accomplice is of no value to anyone.

Added: See update at the top: Boumeddiene was not in France at all during the attacks. She had left for Turkey on Jan. 2 and is believed to now be in Syria.

< Al Qaeda Explains Why It Targeted France and Charlie Hebdo | Anonymous Hackers Take Down French Jihadist Forum >
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  • Display: Sort:
    From Jeralyn to the ears of the powers that be. (5.00 / 2) (#3)
    by lentinel on Sat Jan 10, 2015 at 09:23:19 AM EST
    Instead of thinking calmly, the trend now is to ratchet up the ineffective airstrikes, threaten increased military intervention, restrict civil liberties and jail dissenters. The West still hasn't learned the most fundamental lesson of any war: Know and understand your enemy.

    In treating ISIS and the other militant groups simply as terror organizations, rather than examining their beliefs, grievances, and goals, and capitalizing on cracks in their ability to get their message out and transport their recruits across the border, and in ISIS' case, examining the cracks in its ability to govern, and figuring out ways to demarginalize the economically and socially disadvantaged youth who are most susceptible to their propaganda, the West is just ensuring that these groups will continue to spread. Death by bombing or execution is not a deterrent to these groups. How many times do they have to tell us it's a privilege to die for Allah before we believe them?

    It is also my belief that this is not about freedom of expression - or about religion, or about "they hate us for our freedoms" - it is about the fact that we have been bombing Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan for over 12 years. The results include the deaths of countless civilians. Including children. And, then there is the shelling of Palestine and the treatment of the Palestinian people. We may not consider that part of the equation, but our enemies do - and have said so for over a decade.

    I particularly identify with this from Jeralyn's statement above:

    In treating ISIS and the other militant groups simply as terror organizations, rather than examining their beliefs, grievances, and goals,... the West is just ensuring that these groups will continue to spread.

    I would put at the top of the list an examination of their grievances. Because I believe that many of them are legitimate and understandable. I think that is the way to peace.

    And no. This post is not about American being always wrong.
    But it is about consequences of the unconscionable cruelty inflicted on the region initiated by Bush - with the acquiescence of both political parties. That would be at the top of the list of their "grievances" I would think.

    It is something with which we have yet to come to terms - in my opinion.

    America bombs military positions to prevent (5.00 / 2) (#4)
    by Militarytracy on Sat Jan 10, 2015 at 09:30:48 AM EST
    Genocide.  So French militants must murder French cartoonists and French Jews?

    The lack of rationale is astonishing

    Parent

    Whatever the intent, (5.00 / 2) (#7)
    by lentinel on Sat Jan 10, 2015 at 09:46:40 AM EST
    whatever the targeting, the results of the bombing of "military targets" have included the indiscriminate slaughter of thousands, even hundreds of thousands, of civilian men, women and children in the region.

    This, I would wager, has not gone unnoticed by our enemies.

    I know that we would not have let it go unnoticed.

    So, no. I don't expect rationality as a response.

    And, unfortunately, anti-Semitic sentiment in France does not seem to be restricted to Muslims. In fact, most of it, the most dangerous part imo, is coming from nationalist rightwing groups headed by freaks like Le Pen. They are similar to our rightwing hate groups.

    In fact, the father Le Pen recently came out with a statement defending the actions of the Vichy government for heaven's sake!

    I am not excusing anybody.

    My thoughts are a response to thoughts expressed by Jeralyn above.

    I am trying to think of a way to end this nightmare which, I am afraid, is only beginning.

    In my opinion, with which you seem to disagree, is that the continued bombings and droning which continue to kill innocent people in their wake, (euphemistically referred to as "collateral damage") is the way to disaster.

    Everyone should know by now that there is no such thing as a "smart' bomb.

    Parent

    Although I disagree with your post below (none / 0) (#37)
    by Slado on Sun Jan 11, 2015 at 12:22:36 AM EST
    Solely because I think it is a little to bush focused I do agree with you that our wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and our continued use of Drones have done little or nothing to improve the situation.

    We I believe are in a fight between two ways of life.

    A return to conservative islamic society as understood by radical Islamists against everyone else.  From Moderate Muslims all the way up to us in the west.

    Most of this clash is happening within the Islamic world and our bombing and meddling since 9/11 has done nothing to improve the situation.   Did it weaken AQ?  Sure.   But they've simply transformed and thanks to our multiple screw ups in Iraq under both administrations (of which Bush gets most of blame) now we have ISIS.  

    The war, conflict, tension or whatever you want to call it is at our doorstep because a group of radical Islamists want it to be and will keep fighting until their ideology or version of Islam wins or loses its appeal.

    Parent

    Tracy... (none / 0) (#11)
    by jimakaPPJ on Sat Jan 10, 2015 at 09:58:49 AM EST
    The words are "raducal islamists killing and terrorizing."

    Parent
    These guys until other evidence shows (none / 0) (#12)
    by Militarytracy on Sat Jan 10, 2015 at 10:44:43 AM EST
    Up were not part of any organized terrorist organization Jim.  Existing evidence points to a very disorganized confused affiliation group of French militants.They may have had their sympathies but were all over the radicalized road, born and raised in France...for me, the best most accurate descriptor I can come up with for me at this point is French militants.

    I refuse to give them Al Qaeda or ISIS status until it can be proven to me that they were in direct contact with those organizations and taking orders and direction from them.

    Parent

    I am giving them nothing (none / 0) (#15)
    by jimakaPPJ on Sat Jan 10, 2015 at 12:12:14 PM EST
    they are radical islamist terrorists and it doesn't make any difference what group they do, or do not, belong to.

    Why do you call them "French militants?"

    Parent

    Probably because they were French (5.00 / 2) (#16)
    by Mr Natural on Sat Jan 10, 2015 at 12:19:58 PM EST
    and they were Militants.

    Parent
    They were (5.00 / 1) (#20)
    by Zorba on Sat Jan 10, 2015 at 04:27:38 PM EST
    born in France, Jim, making them "French."
    Did you call the individuals in the past who bombed abortion clinics and killed abortion providers in this country, radical Christianist terrorists?
    Yes or no, Jim.

    Parent
    Did I miss something. Are we bombing (none / 0) (#17)
    by oculus on Sat Jan 10, 2015 at 03:24:50 PM EST
    France?

    Parent
    In time....patience :) (5.00 / 1) (#19)
    by Militarytracy on Sat Jan 10, 2015 at 03:39:33 PM EST
    This a joke...satire, I'm no cartoonist though.

    Parent
    Radical Islamits (none / 0) (#36)
    by Slado on Sun Jan 11, 2015 at 12:03:29 AM EST
    Attacked the WTC in 1993.  Then attached the Cole.

    They took down the WTC in 2001 and 99% of Americans wouldn't have been able to tell you who OBL or AQ was before that happened.

    Busk wasted blood and treasure trying to defeat a set of ideals militarily and telling these radical Islamists (as Obama and others continue to do) that they aren't Muslims.   They don't seem to agree.

    It is not our fault that a group of people want to take the world back to the 7th century.   That is their goal.  They feel their way of life which is directly tied to "their" religion is the only answer and they are willing to do anything to see their goals through.

    Parent

    I agree with you (none / 0) (#41)
    by Militarytracy on Sun Jan 11, 2015 at 10:36:32 AM EST
    That it is not our fault that a group of people want to take us back to the 7th century.  And I'm a to the bone feminist, I can't go back, ever.  Women growing up in this family, it is impossible for them to go back.  Probably the men too.  If you choose your mates based on your first love of your parents, a man raised in such a family will desire a mate who is expressive...not oppressed.  I don't see where anyone in this house or who has been in this house can go back.

    Parent
    It seems almost ALL Americans (5.00 / 8) (#10)
    by Reconstructionist on Sat Jan 10, 2015 at 09:56:28 AM EST
     are susceptible to the highly delusional belief that WE can achieve global  peace and order  if WE just take the "right" steps. Now, we obviously disagree among ourselves dramatically as to that those "right" steps might be, but the fundamental idea that we can control and dictate the course of events by our actions infects thinking across the political spectrum.

      Some might think the right steps are empathetic diplomacy and conciliatory negotiations which will lead to a cessation of hostility  and others think we can just defeat those who are hostile with military and economic might. Some think it's a combination of approaches that will work. Almost all, however, seem determined to convince themselves that there is actually "a solution" and that the enmity can be eliminated.

      Maybe it's just a matter of the reality of the situation being too unpleasant to accept.

       

    Large numbers of Jews leaving France (5.00 / 1) (#13)
    by Abdul Abulbul Amir on Sat Jan 10, 2015 at 12:01:12 PM EST
    Not much of a surprise.  The French state can't protect them and it prohibits them from protecting themselves.  When it's harder to get a pistol permit in Paris than NYC the state has made clear that it prefers victims to be defenseless.

    BTW, the deli shooter cased the joint in advance, showing malice aforethought rather than random chance was involved.

    Are idiotic blog and newspaper (5.00 / 1) (#18)
    by oculus on Sat Jan 10, 2015 at 03:27:23 PM EST
    commenters the equivalent of murders?  No.

    This attack was a homegrown clusterphuck (5.00 / 4) (#21)
    by Dadler on Sat Jan 10, 2015 at 04:28:06 PM EST
    End of story. These are relative amateurs, maybe with a few weeks firearms training. Halfwits willing to murder infants in person to make a non-existent point.

    They fail. WE fail. Everyone is failing.

    There is nothing here but failure. Everywhere. Islam, like all monotheisms, is essentially dead and grasping at straws because it has the plethora of weapons to do so.

    Come on, people, there are exponentially more weapons every minute that passes. Combine that with the azzholes we are too each other, and have been, what do you expect?

    The sh*t is hitting the fan, and at this point right and wrong mean nothing.

    Technology has far surpassed morality as the most powerful force on earth.

    And that is what we are going to be destroyed by.

    What failure (5.00 / 1) (#24)
    by Abdul Abulbul Amir on Sat Jan 10, 2015 at 05:27:06 PM EST
    They set out to murder a bunch of Charlie Abdo staff and die as martyrs. Mission succesfully accomplished by their lights

    Parent
    Jim, it's not necessary (5.00 / 4) (#29)
    by fishcamp on Sat Jan 10, 2015 at 08:08:34 PM EST
    to be snotty to Zorba, one of the coolest persons on this blog.  Get your mind right. Airman jim.  And thank you in advance.

    his comment was deleted (none / 0) (#34)
    by Jeralyn on Sat Jan 10, 2015 at 09:28:08 PM EST
    and Jim is again warned to stick to the topic. It's not his views of fundamentalism, it's the Kosher Market attack.

    Parent
    Revealed: Police stopped watching (5.00 / 1) (#38)
    by Mr Natural on Sun Jan 11, 2015 at 01:55:54 AM EST
    Paris killers six months ago after terror cell of kosher deli attacker and his crossbow jihadi wife - who has fled to Syria - were deemed 'low-risk'

    - Daily Mail

    Extracts of Coulibaly ranting at hostages (5.00 / 1) (#39)
    by Mr Natural on Sun Jan 11, 2015 at 01:59:38 AM EST
    in the kosher store have been released by French media. His comments were apparently recorded after a telephone was left off the hook.

    Coulibaly railed against the French state and mocked his hostages for paying taxes, RTL reported. He said: "They must stop attacking the Islamic State, stop unveiling our women, stop putting our brothers in prison for nothing at all."

    - Irish Times


    We haven't been conducting war (2.00 / 1) (#9)
    by jimakaPPJ on Sat Jan 10, 2015 at 09:56:03 AM EST
    No country has the ability to conduct a war that will last for generations. Another solution has to be found.

    War is win you define your enemies and use all of your resources to bend them to your will.

    That is what the radical islamists have been doing.

    And it is working. Look at the people spouting self censorship. Don't insult, etc., etc. while whining they are against the radical islamist terrorist killings in Paris.

    I just watched Bill Donohue, a Catholic somebody, on FNC opine that if the prophet is insulted then we should not be surprised when they attack. Self censorship is what he wants!

    Which, of course, is giving the islamist radicals what they want.

    I wonder where he would draw the line?? Mandatory prayers?? Pray rugs in every home??

    Of course the Catholic Church has never been strong on freedom of speech or action.

    Donohoe is a Catholic layman (5.00 / 1) (#35)
    by Mordiggian 88 on Sat Jan 10, 2015 at 10:20:44 PM EST
    Who has seen fit to appoint himself spokesperson for conservative Catholics.  He has no more authority to speak for his religion than a laymember  of the Baptist Church would have have to speak for his/her religion.

    And there are Catholics who believe in freedom of speech, some of them even support freedom of speech for lapsed Catholics. "I believe what the Church believes." is so 1500.

    Parent

    One of the ironies is that Israel is getting (none / 0) (#1)
    by Mr Natural on Sat Jan 10, 2015 at 04:42:53 AM EST
    4000-6000 French emigres annually, people who are being wedged into new settlements, increasing the irritation and motivation of the jihad faction.

    now, why on earth (none / 0) (#23)
    by The Addams Family on Sat Jan 10, 2015 at 05:22:36 PM EST
    would Jews be leaving france? smh - such a mystery</s>

    Parent
    What if? (none / 0) (#2)
    by Militarytracy on Sat Jan 10, 2015 at 08:22:57 AM EST
    What if Salman Rushdie, who grew up Muslim and his family still obviously is according to what he discussed last night, is right?

    It wasn't anything that France did or has done, they were attacked simply to demonstrate Islamic prowess?

    The radicals that are responsible have no clear allegiance.

    I could be wrong, (none / 0) (#5)
    by lentinel on Sat Jan 10, 2015 at 09:31:23 AM EST
    but I believe that many Muslims frequent Kosher markets, and Jewish people frequent Halal (Muslim) markets - because of the similarities in the preparation of foods - meats in particular.

    From Wikipedia:

    For most Muslim sects, kosher is a subset of halal; accordingly, Muslims can generally eat kosher food, but Jews cannot eat all halal food.

    So, my inclination is to believe that the choice of the Kosher Market in France was due more to the fact that is was there and accessible, rather than something that specifically aimed at Jewish people.

    So he was there to eat too? (5.00 / 1) (#6)
    by Militarytracy on Sat Jan 10, 2015 at 09:35:26 AM EST
    Why not storm a popular mainstream market?  Why brandish your weapon and announce, "You know who I am don't you?"  Would that action have had the same implications and immediate impact at Whole Foods?

    Parent
    They were Parisian natives. As such, they (5.00 / 2) (#14)
    by Mr Natural on Sat Jan 10, 2015 at 12:05:50 PM EST
    would have been familiar with Parisian neighborhoods.  They were religionistas, which means they would have been obsessed with religious demographics.

    Attacking that grocery could have been an accident of fate but I doubt it.

    Parent

    yes, I think it would have the same (5.00 / 2) (#33)
    by Jeralyn on Sat Jan 10, 2015 at 09:26:06 PM EST
    impact at any supermarket if a gunman walked in and shot and killed four people right away.

    Parent
    Who (none / 0) (#8)
    by lentinel on Sat Jan 10, 2015 at 09:54:49 AM EST
    knows why they chose that market?

    No. He was not there to eat to the best of my knowledge.

    I'm saying that the clientele include Muslims!

    He was there to take hostages.

    Maybe if they find his accomplice we will find out his motive for choosing it.

    As I said, that market was there. It was convenient.
    He and his accomplice were fleeing the police, so I am cannot decide on their motive for choosing it.

    Muslims frequent that Market - Please read Jeralyn's post above.

    It includes this part and then continues:

    Was the market attack aimed at solely at Jews? At the French in general? Could it have been neither, and a sudden desperation move aimed at freeing the Kouachi brothers and any store would have sufficed? As to the theory it was chosen because it was a Kosher market, not everyone agrees.

    One woman who visited the Kosher shop described its manager Michel Emsalem as a 'kind' and 'patient' man. Latifa Benjamaa, 37, said: 'He is kind, nice and polite. He is not someone who cares about religion. I often went to shop there and I'm a Muslim,' she said.

    She disputes the store was chosen based on religion.



    Parent
    Rushdie Blames Iran and Saudi Arabia (none / 0) (#26)
    by RickyJim on Sat Jan 10, 2015 at 06:08:56 PM EST
    "I said earlier this week that there'd been a deadly mutation in the middle of Islam," said Rushdie. "This is not a random mutation... This has been a mutation that a lot of work has been put into. Governments, from the Sunni side the Saudi government, on the Shia side the Iranian government, have been putting fortunes of money into making sure that extremist mullahs are preaching in mosques around the world, and in building and developing schools in which a whole generation is being educated in extremism--and trying to prevent other forms of education."
    Link.
    I have heard that private charities in the Gulf States support extremist education, especially Wahhabi madrassas in Pakistan, but the charge against Iran is new to me.  I doubt that Rushdie is right.  The Internet is where most extremists are educated, IMHO.

    Certain Saudi princes have been funding (none / 0) (#46)
    by Mr Natural on Sun Jan 11, 2015 at 02:24:13 PM EST
    Wahhabist Madrassas in the former Soviet states of Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, etc..  This has been going on for years.    

    Recently Jeralyn posted a horrific bit of photojournalism from Kazakhstan showing a bunch of little kids practicing with toy ak-47s and dutifully mouthing fairly horrific hate speech.  She pulled the photos or they were pulled at the source, due to Kazakh government pleas or something.  Who did the pulling wasn't clear.  It was supposedly ISIS inspired or supportive or funded or something.  

    Some paranoids claim it's all some sort of secret CIA plot to steal mineral wealth.  Some claim Iran and the Sauds are in this together, which makes little sense, with the CIA, which makes even less sense.

    Somebody can provide more accurate version of this collection of impressions; I'm writing from memory.

    Parent

    Coulibaly ISIS loyalty pledge video found (none / 0) (#40)
    by Mr Natural on Sun Jan 11, 2015 at 09:31:08 AM EST
    A video has emerged showing Paris terrorist Ahmed Coulibaly pledging allegiance to Islamic State (IS).

    The clip was reportedly posted by the militant group on Twitter this morning - two days after the 32-year-old attacked a Jewish supermarket in the French capital, killing four people.



    So, the market was chosen because HE (5.00 / 1) (#45)
    by Militarytracy on Sun Jan 11, 2015 at 02:08:19 PM EST
    Identified with it as being Jewish.

    But, but, now an ISIS supporter who made a martyr video turns out to be the financier of an attack that Al Qaeda has somewhat attempted to take the credit for.  That's a hella big problem to sort out there Al Qaeda.  If lives hadn't been taken, shattered, and wounded this would all even be comical.

    Good Lord terrorist wannabes, get your stories straight before you start dialing up journalists and making martyr videos.

    Parent

    the martyrdom video was filmed (none / 0) (#48)
    by Jeralyn on Sun Jan 11, 2015 at 08:21:41 PM EST
    before the market attack. Since he died during it, it couldn't have been filmed after.

    He does not claim in his video that his attacks were motivated by his animosity for Jews. In the martyrdom video, it is Al Hayat that types in "'Why did you attack France, Charlie Hebdo and a Jewish grocery store?" Not only could he not answer that since he hadn't yet attacked the grocery store, according to the translation by the Daily Mail, the statement to which Al Hayat attached the question (as if to make it appear his statement is an answer) makes no reference to Jews.

    "What we are in the process of doing is completely legitimate. Moreover, it has been deserved for sometime. If you attack the caliphate, if you attack the Islamic State, we will attack you." "You and your coalition ...you bombarded regularly over there. You are killing civilians, fighters. Why? Because we live by Sharia law?"

    His reasons seem to be entirely about the West and their attacks and treatment of ISIS.  He makes no reference to Jews until he's inside the market talking to the TV station, by which time he had was obviously aware he had chosen a Kosher market.  His goal in seizing hostages reportedly was to save the Kouachi brothers. I think his animosity to Jews was secondary to his animosity to France. In other words, it may be why he picked this particular market, but it's not why he decided to take or kill hostages in the first place.

    He didn't care about the religion of the policewoman he killed, or the owner of the car he bombed, or the jogger he reportedly shot.

    I think this was an attack against France as a whole, not just Jews. The danger in continuing to maintain otherwise is that it will make Jews in France feel more afraid and make more of them leave. I think it is irresponsible to increase their fear level without hard facts to back up the claim. ISIS and al Qaida have always expressed their enmity towards Jews, but ISIS has not gone on any mission to kill them or told anyone to kill them specifically. It has encouraged its supporters to kill based on nationality, not religion.

    Parent

    Remember the Todenhofer Interview of ISIS? (none / 0) (#50)
    by RickyJim on Sun Jan 11, 2015 at 09:31:06 PM EST
    ISIS and al Qaida have always expressed their enmity towards Jews, but ISIS has not gone on any mission to kill them or told anyone to kill them specifically.

    According to the German journalist Todenhofer,

    He said the view that kept being repeated was that Isis want to "conquer the world" and all who do not believe in the group's interpretation of the Quran will be killed. The only other religions to be spared, Todenhofer said, were the "people of the book" -- Jews and Christians.


    Parent
    the video was not released by a supporter (none / 0) (#49)
    by Jeralyn on Sun Jan 11, 2015 at 08:44:04 PM EST
    but by Al Hayat, which is an official media arm of ISIS. This is not a fanboy video. It also has nothing to do with al Qaida. All Coulabali says in the video was that he gave some money to one of the Kouachi brothers for their attack on Charlie Hebdo. That's not an indication of support for AQAP. It's support for his friend and his friend's choice of target. He's been friends with them since he was jailed with one of them. Their wives are friends. They were both inspired by the same "preacher" who was also a recruiter and imprisoned. Coulibali says jail radicalized him.

    Their stories are not inconsistent because one was inspired by ISIS and the other by AQAP. They were on the same mission: to attack the West. They decided to coordinate the Hebdo and police killings for greater impact. What happened after that was not jointly undertaken activity, according to Coulibaly.

    The Kouachi brother who went to Yemen returned before Al Awlaki was killed. I wouldn't take AQAP's claim of actual involvement (as opposed to it being the source of his inspiration) too literally. If they were behind his attack, why didn't it give Kouachi the funds to carry it out?

    Then again, maybe AQAP does have time to advise its foreign supporters on their specific attacks now that their power has waned. ISIS, clearly does not. ISIS expends training resources on kids, so they grow into the next generation of fighters and continue the battle, which it perceives to be generational. It also expends money on re-education, making the people it conquers learn its view of religion. I don't think expends any resources on training supporters in western countries. That's why it tells them, don't tell us about it, just do it.

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    I agree with you, they were on their own (none / 0) (#51)
    by Militarytracy on Mon Jan 12, 2015 at 09:32:28 AM EST
    So was this a planned Al Qaeda attack?  No

    Was it a planned ISIS attack?  I gotta say No to that too because they would not have allowed anyone they were directing to call a journalist before they committed suicide by cop and say, "We represent Al Qaeda in Yemen".

    It is the inflammatory headlines only meant to frighten people that the media needs to end.  Everyone keeps trying to attach these guys to some sinister unseen Hitchcock evil when they were just militants.

    I can't even call them lone wolves.  I have to go with our FBI director and call them lone rats.  Attacks are becoming mythologized, it's disturbing, and the mystification and mythologizing only feeds the next disturbed individual seeking.....

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    More here: (none / 0) (#42)
    by Uncle Chip on Sun Jan 11, 2015 at 10:43:14 AM EST
    "...his girlfriend.." (none / 0) (#47)
    by KeysDan on Sun Jan 11, 2015 at 03:32:18 PM EST
    Hayat Boumeddienne was the wife (sort of) of Amedy Coulibaly.   Sort of, because they were married in an Islamic religious ceremony, but never married in a civil ceremony.  In France (as in several European countries), civil marriage is the only form of legal marriage. And, generally, the civil marriage must be preceded by the religious ceremony. An exception in France is the imminent death of one of the parties, preventing postponement.  

    Anyone performing a religious marriage before a civil marriage is subject to a fine.  It has been reported by the NYT (but not verified) that Hayat Boumeddienne was not present for the marriage contract ritual, but was represented by her father.  Apparently, a proxy is acceptable (a representative answers for consent whether or not the bride is present.). Two witnesses to the marriage are required.  It is likely that the French police will be seeking out these witnesses for interview.

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    At this point, (none / 0) (#52)
    by Mr Natural on Mon Jan 12, 2015 at 11:42:57 AM EST
    she's probably being forced to marry someone else.

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