Terrorist attack in German (Social)
Article Title: “Berlin Christmas market: 12 dead, 48 hospitalized in truck crash”
December 19, 2016 Author: Darran Simon, Ralph Ellis and Frederik Pleitgen Publisher: CNN Place:Berlin, Germany |
Issue overview and spatial Significance:
On 19 December 2016, a truck plowed into a densely populated Christmas market in Berlin at night. 12 people were killed, and 48 are seriously injured. The murderer had hijacked the truck from its Polish driver, Lukasz Urban, who was shot dead and found inside the truck. A witness told the police that the cars were driving at the speed around 40 miles per hour, deliberately to crash through the pedestrian area. Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) claimed responsibility for this tragedy. After the attack, the police immediately took control over the market. The police detained a man who was suspected to be the driver. He was picked up on foot near the accident. However, he was released without charge on the next day due to the lack of evidence. Two days after the incident, Anis Amri, aged 24, who pulled out a gun when being asked to identify himself, was killed in a shootout with Italian police in Milan. His fingerprints were matched to those found in the cab of the truck, It is clear that Anis Amaris has been the man behind the market terror attack.(J. McKenna and L. Osborne, 2016)
On 19 December 2016, a truck plowed into a densely populated Christmas market in Berlin at night. 12 people were killed, and 48 are seriously injured. The murderer had hijacked the truck from its Polish driver, Lukasz Urban, who was shot dead and found inside the truck. A witness told the police that the cars were driving at the speed around 40 miles per hour, deliberately to crash through the pedestrian area. Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) claimed responsibility for this tragedy. After the attack, the police immediately took control over the market. The police detained a man who was suspected to be the driver. He was picked up on foot near the accident. However, he was released without charge on the next day due to the lack of evidence. Two days after the incident, Anis Amri, aged 24, who pulled out a gun when being asked to identify himself, was killed in a shootout with Italian police in Milan. His fingerprints were matched to those found in the cab of the truck, It is clear that Anis Amaris has been the man behind the market terror attack.(J. McKenna and L. Osborne, 2016)
Patterns and trends:
The number of hate crime related to terrorist attack has increased in the recent year. In Europe, more than 13 bloody attacks happened just in the year of 2016. The terrorists were particularly active in France and Germany. A similar case has happened in France in July 2016. A French citizen of Tunisian origin drove a lorry into a crowd that was celebrating Bastille Day. At least 84 people were killed, and hundred more were injured. The international famous terrorist group, ISIS, has claimed the attack. There are more examples of terrorist attacks in Germany. In July 2016, there was a train attack in Würzburg, where a 17-year-old young Afghan refugee deliberately injured more than 20 passengers with an axe and a knife, apparently inspired by the terrorist. In the same month, a Syrian refugee activated a suicide bomb. 25 people were injured in the attack in the music festival in Ansbach, Berlin. The man was proven to be in allegiance with ISIS. Most of the impactful terrorist groups originate in the Middle East and Africa. For example, ISIS, Al-Qaeda, and Taliban. Since Europe is geographically located near the Middle East, asylum seekers can go across the border from Turkey and the countries nearby the mediterranean sea to European countries. It is possible for the terrorist who targets on European citizens and fake the identity of refugees.
The number of hate crime related to terrorist attack has increased in the recent year. In Europe, more than 13 bloody attacks happened just in the year of 2016. The terrorists were particularly active in France and Germany. A similar case has happened in France in July 2016. A French citizen of Tunisian origin drove a lorry into a crowd that was celebrating Bastille Day. At least 84 people were killed, and hundred more were injured. The international famous terrorist group, ISIS, has claimed the attack. There are more examples of terrorist attacks in Germany. In July 2016, there was a train attack in Würzburg, where a 17-year-old young Afghan refugee deliberately injured more than 20 passengers with an axe and a knife, apparently inspired by the terrorist. In the same month, a Syrian refugee activated a suicide bomb. 25 people were injured in the attack in the music festival in Ansbach, Berlin. The man was proven to be in allegiance with ISIS. Most of the impactful terrorist groups originate in the Middle East and Africa. For example, ISIS, Al-Qaeda, and Taliban. Since Europe is geographically located near the Middle East, asylum seekers can go across the border from Turkey and the countries nearby the mediterranean sea to European countries. It is possible for the terrorist who targets on European citizens and fake the identity of refugees.
Geographic Perspectives and Interrelationships:
Social: Terrorist tend to bomb suicide bombs or file attacks in crowded areas, for example markets, train stations, and airports. Also, social events, like celebration parties and Christmas Markets gather a large population, are easy targets of the terrorist group. On the other hand, terror groups use the Internet and post videos to attract followers in Europe. There might be more hidden followers in the country.
Political: The open borders in Europe has aid the killer to escape from one country to another. Since European countries are close neighborhood to each other, strengthening the security of translation within Europe has also become the concern.
Cultural: There are many immigrants from Eastern Europe, Middle East, and North Africa in recent year. The society has accumulated much cultural tension between the local Germans, and new immigrants of different ethnicity and the refugees.
Social: Terrorist tend to bomb suicide bombs or file attacks in crowded areas, for example markets, train stations, and airports. Also, social events, like celebration parties and Christmas Markets gather a large population, are easy targets of the terrorist group. On the other hand, terror groups use the Internet and post videos to attract followers in Europe. There might be more hidden followers in the country.
Political: The open borders in Europe has aid the killer to escape from one country to another. Since European countries are close neighborhood to each other, strengthening the security of translation within Europe has also become the concern.
Cultural: There are many immigrants from Eastern Europe, Middle East, and North Africa in recent year. The society has accumulated much cultural tension between the local Germans, and new immigrants of different ethnicity and the refugees.
Key Stakeholders:
The government of Germany: The bloody attack by the terrorist and to the innocent citizens is strictly condemned by the German government. After the attack, the government sent heavily armed police to patrol, making sure that the citizens are safeguarded. They are responsible of its personal safety of the people. They start investigation immediately, and reflect on why terrorist can conduct a hate crime so easily.
The citizens: This accident has created a collective panic and fear in Germany as well as the world. 12 people were dead, and 48 more were seriously injured because of the lorry attack. In the next day, the country has its flag held down in a sorrowful remorse.
The government of other countries in Europe: Since European countries are geographically close to each other, many countries has commanded armed police to patrol around the Christmas market to prevent similar attack happened in Germany.
The government of Germany: The bloody attack by the terrorist and to the innocent citizens is strictly condemned by the German government. After the attack, the government sent heavily armed police to patrol, making sure that the citizens are safeguarded. They are responsible of its personal safety of the people. They start investigation immediately, and reflect on why terrorist can conduct a hate crime so easily.
The citizens: This accident has created a collective panic and fear in Germany as well as the world. 12 people were dead, and 48 more were seriously injured because of the lorry attack. In the next day, the country has its flag held down in a sorrowful remorse.
The government of other countries in Europe: Since European countries are geographically close to each other, many countries has commanded armed police to patrol around the Christmas market to prevent similar attack happened in Germany.
Issue Implications:
Social: The innocent mass citizens remain to be the victims of terrorist attacks. This may raise the social tension even higher, and give stress to the new immigrants. To expand on this, untrust of the refugees also rises as there are several cases which the attackers are refugees or asylum seekers. As a result, the discrimination towards refugees in Europe increases. Terrorist attacks have promoted hatred in the western society, making the lives of the 890,000 newly arrived immigrants in 2016 harder (K.Grieshaber, 2016) . On the other hand, teenagers are not mature enough to control themselves. They may be negatively influenced by these news and the advertisement video of the terrorist recruitment advertisements.There were a train attack in July 2016, the attacker was only 17. His action might merely be the playful mimic of terrorist attack.
Cultural: Since most terrorist group originates in the Middle East and Africa, the general public’s tolerance to refugees coming from these area has lowered and makes it harder for the government to host more displaced individuals. A rise of discrimination towards Middle East ethnicity is expected after the attack.
Political: Those attacks, and two others unrelated to Islamic extremism in the same week has stoke tensions in Germany over the arrival last year of 890,000 new immigrants. Moreover, this attack in the Central of Berlin may weaken the political campaigns in Germany who support the European Union for example, Ms. Merkel, the Chancellor of Germany, since it has failed to maintain security in Europe.
Social: The innocent mass citizens remain to be the victims of terrorist attacks. This may raise the social tension even higher, and give stress to the new immigrants. To expand on this, untrust of the refugees also rises as there are several cases which the attackers are refugees or asylum seekers. As a result, the discrimination towards refugees in Europe increases. Terrorist attacks have promoted hatred in the western society, making the lives of the 890,000 newly arrived immigrants in 2016 harder (K.Grieshaber, 2016) . On the other hand, teenagers are not mature enough to control themselves. They may be negatively influenced by these news and the advertisement video of the terrorist recruitment advertisements.There were a train attack in July 2016, the attacker was only 17. His action might merely be the playful mimic of terrorist attack.
Cultural: Since most terrorist group originates in the Middle East and Africa, the general public’s tolerance to refugees coming from these area has lowered and makes it harder for the government to host more displaced individuals. A rise of discrimination towards Middle East ethnicity is expected after the attack.
Political: Those attacks, and two others unrelated to Islamic extremism in the same week has stoke tensions in Germany over the arrival last year of 890,000 new immigrants. Moreover, this attack in the Central of Berlin may weaken the political campaigns in Germany who support the European Union for example, Ms. Merkel, the Chancellor of Germany, since it has failed to maintain security in Europe.
Citations:
J. McKenna and L. Osborne (December 23, 2016) “Berlin attack suspect 'pledged allegiance to Isil', as questions raised over how he travelled 1,000 miles across Europe before he was shot dead by police in Milan”. The Telegraph. Retrieved Jan 11, 2017 from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/12/23/berlin-christmas-market-attack-suspect-anis-amri-reportedly/
K.Grieshaber (December 19, 2016) “Truck runs into crowded Christmas market, killing 12 in Berlin”. The Associated Press. Retrieved Jan 11, 2017 from
https://www.thestar.com/news/world/2016/12/19/truck-runs-into-crowded-christmas-market-in-berlin-reports.html
J. McKenna and L. Osborne (December 23, 2016) “Berlin attack suspect 'pledged allegiance to Isil', as questions raised over how he travelled 1,000 miles across Europe before he was shot dead by police in Milan”. The Telegraph. Retrieved Jan 11, 2017 from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/12/23/berlin-christmas-market-attack-suspect-anis-amri-reportedly/
K.Grieshaber (December 19, 2016) “Truck runs into crowded Christmas market, killing 12 in Berlin”. The Associated Press. Retrieved Jan 11, 2017 from
https://www.thestar.com/news/world/2016/12/19/truck-runs-into-crowded-christmas-market-in-berlin-reports.html