At least four dead (including three kids) this morning, after two separate incidents last week that left three servicemen of colour dead.

In each of the cases, the shooter was on a motorcycle or scooter, and there are also similarities in the ballistics results.

This is not the kind of thing I would expect to happen in the Sud Ouest in general or Toulouse in particular, as the area has always struck me as being less prone to racial hatred than other areas of the country.

Sarko stopped campaigning and immediately went to Toulouse today, but his presence seems to have primarily diverted police resources from trying to find the people who did this.

Indeed. And just last month NatGeo had an article on Marseilles being a cultural melting pot and the picture of racial harmony.

Same weapon in all three shootings.

Sarko has declared "Vigipirate niveau Écarlate" which has never been seen before in France.
And sent loads of CRS to the Toulouse area.

Écarlate or Scarlet, is the highest form of terrorist alert and probably gives the police all sorts of horrible powers.
Even just after 9/11 and the bombing campaigns in the 90's it has never been as high.
I, being cynical, wonder if it's a Sarko chest thumping at election time pose

Lot's of theories abound, it being actually a Muslim atack - the soldiers being attacked, becasue of France being in Afganistan, and no prizes for why they attacked the jewish school.
Also extreme right wingers, as all three soldiers were of african ancestry.
Or some totally un politically motivated nutcase.

Strasbourg is on lock down too, as it has the largest jewish community in France , so it seems.

Because those Muslims are always shooting kids in Jewish schools around the world. Hardly a day goes past without it.

That was a repeated theory from the French media , Ton Ton , not mine.

Another theory is to set up the muslim community by the right wingers with this.
And another , the other way around. So take your pick.

This in an atmosphere of little Nico, trailing Hollande in the polls, harping on about too many immigrants, the way food is prepared in France to cater for the Muslim and Jewish communities, wearing of head dresses etc.

France is a troubled land...

Some Context

An interesting Press TV report on the difference between the British and French left on anti-Muslim racism.

If this is an extreme-right killing, which it certainly looks as if it is, it horribly underlines one of Europe's seemingly eternal truths, which is that every explosion of ethnic bigotry eventually swings by that "And the Jews can fucking have some as well" place. It's been true at least since the Crusades.

Press TV is the Iranian state mouthpiece. Avoid.

And what Wyatt said

You can watch a discussion/interview without subscribing to the politics of the channel, don't be silly Lick.

Definitely doesn't feel like it's Islamic fundamentalists at it, their MO is generally the bomb in a packed place to cause maximum carnage as opposed to methodical shootings.

More importantly, since I cringe a little at your generalisation there..., ANY politically-motivated group/cell etc would've surely claimed the attacks as theirs by now, even if it were just two blokes with a gun and a motorbike.

Felicity, I guess so wrote:


Was that aimed at me? If so, why?

Suspect under siege by CRS.
Toulouse siege


An inpartial political observer speaks:
"After Wednesday's raid took place, Ms Le Pen said the "fundamentalist threat has been underestimated" in France."

And like with the Breivik killings, this now underlines why we shouldn't make assumptions. It turns out he isn't from the extreme right, but is in fact a Muslim who at least has a fantasy of being part of Al-Qaeda, and he claims the killings were 'to avenge Palestinian children'.

Well, that was why I said "If".

Hardly 'certainly', though.

Ah, come on, I said "it certainly looks as if...".

Mmmm...I also thought it would be a right wing nutter, got it horribly wrong there.

That's a few percentage points added to Le Pen/the right in general voting intentions...I'm almost tempted to get all conspiracy theorists about this...how convenient...