Massacre in Manchester

As against mainland Europe where quite a few population centres came under terrorist attacks claimed by the Islamic State, cities in the United Kingdom had enjoyed relative peace. Back in July 2005, the London transport system was struck by suicide bombings, which killed 55 people. Since then there were some terror-related incidents but none as deadly as the one in Manchester on Monday night. As the Ariana Grande concert came to a close and thousands of spectators started leaving the hall, the terrorist exploded himself. Twenty-two people were killed and thrice that number injured. Most of the victims were teenagers, given the popularity the singer enjoyed with the younger generation. Indeed, the credit for the relatively secure UK goes to its law-enforcing agencies. But even then the question is, how come someone carrying an explosive device large enough to wreak such a huge carnage could make to the exit passage to explode himself? Of Greater Manchester's 2.5 million residents, 15 percent are Muslims. Hundreds of them turned up at the vigil staged next day for the victims of the Ariana Grande concert carnage. Muslim residents of Manchester are committed to a terror-free UK, and in that there is an incident worth recalling. A year ago, the Manchester police conducted a mock operation featuring a bomber shouting "Allahu Akbar," a show that earned strong protest from Muslim residents. Next day, the city authorities apologised, admitting they were guilty of stereotyping.
Monday night's suspected suicide bomber has been identified as Salman Abedi, 22, British-born son of Libyan refugees who had been on the radar of British intelligence because he had recently made a trip to Libya. Was he a self-radicalized lone wolf or part of a network, the British agencies are trying to figure out. A number of arrests have taken place and Prime Minister Theresa May has warned of the possibility of more attacks. Then there is this claim by the Islamic State that it was a "revenge attack against Crusaders." What the Islamic State stands for is a crooked ideology, which may gel with the minds of many Muslim youths in conjunction with some plan drawn up by the Mosul-based "Khilafat". Will the fighters of Islamic State take that road also?