Woolwich: The Aftermath of a Terrorist Attack

The other day, we learned of the sickening events which unfolded on a street in Woolwich, a street in which members of our armed forces use regularly.
Drummer Lee Rigby, 25, was attacked and killed in the most horrific way, on his own soil, in his own country by people who were born and bred in the United kingdom.

Drummer Lee Rigby was brutally killed in Woolwich.

The family of Lee Rigby spoke movingly yesterday of his pride as a drummer, as well as his love and dedication to his family and I pay tribute to him for the great pride which he possessed for his job, as well as the love he had for his country. My thoughts and prayers are with his family at this very difficult time.

This tragic and sickening attack has left the people of the United Kingdom rightly outraged, words cannot simply describe the devastation felt and we can only imagine what the family are going through now, but why did this happen? Why Lee Rigby?  Why did this happen when it did?

This act was nothing more than a callous act of terrorism,  and in expressing his outrage at this unforgivable crime, the Prime Minister David Cameron has made clear that there will forever be a refusal ever to give in to the demands of terrorists, we must go about our daily lives if we are to show the terrorist that we are never going to be intimidated. 


Prime Minister David Cameron cut short his trip to Europe.

According to reports, the two men who were arrested on suspision for the murder of Lee Rigby, Micheal Adebowale and Micheal Adebolajo were motivated by their islamic extremism. The Islamic community have been quick to condemn the actions of the two and this is rightly so, their's is a form of Islam not recognised by the majority of muslims in the United Kingdom who wish to live in peaceful communities.

There is however a serious issue which, identified by this, that there is  islamic extremism which appears to be growing within this country, and something must be done to address it.
This extremism is not only visible through the acts of terrorism which have shaken the British people, such as the 7/7 attacks in London. But there are preachers out there, such as Qatada and Hamza, who have become a very familiar sight in the media because of the anti western views which they hold. The hatred for democracy and the United Kingdom bellows from their mouths as they attempt to convert others.

There is such a thing, legally speaking, as the freedom of speech, protected by the European Convention of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms and incorporated by the Human Rights Act 1998 in which people are free to criticise the government of the day, but there has to be a balance and those who incite hatred should feel the full force of the law. To those people who walk the streets and incite death to British soldiers, for example, they should be brought to justice by the police who are there to guard the protests.
There is a perception which must be addressed by the police as well as the government, the feeling amongst some British people that if these preachers of hate were to go on a protest and incite hatred, they will get away with it. That perception must change, we are a nation which encourages free speech, but there is no room for hatred of any kind. This should be reflected more by the law as opposed to rhetoric from politicians.

The Home Secretary, much to her credit, has announced that she intends to get tough on those who kill police officers. The tough legislation would see those convicted for the murder of police men and women given a life sentence with no chance of parole. I believe that the Home Secretary should extend her proposal to those serving in the British Army, the Navy and the RAF to ensure that if any of these dedicated men and women are unlawfully killed whilst they are on duty in this country, or who are killed through a motive of hate, then the convicted should face life imprisonment without parole.

The Prime Minister has asserted that there will be no knee jerk reactions, but this will be a fundamental change in the law to ensure that this can never happen again without the knowledge that the convicted can never be released from prison, I believe that justice would be served in that case.