What London attack can teach us about response and preparedness
People pause at the floral tributes to the victims of the March 22 terror attack on Westminster Bridge and the British parliament that killed four piled against the wall at the end of Westminster Bridge in central London on March 24, 2017. PHOTO | ADRIAN DENNIS | AFP
What you need to know:
- The London police worked fast, by the second day they knew who the attacker was.
- It became clear that the English Police structure has major networks for intelligence gathering that enables them to narrow down on targets.
As universities do, some colleagues of mine from our Faculty of Arts are currently researching on issues to do with matters of radicalisation and all the likely dynamics that have to do with it. For some reason, I was identified as a key informant.
As such I was interviewed in depth about what I knew regarding this subject, what I thought about the whole matter and I really did not mind. After all this is a matter that worries me personally and I am sure is of serious concern to more people around the world than just myself or even those researchers.
On the evening of Tuesday – the day when I was interviewed – I got home and on switching on CNN, the main story was the death of Martin McGuinness a former leader of the defunct Irish Republican Army (IRA) of the 1960s, 70s, and 80s.
As a matter of fact that organisation did go on beyond the 90s because the agreement that concluded the whole Northern Ireland violent calendar was concluded on Good Friday of 1998. In my understanding of what was being narrated, with time Mr McGuinness had transformed himself from a freedom fighter – “Terrorist” for some people - into a real statesman.
The very next day I come home and what was the main story on CNN? The centre of English – and to a large extent – free world democracy had been attacked during Prime Minister’s Question Time.
A lone terrorist had attacked Londoners and tourists around the surroundings of Westminster where the English parliament and quite a number of government offices are located.
POLICE OPERATION
The London police worked fast. By the second day they knew who it was. Even though a terrorist organisation was beginning to claim responsibility the police force was able to give information to the public as to where the fellow was born and what kind of history was connected to his existence.
This aspect of police operation is the one that caught my attention. What would have happened had this been in the centre of Nairobi? I know we have been through hard times as happened on that Friday afternoon in 1998 at the American Embassy.
Radicalised fellows attacked an establishment within Kenya to make a statement to the Americans and probably the rest of the world.
What the Westminster event shows us is that even a lone ranger can cause serious havoc to unsuspecting citizens. It also became clear that the English Police structure has major networks for intelligence gathering that enables them to narrow down on targets. This keeps Londoners safe. When shall we ever be able to boast that our city is safe?
Writer is Dean of Students at the University of Nairobi [email protected]
