It is important that we don’t draw premature conclusions about what happened to the EygyptAir plane that has disappeared into the Mediterranean Sea during a routine flight from Paris to Cairo. We must wait for the experts to do their duty, to collect the evidence and then announce their findings. In the meantime, we all know that modern aircraft don’t suddenly, without warning, fall out of the sky. In our heart of hearts, we all know full well that this was no accident.
There is a bit of history here, with terrorism in Paris and plane bombings cover Egypt and just look at where the plane had been before its last flight. From Eritrea, to Cairo, to Tunis, before heading, via Cairo, to Paris. Add Tunisia to the mix and it’s very hard to avoid a somewhat obvious conclusion.
If it’s a bomb, then how did it get on board? Was it planted on the plane in Paris by a rogue airport worker, was this the work of a suicide murderer or was a bomb planted several flights ago? I take the airport’s word for it when they say baggage goes through X Ray machines and they always pick up on things that might endanger a flight. Even though I have my doubts about what goes in suitcases and whether security staff really know for sure what’s in every one, I close my eyes and accept that they must, surely, know what they are doing.
If it was a bomb, then this is what you call terrorism. The whole point is to fill you with terror so you don’t feel safe in a big city like Paris, that you won’t go in holiday to Tunisia or Egypt (add Turkey to the list) and you change the very life you live. It works. Tunisia is a virtual no go area for tourists and the small part of Egypt – Sharm – we did visit is now a ghost resort.
There will be more of this, plenty more. Turkey has already suffered in Ankara and Istanbul, the only surprise is that the resorts have remained untouched. I hope it stays this way, but come on: Syria is next door and there is a very long border. Should we stop going to Turkey, too?
Well, no. People did stop going to New York after the islamic fascists destroyed the World Trade Center, but 15 years on and hardly anyone stays away. London is the same after the 7/7 atrocities and whilst Paris has taken a kicking in the tourism department I am certain things will pick up. The truth is that we are not safer in one place than another, unless we know in advance the plans of the terrorists. That’s not to say we shouldn’t be vigilant – far from it – but we do have a way of life that, for all its faults, is worth living.
We’ll know the truth soon enough about the destroyed Airbus A320 that now lies on the floor of the Med. I could stay in my living room for ever and a day and avoid the terrorist threat, no matter how minimal it actually is. I’m not going to do that.
I’m no hero, I’m not brave, but there are still things I want to do and places I want to see. I know that I may be very unlucky one day because that’s how it works. These psychopathic killers do make me think twice, I can’t avoid it, but I think a third time these days to ensure I start what I finish.
