Fear, outrage, despair

The recent ferocious attack in the heart of Germany’s national capital Berlin that killed 12 innocent people and left others seriously hurt, is terrible enough. It is a vicious blow to the values of Chancellor Angela Merkel and the people of Germany.

The murder of innocents stirs strong emotions... devastation, fear, outrage and despair. Terrorism is a permanent feature of contemporary life. It must be tackled first as a serious security problem, with the sole aim of reducing harm. Terrorism cannot and should not be treated in the same way as, say, car accidents. However, technical solutions are better than destructive political theatrics.

When are world political leaders going to get real about terrorism? Politicians do lie but terrorists never lie. They told the entire world that with the mass of immigrants being welcomed in Europe, terrorist organizations (ISIL) and other extremists had 5000 of their soldiers ready to strike. The public believed them but apparently none of our top politicians!

This horrific attack in Berlin is a sickening reminder of the peril Europe faces from religious extremists. The harrowing image of a smashed lorry surrounded by the carnage of its target is a wake-up call to Angela Merkel who has failed to recognize the dramatic and serious danger of an open-door immigration policy. This policy has proved fatal for many innocent people and Merkel is now being paid for being generous with these immigrants. She let them in so the buck should stop with her.

With the consequences of these tragic events in Berlin being felt throughout the world, I would like to unite with thousands of others in my grief for the victims. Jos Edmond Zarb Birkirkara