Yesterday, and mobile phone networks

[dave]

Did anyone else notice that the mobile phone networks were not working yesterday morning when they were arresting suspects?

[Solowka]

Didn`t know that one, mind you i only used my mobile for the first time at half 11

[Batfink]

It's becoming increasingly a routine reaction by the security services etc. - it's like going in to multiple locations at the same time - it stops people being able to communicate what's happening.

If it means that a plane doesn't blow up, then it doesn't bother me.

[Lula]

If they were arrested pre 8am which I think they were, then I wouldnt have known anything about it, but I suppose that they see the scenario thus, police battering down suspects door, suspect makes quick call that will deotate bomb.

I agree with them shutting down the system for stuff like that

[Lula]

and If I might be a bit controversial here for a moment, If I hear anymore of the muslim community saying that they are being targeted re terrorism I will well and truley scream!!! Of course they are not being Targeted, but they cannot deny that the people arrested are muslims!!!!

It also hacks me off when they go on about "no one speaking for young muslims" this is not how our society works!! this is a secular society, and a very open minded one at that, we dont expect people to speak u for us just because they are the same religion, we speak up for what is right and then we find more like minded people and all speak together, religion is immaterial in it all.

Off soap box now and ready to be lambasted

[BlueRuby]

Originally Posted by Lula

Off soap box now and ready to be lambasted

Not by me Lula! I totally agree with what you say but the trouble is that religion is very much material to fanatics.

What I want to scream about is people saying we've brought it on ourselves ie by going into Iraq etc. Now I don't support Blair (heaven forbid) and I would like to see our troops out of Iraq and Afganistan but that does not give anyone the right to perpetrate acts of terrorism in this country or anywhere else for that matter. I find it even more horrifying that people born and/or brought up in Britain, fed, clothed, housed, educated, employed, in Britain, can even contemplate for a moment blowing themselves and thousands of others to Kingdom come.

[Lula]

its bloody terrifying isnt it, you know, if you are a religious fanatic and you dont like the way that people live in the country you live in, surely you move? I just wonder what is being done to these young lads (usually when they go on trips to Pakistan and other countries in that area) that turns them into fanatics and manages to persuade them to blow themselves and countless others up

[noobrider]

The reason why the phones weren't working yesterday was that BT had an optical cable cut by workmen which took out the main gateway in the southeast. This feeds all the networks and took out the entire mobile services in pretty much the whole of the south east. The rest of the country was unaffected.

I know I work for O2 in the very area that deals with network issues. Yes it was a big coincidence but it happens. When the security services shut down the networks they invoke a special code to us and we take them down only allowing emergency services access. This was last done during the London bombings and is usually very specific in a localised area. With the network fault it took out a huge area approximately one fifth of the network. (as there are 5 main gateways) BT re routed the traffic through a back up system as soon as the fault was apparent but the networks couldn't keep up with the volume of call traffic for some time during the day until the cable was jointed.

[Lula]

spoilsport!!

[noobrider]

sorry, I love a conspiracy as much as the next person...trouble was that some of the arrests were in Birmingham and the network was running fine there

[The cobbett slayer]

Originally Posted by Lula

Off soap box now and ready to be lambasted

Not by me either.

We are all told that we're living in a multi-cultural society and that we should respect and tolerate each others beliefs and customs. What a load of old b****cks.

Most of the so called ethnic groups segregate themselves from the mainstream British culture which automatically creates a lack of understanding and therefore mistrust. The biggest problem though is that we give in to it. School Nativity plays replaced with "multi denominational celebrations", bans on Union flags on public buildings and so on.

It is only right that the people planning the alleged atrocities should be detained under the Terrorism Act, regardless of their ethnic origin, religion or skin colour. The London bombers were Muslims. The people arrested this week are Muslims, if not by birth they have converted. It is inevitable that we will become wary of all Muslims as the extremists don't exactly walk around with "suicide bomber" on their T-shirts, and to be fair I haven't seen any extremist Jehova's Witnesses recently.(Not intended to offend any witnesses by the way)

We are in danger of developing the same culture of fear and hatred that did so much damage in Northern Ireland in the '70's and until there is a genuine integration of this "multi-cultural society" the situation will only get worse.

Good job this is a big soap box!

[Lula]

Yeah, I am moving over for you Paul, I love the fact that our great country is so diverse and alwayshas been, but I do not agree withthe fact that for whatever reason, some people decide to segregate themselves away from other people, this is not integration it is the start of ghettoisation and mistrust and racism, it is time that people started to realise what it is to live ina country such as ours, we embrace all cultures and love it, but we hate extremism and all the crap that goes with it

My personal opinion is that we live in a multi cultural society and yet 1st generation immigrants to this country have brought ideals that are more hardened than in their country today. The muslim faith per se preaches peace, however there are extreme radicalisation by followers of al quaeda that has radicalised disenchanted young british muslims. That is maybe an issue that the Muslim community has to deal with internally. If we understand more of diverse cultures and vice versa can we actually have an understanding of each others faiths and ideals.

[Lula]

I would love to know why they feel disenchanted. I think it is because they all seem to live together and dont really integrate very well (southall being a perfect example and one of which I have personal knowledge) I think it is great that people of the same religion/culture/interests have somewhere to congregate and socialise, but in every other aspects of life, we all shouldbe integrating, it cannot be a good thing, that people like the muslim community seems to me, to be ringfencing themselves into their own little communities

After 9/11 our views towards the Asian community changed. We didn't view Asians as Asians just Muslims and al quaeda and terrorists. Rascism towards the asian community went up. There is also the clash of cultures between being a Muslim and Western Society. Maybe believing yourselves to be second class citizens. I in no way codone extremism but to beat that ideology you have to be able to find root causes and tackle them and that will have to come from within.

[The cobbett slayer]

The way the ethnic groups "ringfence" themselves, any attempt to integrate or even understand them is viewed with suspicion which creates fear and a further withdrawal.

There are certain groups in priviliged positions that only add to the problem though. One of my pet hates is "The Association of Black Police Officers". The police are forever telling us that there is no racism in the service and that they actively seek to recruit officers from ethnic groups, then they go and set up this reverse racism group. They wouldn't get away with having an association of white police officers so why do black ones have special treatment that segregates them from other officers?