Hundreds of people come together at the Place de la Bourse In Brussels to mourn victims of the attacks. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Hundreds of people come together at the Place de la Bourse In Brussels to mourn victims of the attacks. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

‘Us and them’ will only add fuel to the fire



The rise of ISIL in the Middle East and of the current wave of terrorism that has hit the Levant, Europe and North Africa has many causes. Disentangling the threads and finding policy answers requires, as our editorial yesterday argued, careful work and careful words.

Unfortunately, the current search for answers to the Brussels attack has led to rather outlandish comments from some quarters that seeks to blame the Muslim community in Molenbeek for “shielding” the attackers. The problem with this analysis is that it relies on an outdated idea of community.

The idea that groups of people must naturally share social and political lives because of their religion has become prevalent over the past two decades, mainly, though not exclusively, with regard to Muslims. In very general terms, it is an unhelpful fiction. Muslim communities, like other religious communities, are stratified by economics, origin, gender and so on.

More broadly, though, the very notion of community has changed – perhaps in generations past, people might know their neighbours and their neighbourhood well. Today, particularly in large, developed cities, most people barely know their neighbours.

So the idea that those who lived in the same neighbourhood as the bombers might specifically know what they were doing is unlikely, and the idea that they said nothing is offensive.

Yet there is a kernel of truth in the midst of the accusation, because while the neighbours of the attackers most likely knew nothing of their plans, it is possible that others did suspect they were being radicalised. Often those who are radicalised start that journey online or through extreme preachers, and there may have been indirect signs of this – not to the wider community, but perhaps to one or two people they knew well. Crucially, signs and intentions are very different things. But signs could nevertheless prove useful.

This is an incredibly sensitive moment and security services must handle it well. Too firm a response to what is a mere suspicion (or even a malicious accusation) can aggravate the problem. No one will come forward if they believe they may ruin someone’s life with a mistaken accusation.

It is vital that the “us” and “them” mentality does not prevail. Defeating the scourge of terrorism will take careful policing and an understanding that all citizens stand one side, against the attackers.

How to report a beggar

Abu Dhabi – Call 999 or 8002626 (Aman Service)

Dubai – Call 800243

Sharjah – Call 065632222

Ras Al Khaimah - Call 072053372

Ajman – Call 067401616

Umm Al Quwain – Call 999

Fujairah - Call 092051100 or 092224411

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Vidaamuyarchi

Director: Magizh Thirumeni

Stars: Ajith Kumar, Arjun Sarja, Trisha Krishnan, Regina Cassandra

Rating: 4/5

 

Company profile

Name: Infinite8

Based: Dubai

Launch year: 2017

Number of employees: 90

Sector: Online gaming industry

Funding: $1.2m from a UAE angel investor

COMPANY PROFILE

Name: Lamsa

Founder: Badr Ward

Launched: 2014

Employees: 60

Based: Abu Dhabi

Sector: EdTech

Funding to date: $15 million

How to protect yourself when air quality drops

Install an air filter in your home.

Close your windows and turn on the AC.

Shower or bath after being outside.

Wear a face mask.

Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.

If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.

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FIGHT%20CARD
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EFeatherweight%204%20rounds%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EYousuf%20Ali%20(2-0-0)%20(win-loss-draw)%20v%20Alex%20Semugenyi%20(0-1-0)%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EWelterweight%206%20rounds%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EBenyamin%20Moradzadeh%20(0-0-0)%20v%20Rohit%20Chaudhary%20(4-0-2)%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EHeavyweight%204%20rounds%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EYoussef%20Karrar%20(1-0-0)%20v%20Muhammad%20Muzeei%20(0-0-0)%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EWelterweight%206%20rounds%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EMarwan%20Mohamad%20Madboly%20(2-0-0)%20v%20Sheldon%20Schultz%20(4-4-0)%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESuper%20featherweight%208%20rounds%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EBishara%20Sabbar%20(6-0-0)%20v%20Mohammed%20Azahar%20(8-5-1)%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECruiseweight%208%20rounds%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EMohammed%20Bekdash%20(25-0-0)%20v%20Musa%20N%E2%80%99tege%20(8-4-0)%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESuper%20flyweight%2010%20rounds%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3ESultan%20Al%20Nuaimi%20(9-0-0)%20v%20Jemsi%20Kibazange%20(18-6-2)%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ELightweight%2010%20rounds%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EBader%20Samreen%20(8-0-0)%20v%20Jose%20Paez%20Gonzales%20(16-2-2-)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
MATCH INFO

Uefa Champions League semi-finals, first leg
Liverpool v Roma

When: April 24, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Anfield, Liverpool
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 2, Stadio Olimpico, Rome

THE LIGHT

Director: Tom Tykwer

Starring: Tala Al Deen, Nicolette Krebitz, Lars Eidinger

Rating: 3/5

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
While you're here ...

Damien McElroy: What happens to Brexit?

Con Coughlin: Could the virus break the EU?

Andrea Matteo Fontana: Europe to emerge stronger

Dubai Bling season three

Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed 

Rating: 1/5

The Equaliser 2

Director Antoine Fuqua

Starring: Denzel Washington, Bill Pullman, Melissa Leo, Ashton Sanders

Three stars

Juliot Vinolia’s checklist for adopting alternate-day fasting

-      Don’t do it more than once in three days

-      Don’t go under 700 calories on fasting days

-      Ensure there is sufficient water intake, as the body can go in dehydration mode

-      Ensure there is enough roughage (fibre) in the food on fasting days as well

-      Do not binge on processed or fatty foods on non-fasting days

-      Complement fasting with plant-based foods, fruits, vegetables, seafood. Cut out processed meats and processed carbohydrates

-      Manage your sleep

-      People with existing gastric or mental health issues should avoid fasting

-      Do not fast for prolonged periods without supervision by a qualified expert

Graduated from the American University of Sharjah

She is the eldest of three brothers and two sisters

Has helped solve 15 cases of electric shocks

Enjoys travelling, reading and horse riding

 

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UFC%20FIGHT%20NIGHT%3A%20SAUDI%20ARABIA%20RESULTS
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Women & Power: A Manifesto

Mary Beard

Profile Books and London Review of Books