Night of Terror in Paris

Business Standard (India)

14 November 2015

France declared a state of national emergency and sealed its borders after terrorists belonging to the Islamic State killed more than 120 people in seven coordinated attacks across Paris.

This is the second time this year that terror has struck the French capital city: the first being the bloodshed at the satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo, in January.

Possibly the worst terrorist incident in Europe since the 2004 Madrid bombings, Friday’s attacks have cast a shadow on the G-20 meeting starting on Sunday in Turkey and the climate change talks scheduled in Paris later this month.

Though no Indian was reported to be among the dead or the injured, Mumbai — worst affected by terrorism (see chart) — was put on a high alert. Security experts in United States said that Friday night’s attacks in Paris are a “copycat” version of the 2008 terror attack in Mumbai.

… The attack would be on the top of the agenda of the G-20 meeting starting on Sunday in Turkey, which will be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “Terrorism is the national security threat to Europe,” said Rohan Gunaratna, head, International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research in Singapore.

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