Christchurch police have confirmed that a woman dressed in black who allegedly claimed to have a bomb and who stabbed two airline pilots mid-air over New Zealand's South Island was "of Somalian background".
I hope the explanation is that she was merely insane. The alternative, in a peace-loving country like New Zealand, is too horrific to contemplate.
"Surely the victims ( the NZ public) have a attainable case against the government for criminal negligence ?"
Good idea, D4J. Why don't you file a class acton? Oh wait, you haven't got enough facts about this incident you say?
Posted by: Danger Mouse | February 08, 2008 at 08:22 PM
Here we go again.
Posted by: dad4justice | February 08, 2008 at 09:18 PM
This is yet another junk thread started with a needlessly provocative teaser posing as a title.
I have heard an interview on Radio NZ where interviewee said that the woman he thought it was was not a Christian.
Fundamentalists - pray and ask God if she was or was not a Christian. Presumably the majority of you will get the correct answer!
It seems to fall on me again to predict an outcome here. This will most likely be a mentally ill woman who will be referred for psychiatric examination. It appears she had issues with the NZ police - why that drove her to take it out on our pilots and air commmuters - God only knows!
So fundamentalists - ask God and report results. This is a poll!
Posted by: peter | February 08, 2008 at 09:33 PM
Read this latest article:
http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/411749/1575270
The woman is described as a transient, and not part of the Blenheim Muslim community.
Ian, you would do very well to read Chris Carter's comment in the link - it offers more wisdom than your appraisal I am ashamed to say. Actually it is in line with fugley's first response - a pity more subscribers to this thread stormed into this discussion with all prejudices on show. This is not the New Zealand way chaps.
Posted by: peter | February 08, 2008 at 09:40 PM
I think you're right Peter, we should wait until the facts are known.
D4J, you said "Was it your wife fugly?" So your "Here we go again" rings a little hollow. Forget about your "attainable case against the government for criminal negligence".
Posted by: Danger Mouse | February 08, 2008 at 10:05 PM
One fruit cake doesn't mean we all have to be treated like wierdos when we fly and be X rayed / frisked to death. I'm happy to take my chances and just want to arrive, get on and go. I like looking out the front of the Beech as well.
My son just went to germany and back via US. Going via Asia next time, as are his mates, just because the immigration crap sucks even when you're only transiting.
In the old days you could go up the front for a squizz. The bloody Arabs have stuffed it up for some.
Posted by: John Boy | February 08, 2008 at 10:13 PM
Last night I said in this thread, without any proof:
"It seems to fall on me again to predict an outcome here. This will most likely be a mentally ill woman who will be referred for psychiatric examination."
This morning, I see initial confirmation.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10491514
An alcoholic woman with a history of mental health problems and even head injury.
No head scarf or similar in view - unlikely to be Moslem or Exclusive Brethren I would say.
Ian - your headline served its purpose though, but only for a few hours. Your credibility is another question.
Posted by: peter | February 09, 2008 at 08:55 AM
Peter your credibility is swimming in a sewage pond.
Liarbour thought she was a credible citizen even though evidence was highlighted to them that she was not !!
What is your real name Peter- is it Heather or Helen ??
Posted by: dad4justice | February 09, 2008 at 09:06 AM
I actually agree with one of your comments earlier Daddy 4 - the woman was known to the government, and hence to relevant government departments.
The fact she was mentioned in parliament suggests she was a time bomb. It will be interesting to see what political fall out follows, but clearly Winston Peters has a golden opportunity here (and he will surely take advantage of it as always)
Posted by: peter | February 09, 2008 at 11:37 AM
follow up to fugley's claim:
Whilst I fully agree that religion is sometimes the cause of the most appalling behaviour in people, it is more often the case that religion is the excuse rather than the cause for ethnic divisions and wars. I have met people for example from both sides of the divide in Northern Ireland who were involved in ‘the Troubles’. Not one of them thought that they were rioting, or killing for ‘God’. It was for their ‘community’, their ‘tribe’ – God was just a useful person to bring in to up the ante. The IRA for example were a Marxist group who were Catholic only in the sense of belonging to an ethnic community. I remember speaking to a group of young men on their way to Ibrox stadium, the home of Glasgow Rangers, bearing a banner stating ‘For God and Ulster’ (for American readers wondering what this has to do with football and Glasgow – don’t bother – its too stupid to even begin to explain). I asked them if they believed in God. ‘Don’t know – but we’re Protestants’! Do you go to Church? ‘No – expletive deleted. We go to Ibrox why would we need to go to Church’? Yet doubtless you would cite such political and ethnic Protestantism as yet another example of religious conflict. I am sure that the Sunni and Shia war in Iraq and the conflicts in the former Yugoslavia are primarily ethnic conflicts with religious tribal gods being called in as reinforcements.
http://www.freechurch.org/issues/2006/novc06.htm
Posted by: ropata | February 11, 2008 at 02:53 PM