Theater Received Threats Over Pro-Israel Events Before the Attacks

[villager]

Source: Daily Forward

(JTA) - Before Friday’s bloodbath at Paris’s Le Bataclan concert venue, this centrally-located hall from the 19th century had received numerous threats over pro-Israel events hosted there.

In 2006-2009 at least, Le Bataclan hosted the annual fundraising gala of the French Jewish Migdal nonprofit group for the Israeli Border Police. Last month, it hosted a gathering of some 500 Zionist Christians who came there in support of the Jewish state.

In one case involving threats against Le Bataclan, a group of approximately 10 men wearing Arab keffiyehs over their faces arrived in December 2008 at the theater, demanding to speak to management.

“This is something we cannot continue to accept,” one of the men from the group was filmed telling the security guards outside Le Bataclan. “You will pay the consequences of your actions,” the same person, his voice electronically distorted, told the camera after the confrontation, which ended peacefully. “We came here to pass along a small message. Be warned. Next time we won’t be coming here to talk.”

<snip>

“Le Bataclan may have had a Zionist link in the past, but if the perpetrators wanted to select a site tied to Israel to send a message, it doesn’t strike me as a very effective target,” he said. “To the general population, Le Bataclan is just a concert hall and nothing more,” he said.

Shashani noted that “unsubstantiated rumors” also linked the attack to the Eagles of Death Metal band, because it performed in Israel in July. During the concert in Tel Aviv, lead singer Jesse Hughes recalled how Roger Waters, a former member of the Pink Floyd band and a promoter of a boycott against Israel, asked the band to stay away. “I answered with two words: F**ck you!” he told the cheering audience, adding: “I would never boycott a place like this.”

The band escaped the attack unscathed.

Shashani said it was “far-fetched” to suppose the band was the reason for Le Bataclan’s targeting.

<snip>


Read more: http://forward.com/news/breaking-news/324759/paris-bataclan-theater-recieved-threats-over-pro-israel-events-before-the-a/

[geek tragedy]

1. possible, but if IS wanted to target Zionists/Jews, they could go after

Zionists and Jews rather than a concert hall that hosted them during the Bush administration.

the fact that so many threats were delivered in the past shows that France already had an unfortunately large Islamist radical problem that was largely homegrown

[NonMetro]

2. Homegrown? Does that mean they could grow elsewhere?

I'm just not sure about that. This jihadist "cell" does appear to have been made up of French Muslim nationals, but the passports found also indicate they had traveled to Syria, and ISIS has claimed responsibility. Also, "homegrown" makes it appear there is something in French society that would encourage people to grow up to become murderous Islamic Jihadists. I don't think there is. Is there?

[geek tragedy]

3. Every society has potential/likely terrorists. nt

[awoke_in_2003]

4. "it doesn’t strike me as a very effective target"

No one accuses these people of being particularly bright. No matter the religion, the fundamentalists are always pig stupid.

[JI7]

5. just shows there is a problem in France when it comes to Islamic extremism

And anti jewish attacks.