It was a bloodbath
A French reporter who was inside the Bataclan concert hall described how the terrorists turned kalashnikovs on the people inside with terrifying calm, picking off people one by one in an attack that went on for at least 15 minutes.
AFP is reporting that 100 people are dead. The gunmen threw grenades before they started slaughtering the people one by one.
The radio reporter from Europe 1, Julien Pearce, who managed to escape, said he believed he had witnessed at least 25 dead and others injured. At least 1000 people were believed to be attending the concert for an American rock band Eagles of Death Metal.
News reports from Paris say the hostage situation has finished with two gunmen left dead with some hostages being herded to safety outside after a police operation. Earlier reporters outside the hall said they are still hearing sounds of gunshot coming from insider. People inside had been using social media to plead for police to storm the building.
Mr Pearce was inside during the concert but managed to get out, helping an injured woman to escape.
He offered an horrendous eyes-witness description of what went on inside, reporting that the gunmen wore black and were calm and impassive, not speaking as they shot many of the concert goers in cold blood.
Another witness told the Liberation newspaper that a gunman: “…shot in my direction. People started falling and throwing themselves towards the ground.
‘I think the guy next to me was dead. I went out of the emergency exit at the opposite end of the road. It was only once in the road that I started to see people covered in blood.
Mr Pearce said th gunmen were young – aged in their 20s and 30s and unmasked which one counter-terrorism expert said indicates they did not anticipate coming out alive.
“They reloaded several time,” he told CNN. “I waited for them to reload and then we ran”.
“The shooting went on for a long time. It was very, very long. It was shocking. There was a huge panic.”
A statement on the band’s Facebook page said they were still trying to determine the safety of the band and crew. ‘Our thoughts are with all of the people involved in this tragic situation.’
We hope and pray for their safety.
Support is available for Australians with friends and family in Paris:
The Australian Embassy phone number in Paris is +33140593300 for those trying to contact friends and family in the region .
24-HOUR CONSULAR EMERGENCY HELPLINE
Within Australia: 1300 555 135
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Top Comments
Be worried, folks. In the wake of the Hebdo attacks in Paris earlier this year, 27 per cent of British Muslims polled said they sympathised with the terrorists. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/...
Oh please. Way to flame the debate. That means over 70 percent of British Muslims DON'T sympathise with terrorists.
If you're worried you're doing exactly what they want you to do.
Yeah that's over 700,000 people who DO!!!, that is a pretty big bloody number, and just WHAT are the over 70 percent of British Muslims who DON'T, doing about those 700,000?, sweet FA that's what!.
Sweet FA - all of them? - since you are clearly the expert then tell me how you got around to talking to 700,000 and know they are all doing nothing.
Oh that's right. You don't have a clue. Maybe you might like to have a read of this in between your frothing outrage.
http://www.madnests.com/
"We, at M.A.D. believe that by building the ability to 'stand in another's shoes', 'see the world through another's eyes', in essence, Empathy is the very foundation in which sustainable peace can be achieved."
Sooo what's your point exactly??, surely you're not suggesting you are living up to that ethos?, or is it that you are currently in the shoes of an ass!.
Do try to keep up....27% of British Muslims IS around 700,000......70% of British Muslims IS around 1,971,000. The poll revealing 700,000 is how we know nothing is being done, or is it that you feel the number would be 1,500,000 or more if they weren't doing anything?.