A Shot, a Glimpse of an AK-47, and US Servicemen Pounced on Terrorist

[CCIP]

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-34023361

French media said the passengers who overpowered the suspect were US Marines who had heard the man loading a weapon in a toilet cubicle and confronted him when he came out.

These guys are real heroes - wishing the injured a speedy and safe recovery!

[Oberon]

Indeed. Good work to the two men involved. :yep:

[Schroeder]

Kudos to those guys. It takes some balls to go up against an armed maniac.:salute:

[Torplexed]

I am going to take a wild guess and say those two Marines won't have to buy their own beers while stationed in Europe. Semper Fi.:salute:

[Onkel Neal]

Thank goodness no one was killed. :up:

[Stealhead]

I wonder if they where embassy guards posted in France or other European nation that's about the only way a Marine can get stationed in Europe. 99% of US military stationed on a permanent basis in Europe are either Army or Air Force then you've got the Naval Air Station at Rota Spain.

[CCIP]

I wonder if they where embassy guards posted in France or other European nation that's about the only way a Marine can get stationed in Europe. 99% of US military stationed on a permanent basis in Europe are either Army or Air Force then you've got the Naval Air Station at Rota Spain.

They could've been off-duty Marines too, perhaps?
Either way, I'm sure we'll learn a bunch more about them over the next few days - but so far I haven't seen any details about who they were, where they were from, or how they ended up on that train. I'm just glad they did.

[Stealhead]

They could've been off-duty Marines too, perhaps?
Either way, I'm sure we'll learn a bunch more about them over the next few days - but so far I haven't seen any details about who they were, where they were from, or how they ended up on that train. I'm just glad they did.


Only if they where off duty embassy guards other than that there is no permanent US Marine posting in Europe. The only time I ever saw Marines in Germany was if they where on a stop over at Ramstein AB either going back to the US or going to either further afeild in Europe or to the Middle East or Afghanistan. They wouldn't be able to venture as far as France in that case it'd be the base or Kaiserslautern to drink. Usually the stop over is just one day and going to leave would not be permitted to easy to go AWOL but they'd get liberty to go to town in Germany that could be literal if you catch my drift.

I doubt they could be Marines on sea duty on liberty either though I suppose that is not impossible. Could also simply be two Marines on leave from anywhere as well. Heck I ventured with friends to Prague all the time that could be done on a (wild) weekend.
Off duty embassy guards seems most likely. Assuming the information that they are Marines is correct.

[Commander Wallace]

Only if they where off duty embassy guards other than that there is no permanent US Marine posting in Europe. The only time I ever saw Marines in Germany was if they where on a stop over at Ramstein AB either going back to the US or going to either further afeild in Europe or to the Middle East or Afghanistan. They wouldn't be able to venture as far as France in that case it'd be the base or Kaiserslautern to drink. Usually the stop over is just one day and going to leave would not be permitted to easy to go AWOL but they'd get liberty to go to town in Germany that could be literal if you catch my drift.

I doubt they could be Marines on sea duty on liberty either though I suppose that is not impossible.
Off duty embassy guards seems most likely. Assuming the information that they are Marines is correct.

They may been servicemen on holiday from the U.K or Germany perhaps or embassy guards as you said. Either way, kuduos to the two men who subdued the heavily armed attacker. One of the Marines was injured in the attack. Hopefully he and the others injured will be alright.

Such a senseless action :nope:

[CCIP]

Yeah, the information about them being Marines is so far unconfirmed, except for the Pentagon acknowledging that one US armed forces serviceman was hospitalized. Regardless, I hope this is held up as an example of the good that American military folk can do, wherever they are and regardless of if they're on duty.

[CCIP]

It does appear that I was likely mistaken, not that I would hold the Marines in lesser regard though :)

Latest reports indicate that one of the men was Oregon National Guard soldier Alek Skarlatos.

[edit]
And the second man, who was wounded, has now apparently been named as USAF airman Spencer Stone.
If a moderator wishes to correct the thread title that would be alright :)

[BossMark]

Extremely well done to those two soldiers :salute::salute::salute:

[Betonov]

Outstanding training :salute:

Hearing the gun being assembled and reactiing on it.
I'd think the train bearings are needing replacement or similar :oops:

[Commander Wallace]

It does appear that I was likely mistaken, not that I would hold the Marines in lesser regard though :)

Latest reports indicate that one of the men was Oregon National Guard soldier Alek Skarlatos.

[edit]
And the second man, who was wounded, has now apparently been named as USAF airman Spencer Stone.
If a moderator wishes to correct the thread title that would be alright :)

The gist of the story was right and it does appear you were right from the beginning . According to the report, Skarlotos is an Army man while Mr. Stone is reported to be in the Marines. Well, mostly right :)
http://www.mercurynews.com/crime-courts/ci_28684379/pittsburg-native-helped-disarm-attacker-france-train

They are now saying there were 3 men. It's always hard to know when reports are sketchy. The news people and reporters always get things screwed up although their initial reports were fairy accurate.

[HunterICX]

Thank goodness for people like that :up:
Speedy recovery to those who got injured by that scumbag.
As for the scumbag I hope it's a one way ticket into a locker never to be released again.

[Catfish]

Have read about it in a local newspaper, and on the 'net.

Salute to the USMC! :up:

edit: For what i now read there was one USMC member, a US national guard member, and a civilian englishman (?)
Salute to all of them !

[Schroeder]

A German report says it were actually three, an Airforce member, a non active national guard member and a civilian.

[Oberon]

There does seem to be a lot of conflicting reports about who did what, but from what I can piece together, a Frenchman tried to subdue him first, then the American men quickly got in and used their training to take the gunman down, and the Brit businessman joined in after to assist.
Regardless it's a fantastic effort by all of them, and a sign that we will not take this kind of action lying down. :yep:

[Betonov]

You only need one to take the initiative.
The rest will follow.
That's how you combat terrorism. By showing you're not affraid and when one is not affraid the rest loose their fear.
Too bad we're governed by fear mongers expcept courage givers.

[Jimbuna]

Well done those men....chalk one up for the good guys.

[Harvs]

:Kaleun_Salute:Well done Marines, well done

[Onkel Neal]

Here's a great video interview.
http://nyti.ms/1TZREGY

They are reporting now no Marines; an Airman, Oregon National Guard, another friend, and a middle age Brit with stones.

The British man was quite candid about the fear, but was able to jump up and help take the terrorist down too. If I had been there, it would have all been over before I could figure out wth was going on. These guys are amazing.:up:

[Jimbuna]

^Yeah, rgr that and putting any military training aside, it takes some guts to tackle an armed assailant whilst not armed yourself.

[u crank]

Remarkable. These guys deserve a load of thanks from the other passengers.

Good job. :up:

[Torplexed]

I've read on the BBC that a lot of the passengers, including famous French actor, Jean-Hugues Anglade, had some scathing things to say about the train staff and crew. They allege that they retreated into a private cabin and locked themselves in when they heard gunshots, leaving the passengers to fend for themselves. The railroad authorities denies this.

[Stealhead]

So it was an active duty Airforce airman and a national guards men not Marines.
Well that's the media for you. Depending on his job the airman just had balls besides some basic stuff unless he is Security Forces(military police) or a PJ or Tac P his military training won't include CQC unarmed vs armed.

[CCIP]

In an almost comedic twist to the story, the suspect's lawyers are now claiming that he was not a terrorist but was hungry, homeless and desperate for food - so he wanted to just rob all the rich people on the train. He is said to be "dumbfounded" by the terror allegations, despite having been on a terror watchlist for several months (and, by some reports, having previously travelled to Syria).

https://news.vice.com/article/lawyer-claims-train-gunman-planned-robbery-and-is-dumbfounded-by-terror-allegations?utm_source=vicenewsfb

:k_confused:

I sure hope there aren't more homeless people like that walking around with Kalashnikovs, Lugers and multiple ammo magazines on them! :dead:

[Oberon]

:har: :/\\!!

Well that's pretty impressive straw-grasping right there. :har:

[Betonov]

Even the defense wants him in jail.

[Stealhead]

In an almost comedic twist to the story, the suspect's lawyers are now claiming that he was not a terrorist but was hungry, homeless and desperate for food - so he wanted to just rob all the rich people on the train. He is said to be "dumbfounded" by the terror allegations, despite having been on a terror watchlist for several months (and, by some reports, having previously travelled to Syria).

https://news.vice.com/article/lawyer-claims-train-gunman-planned-robbery-and-is-dumbfounded-by-terror-allegations?utm_source=vicenewsfb

:k_confused:

I sure hope there aren't more homeless people like that walking around with Kalashnikovs, Lugers and multiple ammo magazines on them! :dead:


I am so hungry I'm going too acquire an AK-47 and lots of ammo then I'll rob people of sandwiches.

[Schroeder]

I am so hungry I'm going too acquire an AK-47 and lots of ammo then I'll rob people of sandwiches.
He only had 9 full magazines. That's the bare minimum to rob some unarmed people so cut him some slack.:stare:


:har:

[Betonov]

I wonder if I can get a kebab with my bow today :hmmm:

[HunterICX]

I wonder if I can get a kebab with my bow today :hmmm:

Or at least a belt that'll blow everone away.

[Schroeder]

I wonder if I can get a kebab with my bow today :hmmm:
Better pack your Kukri for backup (you could also use it to slice the kebab in case the owner runs off:)).

[Oberon]

I wonder if I can get a kebab with my bow today :hmmm:

You need to go about 320 miles east for professional removal. :yep:

Don't forget your accordion.

[Betonov]

There's a bad kebab infestation just 10km from here.
The kind that good kebab would cheer me on :nope:

[Betonov]

Time for lunch. I'm thinking a 7 course meal :hmmm:

http://i.imgur.com/OEjaRdf.jpg?1

[antikristuseke]

I think you need more knives, with this you will get 5 courses at best.

[Betonov]

An axe for the apetiser and the bow for dessert and I have 7 courses :)

[Commander Wallace]

This is essentially a follow up to a thread CCIP did late last week :

Élysée Palace was the location as the President of France, Francois Hollande awarded the Legion of Honor on Monday. The Legion Of Honor is France’s highest award, was awarded to Airman First Class Spencer Stone, 23; Alek Skarlatos, 22, a specialist in the Oregon National Guard; and their friend Anthony Sadler, 23, for their role in subduing a gunman on a train traveling to Paris from Amsterdam on Friday. Chris Norman, 62 of the United Kingdom and of the British consultant who helped subdue the gunman also received the honor.

The men were credited with preventing what could have been a substantial loss of life. Ayoub El Kahzani , a Moroccan national is in police custody and denies that he had planned a staged attack. He was of course apprehended with an AK-47 assault rifle, handgun, a knife and 300 rounds of ammunition.

In addition A French citizen who was the first to tackle Mr. Kahzani but who has declined to be identified will receive the honor at a later date, as will Mark Moogalian, 51, a passenger with dual French and American citizenship who struggled with the attacker and is recovering from a bullet wound.

The Americans after the ceremony brushed aside suggestions that they were hero's . Instead they simply said it was survival instincts. The 3 men were expected to meet staff members at the United States Embassy, near the presidential palace. France has had to deal with a string of serious terrorist attacks including the one at French Magazine Charlie Hebdo where 11 people were Killed in the building and a French national police officer was killed outside . 11 others were injured. The Legion of Honor initially was reserved for Those of France, however, the novelist Toni Morrison and the actor Clint Eastwood. Airman Stone, Mr. Skarlatos, Mr. Sadler and Mr. Norman were made knights of the order, the lowest of four ranks

Congratulations to all of these men

Well Done :salute:

[Oberon]

I once knew a Grand Officier of the Légion d'Honneur (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lewis_Hodges).

Good on them, they've certainly earned it. :salute:

[vienna]

All four men involved in the takedown have just been awarded the French Legion of Honor for their bravery:

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/25/world/europe/france-train-attack-legion-of-honor.html?_r=0

Well deserved for them all... :salute:


...I also wish to point out the Brit involved is 62 years old: kudos for showing those of our tender years can still matter... :salute:


<O>

[Jimbuna]

Threads merged.

[Schroeder]

An axe for the apetiser and the bow for dessert and I have 7 courses :)
Well, but did you think about that the G36 will lose accuracy after about three magazines? So you might be down to just 6.

[August]

This goes along with what I said awhile back.

Passengers are not going to be so easily cowed as they were on 9-11. They know the score now and will be far more likely to fight back.

[Betonov]

This goes along with what I said awhile back.

Passengers are not going to be so easily cowed as they were on 9-11. They know the score now and will be far more likely to fight back.

Before 9-11 airplanes were hijacked to ransom off some palestinian leader or a cache of weapons to Araffat. People knew they had more chance to stay alive during hijackings if they just went along and waited for the professionals.
That's why the NY flights succeded in hitting the towers and the AA77 in hittign the Pentagon. As soon as the passengers in the UA93 found out they were used as human bombs and not as a ransom they fought back.

The west needs to institute a self defence program in elementary and high schools. This new war means that us civilians will need to do our part too.