Kids talk

Calum, Alex, Sarah and Kara, all S4, talk to Julia Belgutay about the threat of terrorism in the UK
16th September 2011, 1:00am

Alex: I remember 911. I was at a friend’s house and it was on TV, but I didn’t really know what was going on.

Calum: I remember hearing about the bombings in London. Our friends live in London and my mum said we should phone them just in case. So it was kind of a real issue, but not for us, because Scotland doesn’t really matter on the world table.

Sarah: I would be worried in London, but not so much here.

Kara: I think since the Army is in Afghanistan, helping the Americans or whatever, they might come here, but probably not.

Alex: They would go for London.

Calum: Either that or the Scottish Parliament or something. It would be somewhere quite big like the House of Commons in London, or Canary Wharf. They might fly a plane into that or something - shoebombings, buses .

Alex: They want people to hear their cause, so if they bomb some place in Edinburgh, it is not really as effective as if they bomb a big place in London.

Calum: Although it might be easier to bomb a place in Edinburgh because no one really expects it.

Sarah: They wouldn’t get much out of it.

Calum: You are right - because, to be honest, if they bomb the Parliament, a lot of people would be happy.

Kara: Something could happen at a big event like the Festival or something, but .

Calum: You don’t worry about it, though, because you are indulged in whatever you are watching.

Kara: You are too busy thinking about enjoying yourself to worry about it.

Calum: You are kind of aware of it. I went to see Kings of Leon and you weren’t allowed to take liquids in, and they searched through the bags and stuff, so you are aware. At the airport as well, there is a lot of hassle.

Alex: In 911 the terrorists were people who had been trained by Al Qaeda, but quite often people who tried terrorist attacks are born in Britain.

Kara: I suppose anyone who believes in what Al Qaeda believes in could just sort of join.

Calum: They are not putting up a very good image for Muslims. They really don’t have a great image, especially in America and Britain and stuff.

Kara: As racist as it might seem, you do think about it when you sit next to a Muslim in traditional clothes.

Calum: You do think about it. It is the whole Osama Bin Laden figure. Whenever you see someone like that, you instantly assume - terrorist. As racist as that sounds.

Kara: You don’t necessarily assume, you are just a wee bit wary.

Alex: And I am sure the Muslim community don’t like to be labelled as that, because of some figures.

Kara: Just because some people decide to do stupid things, they shouldn’t be discriminated against.