Public can help curb terror

Flowers are placed in front of a police barrier near the entrance of Reina nightclub by the Bosphorus, which was attacked by a gunman, in Istanbul, Turkey, January 1, 2017. REUTERS/Umit Bektas

IT took only one shooter to kill 39 people and injure another 70 in one targeted venue on New Year’s Day in Istanbul although 17,000 police personnel were on duty. According to Turkish media, the killer arrived in a taxi, retrieved a bag from the trunk and removed the automatic barrel and began to shoot. The first to die was a policeman just outside the upscale nightclub with bodyguards and a tour guide standing near the entrance. On entering the Reina nightclub, the gunman sprayed bullets at random at the crowd. The killing spree lasted seven minutes shortly after 1am on that fateful day.

Turkish police believe only one gunman was involved in the attack. This incident clearly demonstrates that police omnipresence in large numbers by itself does not prevent acts of terror and violence. The public must understand that they, too, play a role if they have information on individuals or groups suspected to be involved in extremist movements.