Muslim Tells of Hiding Jewish Shoppers

BBC News Article

Mr. [Lassana] Bathily [a Muslim living in France] said he had been in the basement of the supermarket when he heard gunshots upstairs. "The customers started running down the steps. They were screaming [that] there were terrorists in the shop. He said he noticed that the cold storage room was open. "I told them to come in with me. Then I switched off the fridge and the lights."

"I told the customers to stay calm. [I said:] If the terrorist comes down here he must not hear you."

Mr Bathily said once everyone was quiet he decided to escape to alert police.

"I took the service lift out of the basement. I rushed out and saw the police everywhere," he said.

"They told me to put my hands up but then they asked me for my help.

"I told them a lot of hostages were hidden in the basement. They asked me to draw a map of the shop to help with their assault.

And what does this man have to say regarding the terrorists responsible for the Charlie Hebdo killings?

Mr Bathily said he had a good relationship with Jewish colleagues at the shop, and was sometimes teased about when he would get a Jewish girlfriend. Asked about the Paris attackers, Mr Bathily said: "They were just criminals who want to make people suffer."

I concur.

Just wanted to share an example of how not all Muslims are terrorists and how race or religion doesn't stop people from being good to one another.

a reply to: rukia


I just wish this story and others like it was the rule and not the exception.

a reply to: infolurker

Agreed. It's the terrorist criminals who are the real exception even though they're seen (incorrectly) as the rule.

a reply to: rukia

This just goes to show, this is how "normal" people act. This is what people do.

Muslims are regular normal people.

People just walking around, thinking about crap, eating an egg sandwich, watching the football game, pooping, reading ATS, thinking about the dog and how he got in the trash and ate a rotton potato. You know, regular ol people.

originally posted by: infolurker
a reply to: rukia


I just wish this story and others like it was the rule and not the exception.

Yeah, I was thinking about how sad it is that the fact that he is a Muslim is a pertinent part of the story. The same with the French cop that was killed.

You know, like they are proclaiming that a Muslim can be a normal human.

originally posted by: rukia
a reply to: infolurker

Agreed. It's the terrorist criminals who are the real exception even though they're seen (incorrectly) as the rule.

An analogy if you will. Not an exception or rule...

Radical Islam, and the terrorists it breeds are a cancer within the body of Islam. It is not yet metastatic. It can be cured. But if left untreated it could spread enough to become fatal.

mhmm!

it all ends up boiling down to the fact that we are all human. Nothing more and nothing less.

I wish we'd stop looking for scapegoats and address the real issue: that the potential for being evil exists in EVERYONE. So our enemy shouldn't be a person it should be evil itself. But people don't like fighting against things that don't physically exist. So they need a straw man.

a reply to: ausername

Oh yeah. It is definitely a big social issue over there, considering their political culture is so messed up anyway.

Every religion has fanatics/extremist and every religion has moderates who are genuinely decent human beings. What happened in Paris was a tragedy that was carried out by deranged fanatics. This story goes to show that despite race or religion there are good people willing to help their fellow man in times of crisis.

a reply to: butcherguy

You're right. That is sad. And we've been manipulated into thinking in such a very strange way.

Ride the snake.

a reply to: butcherguy

Personally, I think that is the best post I've read on ATS since I arrived.


I can only offer you a star...
I'd really prefer to shake your hand.

I think this is an interesting event...

It really showed both sides of the argument...



What needs to be destroyed from Islamic culture...

& also what needs to be embraced.

originally posted by: ~Lucidity
a reply to: butcherguy

You're right. That is sad. And we've been manipulated into thinking in such a very strange way.

Ride the snake.

Is it really any different than being manipulated by words like "White cop shoots black teen"?

a reply to: CharlieSpeirs

If I ever cross the pond again, I would be proud to shake your hand my friend.

a reply to: rukia

Just goes to show that you should people by their actions, not their affiliations.

Well done!

originally posted by: ausername

originally posted by: ~Lucidity
a reply to: butcherguy

You're right. That is sad. And we've been manipulated into thinking in such a very strange way.

Ride the snake.

Is it really any different than being manipulated by words like "White cop shoots black teen"?

Ummm. No. Did you make that leap off the high dive?

First off that's not the topic here, and second off no one said or even came close to saying that this wouldn't be any different. In fact, quite the opposite. My statement applies to all such examples of this type of manipulation and those that fall for it too.

a reply to: ~Lucidity

From the high dive, head first of course.

That said, I agree.

Without the words "Muslim" and "Jewish" in the headline, I'll bet you few to no one would have ever read the story.

What does that say?

.... Off to practice my diving skills.

originally posted by: ausername
a reply to: ~Lucidity

From the high dive, head first of course.

That said, I agree.

Without the words "Muslim" and "Jewish" in the headline, I'll bet you few to no one would have ever read the story.

What does that say?

.... Off to practice my diving skills.

Don't make assumptions about why I came to read the story. Take care of that concussion.

a reply to: butcherguy

Because typically Muslims are portrayed as not normal but as terrorists.

Also the guy is getting French citizenship after 200,000+ French signed a petition.

a reply to: Kali74

Yeah, a guy like that deserves citizenship in my book--and maybe a medal, too.

Everyday heroes ftw

Why is the last post dated January 17, 2015?

Is there a glitch in the matrix?