Children ‘Deliberate’ Targets in Manchester Attack, Says History Academic

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(Vision Radio)   A Christian academic says the targeting of young people in the fatal terror attack in Manchester shows the terrorists’ intent to inflict the greatest possible offence against their opponents.
   The Manchester attack killed 22 people and injured 59 others after a pop concert at Manchester Arena.
   Professor Peter Riddell, a Professorial Research Associate in History at the University of London, has told our newsroom, while he believes the targeting of young people was deliberate, the extremists operate from an ‘us and them’ mentality – whereby they see the lives of any non-Muslims as being of lesser value.
   He says while there are Koranic verses that talk about the value of human life, there are references in both Koran and associated literature that prioritise the support, defence, and advancement of Muslims.
   Professor Riddell says the extremists use such parts of their religious texts to justify their attacks, and a hatred of the West is a driving force in their sense of calling to jihad.

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