More on terror and guns

The Washington Post reports from Dhaka, Bangladesh that “Twenty foreigners were killed by six heavily-armed militants at an upscale restaurant in the diplomatic quarter of Dhaka early Saturday after an hours-long siege was ended by Bangladeshi forces. Sharp weapons were used to kill the victims, with local media reporting that some were beheaded. Thirteen other foreign captives were rescued by paramilitary forces who killed all the attackers, Brigadier General Nayeem Ashfaq Chowdhury told reporters. Some police officers were also killed…. Gunfire was heard as troops moved to end the standoff more than 10 hours after the attack began…. At least four security personnel were killed responding to the attack, a senior police official, Assistant Superintendent Fazle-e-Elahi told NBC News…. He described the assailants as "heavily armed and equipped" and "tactically sound." "The attackers are not identified. They were shouting 'Allah Akbar' when they entered the restaurant," Fazle-e-Elahi said.” So once again all the usual elements are present, from Islamist anti-Western motivation to the ability to acquire weapons regardless of legal restrictions (in Bangladesh legal firearms are scarce and tightly regulated; for instance no one under 30 may possess a rifle or handgun) to the helplessness of the victims until good guys with guns do arrive… hours after the ordeal begins and too late for dozens of victims.