Dismorning in London, four explosions erupted throughout the city at Edgware Road, King’s Cross, Liverpool Street, Russell Square, Aldgate East, Moorgate and Tavistock Place. From news sources it appears the attacks where terrorist and utilised a high concentration of explosives. From sources it appears that this was a mobile bomb and not a suicide attack, being that the bomb package was probably hidden in a bag hidden on the bus and the tube trains.
The packed bus at Russell Sq was blown apart, it does not seem like anyone who travelled on the top of the bus survived, it had been described as being ripped apart like a sardine can with bodies flying everywhere.
Tony Blair looking distressed said that there was limited information, but that its reasonably clear that there have been a series of terrorist attacks, obviously deaths and casualties, it is the will of all the leaders at the G8 that the meeting should go on with his absence being he wont be there while he returns to London but that he will return to the summit in the afternoon. It is barbaric that this has happened, on a day that people are meeting to help the people of Africa. Just as this is clear that this is a terrorist attack, it is clear that it has been designed to happen with the opening of the G8. He will talk later on the subject, it is important however that those engaged with the terrorists that we shall defend our freedom, and that we shall resist their efforts of terror, what ever they do it is our determination that they will not succeed.
There is a rescue operation ongoing at kings cross and Russell square. There were a large number of casualties and a number of fatalities although exact numbers are not known.
All trains in and out of London have been stopped; all busses and tube trains have been stopped. It appears that London has been cut off from the outside world as far as trains and busses go.
John Stalker said that this is a very serious attack and that it has brought London to a full stop. It has all the hallmarks of Al Qaeda; the metro police are the best police in the world to deal with such things with 40 years of experience dealing with the troubles in Ireland.
Dianne Abbot said, it was very frightening for her, on her way to Westminster. Her first thoughts where about her son, maybe being on one of the trains. The police, fire and transport services have been fantastic.
12:29: So far there have been 100 people treated in local hospitals, with three busloads of people turning up. Many are feared dead. Eyewitness account says that there have been a lot of people coming out injured from the stations. The attacks being both above and below ground.
Eye witness accounts source: bbc.co.uk
LOYITA WORLEY, LIVERPOOL STREET
“All the lights went out and the train came to an immediate halt.
There was smoke everywhere and everyone was coughing and choking, but remained calm. We couldn’t open the doors.”
She was in a carriage next to one where an explosion happened.
She said the adjacent carriage was “black on the inside”. She saw people who appeared to have their clothes blown off, and bodies lying inside the carriage.
The blasts have caused chaos and panic across the city, with dazed and bloodied survivors emerging from stations. The mobile phone network was overloaded, and many have struggled to let others know that they are safe.
12:48: It appears that there are still more injured people in the underground, with emergency services carrying cutting gear into the tube stations, and medical personnel carrying medical equipment in what ever they can, bin bags and carrier bags. Roads are at a standstill, people are being taken to hospitals via helicopter, with all London Hospitals on full major incident alert ? all medical staff have been called to come into work to help. At current 7 double Decker busses have carried people to hospital. It is not known how many casualties there are, but about 150 seriously injured but many more walking wounded. There are many still trapped in the underground, with an ongoing rescue attempt to get everyone who was on the train accounted for.
It appears to be that this is a very well planned and co-ordinated terrorist attack on London, although it seems to be
Home secretary Charles Clark has said that Four explosions have been confirmed, it is at current unknown who is to blame, the underground is closed and will remain so for a long time, there are no busses in London, there will be a meeting later today to determine when to start bus routes. People are advised not to travel into London.
An al-Qaeda group appear to have taken the blame posting on their website. Security around Downing Street has been stepped up, there are reports of a mass of armed police military have been seen appearing around London. Other cities around England have had their security stepped up.
The Metropolitan Police advise people to stay where they are and not to call the emergency services except in life-threatening situations. An emergency hotline number is expected shortly.
13:00: Live from Glen Eagles (where the G8 Summit is happening) Tony Blair says, we (he is surrounded by G8 leaders) condemn these barbaric attacks, and send our condolences to those effected, those responsible have no respect for human life, and that we are united. We will not allow violence to change our societies and our values; we shall continue our deliberations at the summit. Here at the summit the world leaders are trying to save and improve life, those terrorists who attacked London want to destroy human life. Tony Bair talking on behalf of the entire G8 leaders ? they are united, this statement was not on behalf of England but on the behalf of all the nations linked by the G8.
It is thought that those who are responsible have been living in England for a long time and have been described as ?sleeping cells?. It is not thought by officials that people responsible just came over today and that they have been here for a while.
June Kelly : Edgware Road : 1310 BST
The police have confirmed there have been a number of fatalities at Edgware Road.
A number of people have been seriously injured, and then there is the walking wounded. Police say everyone is now out of the tube station.
Two trains were caught up in the explosion here. Witnesses have spoken about glass showering down on them and being plunged into darkness.
People who got out are very shaken and have told us in dramatic detail about getting out, but the very bad news is that some people have died here.
George Bush said, that he want to send his condolences to the people of London. This morning Bush had been in touch with his security and had told them to be extra vigilant and to help find out who where to blame. On one hand we have people working to help rid the world of aids and poverty and to help the environment and on the other you have people who just want to kill. The contrast is obvious. He is much impressed by the resolve of those at the G8. We will not yield to terrorist attacks.
The queen has said that the events in London have deeply shocked her, and she has nothing but admiration for the emergency services.
13:35 There are reports of decapitated bodies?
Markets fall after the blasts in London with share prices dropping across Europe. The UK’s benchmark FTSE 100 share index tumbled 118 points, or 2.26%, to 5,111. In France, Germany, Holland and Spain indexes all fell more than 2.5%. The pound has also dipped, with many investors seeing safety in the Swiss franc and commodities such as gold. The price of crude oil also dropped in London. The London Clearing House amongst several other City buildings has been evacuated. While the London stock exchange has introduced ?special measures? and has asked its traders to switch off their ?black box? programme trading systems, these systems use algorithms to place huge trades in response to market volatility. “We are farming out orders to other financial centres, such as Paris because of the uncertainty on the ground in London,” said one dealer in London. The shockwaves have been felt as far away as South Africa, where shares have dropped more than 1.9%. Sterling has fallen to a 19-month low against the dollar and sank 1% to a 6-week low against the euro.
This is the only photo I can find from the underground at the moment, taken by Adam Stacey. As you can see the visibility appears to be poor, with the only lighting being the emergency lighting on the train, the lighting at the station seems to be out, there is black smoke clouding the view, and people looking panicked. Obviously the emergency services will have by now set up their own lighting, but from this image it looks as though the underground at the moment is a scary place to be.
Marie Jackson : Fenchurch Street : 1345 BST
My destination is Aldgate East, scene of one of the morning’s explosions. But as is happening all across London, roads are becoming no-go zones as suspect packages are uncovered.
At the junction of Gracechurch Street and Fenchurch Street the police tape goes up, officers redirect traffic and the usual lunchtime haunts of M&S and Boots are evacuated. Sniffer dogs and police vans are quickly at the scene but within minutes the package is investigated and dealt with.
Officers re-open the road as shop staff gather under shelter from the rain, talking about how are they ever going to get home.
Number to ring to report missing persons in relation to this attack is: 0870 1566 344
14:08 – The number of explosions is now back down to four. Three on the tube, one on the bus at Tavistock Square. There have been a number of controlled explosions around the city but the rumour that a suicide bomber was shot earlier by police is definitely not true.
1433BST There has been an substantial step up in security in New York with swat teams visible on the New York subway system.
1439BST As far as I can tell from this photo sent to the BBC by Alexander Chadwick, passengers leaving an underground train in a tunnel near Kings Cross. As you can see emergency lighting is in place, but you cant see any smoke or if any of those in the photo are hurt or how badly.
Met police officers in Scotland are being redeployed to London now, as many as 1500 men officers are being sent back to London from the G8 summit.
It appears that this is not a chemical or biological attack, and thankfully not, although this has not been confirmed. It would be a horrible aftermath if people began turning up to hospitals with strange symptoms.
Officials are beginning to say that this could have been much worse and thankfully it is not. The bomb blasts could have been bigger.
These are not conditional terrorists such as the IRA they are unconditional terrorists who can only be dealt though, by good intelligence and being able to find out what will happen before it does. The terrorists appear to be sending a message such as, ?look we could have done something much more terrible than this? it?s as though they are saying this is just a taster of what we can do.
The BBC has located an Islamist website that has published a 200-word statement issued by an organisation saying it carried out the London bombings. The organisation calling itself the Secret Organisation Group of al-Qaeda Qaeda [literally the base] of Jihad Organisation in Europe has not previously been heard of. The website that the BBC has found, had previously carried statements purporting to be from al-Qaeda. It?s not possible to verify such claims that are published on the web due to the nature of the Internet.
This is the full text of the statement:
In the name of God, the merciful, the compassionate, may peace be upon the cheerful one and undaunted fighter, Prophet Muhammad, God’s peace be upon him.
Nation of Islam and Arab nation: Rejoice for it is time to take revenge against the British Zionist Crusader government in retaliation for the massacres Britain is committing in Iraq and Afghanistan. The heroic mujahideen have carried out a blessed raid in London. Britain is now burning with fear, terror and panic in its northern, southern, eastern, and western quarters.
We have repeatedly warned the British Government and people. We have fulfilled our promise and carried out our blessed military raid in Britain after our mujahideen exerted strenuous efforts over a long period of time to ensure the success of the raid.
We continue to warn the governments of Denmark and Italy and all the Crusader governments that they will be punished in the same way if they do not withdraw their troops from Iraq and Afghanistan. He who warns is excused.
God says: “You who believe: If ye will aid (the cause of) Allah, He will aid you, and plant your feet firmly.”
Sources: BBC, ITV, CNN , Londonist Guardian.
Last updated: 7th July 2005 @ 15:16
