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Bombs Rock London
07 July 2005
The city of London was rocked early this morning by a series of four explosions within the city’s public transport system, which have killed at least thirty-three people and injured more than three hundred. Forty-five people were critically injured.
Three of the blasts took place in different sections of the underground rail system, with another ripping the top off a double-decker bus. The number killed in the bus has still not been confirmed.
The tube and most bus networks within the centre of London have been closed for most of the day. Trains coming in from other major centres have also been cancelled.
A group claiming links to Al Qaeda has claimed responsibility for the attacks, which Prime Minister Tony Blair said were ‘barbaric… [and] obviously timed to coincide with the opening of the G8 summit.’ Mr. Blair returned from chairing the G8 summit in Glen Eagles.
The first report of a problem on the underground came to the rail authorities just after 8:50 am. It was believed to be a problem caused by a power surge in one section of the tube, but within a few minutes reports of other explosions began to emerge and the full scenario became clear.
Twenty-one people were killed in a blast at King’s Cross Station, one of London major hubs, and five died in the Edgeware Road blast, which was the first.
Police and transport police have said that they were shocked but not surprised by the attacks, as London has been steeled for some kind of terror attack for some time. Recently, though, there has been a slight decrease in intelligence regarding any impending attack.
The attacks are similar to others perpetrated by Al Qaeda in various corners of the world, in particular the Madrid train bombings. In that case, bombs were left in packages on trains and set off remotely.
Authorities are not yet sure whether the London devices were left in packages or were carried by suicide bombers.
Brian Paddick, Deputy Assistant Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, reported that the emergency service did better than merely cope with the situation. ‘They excelled themselves,’ he said.
Dr. Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury, has expressed that the prayers of all are with those who were injured and with the bereaved.
For more on this unfolding story, with comment, see www.bbc.co.uk.
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