Fucking Hell
Good morning! It's time for another gruesome terrorist bombing! And there goes the hope of possibly doing something constructive about terror for at least the next few years, lost in renewed hysteria..
posted by Management at 8:30 AM
3 Comments:
Minute-by-minute account
Thursday, July 7, 2005 Posted: 1518 GMT (2318 HKT)
(CNN) -- Below is a minute-by-minute timeline of the multiple explosions rocking London. All times are British Summer Time.
3:57 Paddick says it is not clear that a claim of responsibility by Al Qaeda is genuine. He says police are keeping an open mind over who carried out the attacks.
3:44 Paddick says no arrests have been made in connection with the four attacks and says it is unclear whether suicide bombers were involved.
3:41 Assistant chief ambulance officer Russell Smith says the service has treated 45 patients with serious or critical injuries. A further 300 patients have been treated for minor injuries.
3:28 London deputy police chief Brian Paddick says there are seven confirmed fatalities following an explosion near Aldgate underground station at 8:51 am; 21 dead at King's Cross station following an explosion at 8:56 am; and five dead following an explosion at Edgware Road at 9:17 am.
More people died following an explosion on a bus at Upper Woburn Place near Tavistock Square at 9:47 am, but numbers are still unknown.
He says the police had no warning of the attacks and have not received any claims of responsibility.
3:26 Police say at least 33 people have died in three explosions on the London underground and confirm further fatalities following a fourth explosion on a bus.
2:38 U.S. law enforcement sources say the British government has said that at least 40 people have been killed and London hospitals report at least 300 wounded, the AP reports.
1:22 Police say a bomb on a train at Edgware Road underground exploded as a second train was passing and hit both trains.
12:53 Britain's Home Secretary Charles Clarke tells the House of Commons there were four explosions in central London and the underground system will be closed all day. They would decide later in day whether to resume bus services. Earlier six attacks were reported.
12:51 Emergency services personnel tells CNN writer William Chamberlain that all survivors had been evacuated from Kings Cross station, leaving the dead below ground "in the double digits."
12:35 Scotland Yard revises the number of blasts down to four, three in the underground system and one on a bus. These are: Russell Square and Kings Cross Underground, Moorgate, Aldgate and Liverpool Street Underground, Edgware Road station and Tavistock Square where there was an explosion on a bus.
12:27 Police and hospital officials tell Reuters that a total of 185 people are wounded across London, 10 of them seriously and seven critically.
12:15 A previously unknown group calling itself the Group of al-Qaeda of Jihad Organization in Europe lays claim to the blasts, posting a statement on an Islamist web site. The claim cannot be independently verified.
12:00 pm British Prime Minister Tony Blair says the "barbaric" London blasts are terrorist attacks and were designed to coincide with the G8 summit in Scotland. He will return to London.
11:35 London police chief tells Reuters news agency there are "indications of explosives" at one of the blast sites.
11:15 Police say there were at least six explosions in London.
11:15 European Union commissioner for justice and security affairs Franco Frattini tells reporters in Rome that the blasts in London are terrorist attacks.
11:10 Police say they have reports of two deaths and nine injuries at Aldgate East subway station.
11:07 All bus services have been suspended in London, news agencies report.
10:47 Home Secretary Charles Clarke says multiple London blasts cause "terrible injuries."
10:46 Police report serious casualties in London explosions, but no deaths confirmed, The Associated Press reports.
10:46 Witness to Britain's Sky News says second blast heard in Russell Square.
10:45 Police sources say a bomb is suspected in London bus explosion, AP reports.
10:33 Police confirm at least three explosions on buses in central London, according to AP.
10:25 Police confirm explosion on bus in central London in the area around Russell Square.
10:24 Scotland Yard says "multiple explosions" rock London.
10:14 News agencies report a bus has exploded in central London.
10:02 Scotland Yard says it is dealing with a "major incident."
9:53 Metronet says the entire London subway network has been shut down, news agencies report.
Police says incidents are reported at the Aldgate station near the Liverpool Street railway terminal, Edgware Road and King's Cross in north London, Old Street in the financial district and Russell Square in central London, near the British Museum.
9:41 London Underground reports a second explosion at a subway station in northwest London.
9:33 Witnesses say London Underground told them services are suspended after "power surge."
9:27 Metronet, the subway maintenance company, says power surge has caused explosion in London tube station.
9:25 Police say "there are walking wounded" in London's financial district.
9:15 am British Transport Police tell news agencies an explosion has struck London's financial district in the area near Liverpool railway station.
Copyright 2005 CNN. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Associated Press contributed to this report.
Four bombs rock London
July 7, 2005
London, United Kingdom: At least thirty-three people have been killed in four explosions on London's transport system this morning in what are believed to be terrorist attacks.
There have been three confirmed explosions in London Underground trains and stations and a further one onboard a bus. A count at 15:22 BST confirmed by London ambulance services states 45 dead and over 1,000 injured. The first reports were of an explosion at 08:49 BST (UTC+1) on the Metropolitan line between Liverpool Street station and Aldgate East. Explosions also occured on a train between King's Cross and Russell Square and another at Edgware Road. The explosions are currently being reported, and described by Prime Minister Tony Blair, as being terrorist attacks. Traces of explosives have been found at two of the sites according to the BBC.
Scotland Yard has confirmed one explosion onboard a double decker red london bus travelling south outside the British Medical Association on Tavistock Square. Police cannot confirm whether this bomb was intended for another train and accidentally detonated aboard the bus instead.
Pundits are speculating the attack has been co-ordinated by al-Qaeda. Dr. Shane Brighton, an intelligence expert at the Royal United Services Institute for Defence, claims that, "If what we are looking at is a simultaneous bombing — and it does look like that — it would very certainly fit the classic al Qaeda methodology."
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Casualties
In a special press conference at 3.30pm, Deputy Assistant Commissioner Brian Paddick of the Metropolitan Police confirmed 33 fatalities, 45 critical/serious injuries and approximately 300 minor injuries.
At 8.51am a bomb exploded on an Underground train 100 yards into the tunnel from Liverpool Street. Seven are known to be dead.
At 8.56am a bomb detonated on a Piccadilly Line train between King's Cross and Russell Square. Twenty-one are dead.
At 9.17am a bomb exploded on a Circle Line between Edgware Road Station and Paddington. Another train hit debris from the blast, and a third train is involved. Five are known to be dead.
At 9.47am a No. 30 bus (Hackney - Marble Arch) blew up at the junction between Tavistock Square and Woburn Place. Fatalities unknown. (an eyewitness reported atleast 2 fatalities).
Earlier, quoting the Associated Press, Yahoo News had reported "at least 40 people were killed and more than 350 wounded". Also, the same report says "two U.S. law enforcement officials said at least 40 people were killed".
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Hotlines
The general hotline number for those concerned about friends or relatives is 0870 1566 344. This being run by the Metropolitan Police, in association with the British Transport Police and other Police Forces. They are stressing that those concerned should try to reach friends and relatives for news first before contacting the line to avoid swamping.
The United States Department of State has also set up a telephone hotline for US citizens with relatives or friends in the area. This number is +1 888 407 4747 (toll free in the United States).
The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has set up an Emergency Hotline on 1800 002 214 and a website to be used if people are unable to directly contact their family or friends in the UK.
Canadians looking for relatives? Call Canadian Foreign Affairs hotline: 1-800-387-3124. Have full name, birthdate, passport number ready.
The Irish Department of Foreign Affairs has also set up a tollfree emergency hotline on 1800 242 548 for those in Ireland seeking news of friends and relatives in London.
Please don't call these numbers or visit these websites if you do not have a genuine enquiry, as they are extremely congested. This will give priority to concerned family and friends.
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Reports
The first reports that came in were from London's Liverpool Street station talking of an explosion on the Metropolitan Underground line and the station being evacuated. Later a BBC and a Wikinews reporter spoke of a bus being destroyed by a bomb blast in Tavistock Square outside the British Medical Association offices. At first, police would only confirm two people were dead but have since confirmed 33 fatalities. TfL reports the bus was a number 30 from Hackney to Marble Arch.
The initial reports of explosions were believed to have been the result of power surges. This is due to the first indication of any events was the opening of circuit breakers in the Underground, which was observed in the control room. This is usually due to a power surge, but in this case the actual cause was damage to the track circuits by bombs.
At approximately 10:50 BST reports were made that there was an additional, as yet unidentified explosion along Houndsditch, near Liverpool Street Station. Police were also warning pedestrians at Russell Square that a series of controlled explosions would be made shortly.
BBC News 24 has reported additional unspecified incidents at Brighton, Luton, and Swindon. These stations have been closed and there has been no official confirmation of the nature of the incidents, if any actually occurred.
The Metropolitan Police Commissioner, Sir Ian Blair told London Live that there have been "events" at Edgware Road, Kings Cross, Liverpool Street, Russell Square, Aldgate East and Moorgate.
At 11:30 BST (UTC+1) St. Mary’s Hospital released a statement that they have admitted 4 critical, 8 severe and several minor injures. Injuries are limb damage, cuts, burns, head injuries and chest problems.
According to the Associated Press, a senior Israeli official said Scotland Yard told Israel minutes before the explosions that it had received warnings of possible terror attacks. Sky News says this has been denied by Scotland Yard. Sir Ian during his interview with Sky confirmed the absence of any specific intelligence.
German news magazine Der Spiegel (as well as unconfirmed information from CIA) has reported that a letter from an organization calling itself "Secret organization - Al Qaeda in Europe" has appeared, claiming responsibility for the bombings. See our related story for more details.
A police spokeswoman has confirmed two deaths at Aldgate station. Television and radio reports are now saying there have been four separate incidents with up to 150 casualties, speculating that the blasts may be related to terrorist activity.
The Associated Press is reporting that a US law enforcement official has put the toll at 40 killed.
Emergency Services press conference at around 15:15 BST (UTC+1) confirms at least 33 fatalities, not including those resulting from the incident on the number 30 bus.
The exact causes of the explosions are still unknown. Initially, it was thought that it was some technical fault. However, the police later suspected terrorists attacks. Police are still unsure if the bombs were simply left in packages or whether there were some sort of suicide attacks.
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Effects of the incidents and responses from the emergency services
Emergency services are also attending to King's Cross and Liverpool Street Station.
The entire tube network and all buses within zone 1 have been suspended and many buses are now being used to ferry the 'walking wounded' to the hospitals. The underground will be closed for an indefinite period of time, but according to Fox News Channel United States, the closure will last at least for all of today.
All emergency services are responding en masse to a "major incident" and are responding only to life-threatening emergency calls. Patients are being turned away at hospitals to free room for casualties.
The Jerusalem Post reports that the Army was dispatched to seal off the Israeli Embassy as Israel's Finance Minister is present for a conference. The army have reportedly been involved with rescues at Covent Garden. Police have denied this report (originally made on Sky news).
The police have cordoned off roads around Upper Woburn Place following an explosion on a bus in the vicinity. Traffic is at a standstill in many places in the capital. Defra's security branch are reporting that police are advising everyone in London not to use any public transport and the Cabinet Office are advising staff to remain in offices until further notice. A further email sent to all staff by Defra's permanent secretary indicates that Charing Cross and Waterloo mainline railway stations have been closed down for police searches, and that other stations could close for similar reasons later today.
As at 09.30 BST, Kings Cross Thameslink was experiencing delays and overcrowding but no serious difficulties.
Businesses have been hit by the uncertainty of the events – the FTSE had fallen almost 3.5% by 11.47UTC ([1]), but started to recover a little by early afternoon. The value of the pound has dipped, and the London crude oil price has dropped. International markets are also suffering, with falls in share indexes felt as far as South Africa. See our related story for more details.
According to Fox News Channel United States, all London schools are in lockdown and students are being kept in schools.
The Authorities are asking people in London to stay where they are, indoors if possible. Take inside any bins or bags of rubbish they have left out for collection, providing they check their contents first. Arrangements are also being made for when schools finish as schools have been asked to keep pupils safe inside until the usual school closing time.
The UK Highways Agency has stated that at the request of the police, the message "Avoid London - Turn on Radio" is being displayed on electronic motorway message signs on the M25 and other major routes approaching London.
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Official responses
A joint statement of the G8 leaders was made by Tony Blair at a press conference, also attended by US President George Bush and Russian President Vladimir Putin. See our related story for more details.
Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom and many other world leaders have also issued statements. See our related story for more details.
World leaders respond to London blasts
From Wikinews, the free news source that you can write!
July 7, 2005
World leaders have made statements following the bomb attacks in London today.
Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom offered this official statement following the attacks:
The dreadful events in London this morning have deeply shocked us all. I know I speak for the whole nation in expressing my sympathy to all those affected and the relatives of the killed and injured. I have nothing but admiration for the emergency services as they go about their work.
France's Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin made a short statement to offer moral and material support to the population of London. The "Vigipirate plan" was raised from "orange" to "red".
Australia's Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said the attacks were "roundly condemned by the Australian government". "We are 100% behind the British government and 100% behind the British people at this time and completely condemn this appalling terrorism".
The US Homeland Security Department have asked authorities in major cities for heightened vigilance of major transportation systems. Department spokesman Roehrkasse indicates that the department have not received any indications of plans that this type of attack is planned in the United States.
US President George Bush has made a statement in Edinburgh, vowing to be "extra vigilant" in pursuit of terrorism.
He said: "On the one hand, you have people here working to alleviate poverty and rid the world of AIDS. The contrast couldn’t be clearer between the hearts of those who care about human liberty and those who would take the lives of innocent folks. The war of terror goes on. We will not yield to terror. We will spread an ideology of hope and compassion that will overwhelm their ideology of hate."
The European Parliament President Josep Borrel, expressed his condolences, saying "As president of parliament and a citizen of a country that only last year experienced the horrors of such terrible attacks. I want to send a message of solidarity with British people, we all stand with you, British people, and we will never let atrocities or terrorism defeat the values of peace and democracy." In his own country of Spain which saw attacks on Madrid last year, the Spanish Government said it would help the UK, "pursue the criminals who have carried out such a repugnant attack against a city that was celebrating its election as the host of the 2012 Olympic Games".
Danish Prime Minster Anders Fogh Rasmussen calls the attack in London "terrible": "Once again we witness the barbaric attacks of unrelenting terrorists against innocent people -- civilians, women and children". He further emphasizes the importance of the western world not giving in to terrorism: "They may never be allowed to reach their goal through death and destruction. Therefore I support the continuation of the G8 summit. Our thoughts in this tragic situation go first and foremost to the victims and their families. The British population have our deepest sympathies."
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