Terror Alert In London

[the4thpip]

Explosions on busses and the tube.

Hope all our UK posters and their friends and family are ok.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/4659093.stm

[ocelotrevs]

This London user is ok, he only woke up when his Mum came to tell him about it. I guess no comics today for me

It seems that there was a series of explosion all around Central London, there have been approx. 4 bus explosions, and there has also been a series of explosions on the London Underground network. The main stations have been locked down, this includes:
Kings Cross
Liverpool Street
Euston
Paddington

and

Aldgate East Station
Old Street station

If you try to make calls to relatives on holiday/ living over here, you might not have much luck as most of the phone networks have gone tits up, but the landlines seem to be working

[Ian Boothby]

Shit. It looks at first glance like someone was trying to kill as many tourists and civilians as they could. Just awful.

[the4thpip]

The M.O. looks similar to Madrid. Hit public transport in the capital, target several stations.

[Gail Simone]

Oh, goddammit.

Listen, everyone here from the UK, please check in, okay?

Thank you. And I hope your families and friends are safe.



Gail

[thehod]

I live in Birmingham, so I'm fine.

Can't get hold of my best mate who lives in London, but with the phone networks as they are, I'm not unduly worried at the moment.

[ocelotrevs]

I live in Birmingham, so I'm fine.

Can't get hold of my best mate who lives in London, but with the phone networks as they are, I'm not unduly worried at the moment.

Try his house phone if he has 1. The mobile networks have gone all donald'd down these sides of things. I hope your pal is ok

[the4thpip]

the Chief of Police has said "stay where you are". Be it at home or at work.

[thehod]

Try his house phone if he has 1. The mobile networks have gone all donald'd down these sides of things. I hope your pal is ok

He'll have been on his way to work, or at work by that stage, but I'll give it a go.

[1961]

latest news is: Six explosions at various locations in the 'city' (which is the finanacial district for you out of towners) and confirmed fatalities stand at about twenty (so far )
I cannot express my disgust and anger at the cowards who carry out these acts, if I believed in hell I would wish them in the worst corner of it

[roguespirit]

Just got back home. I work in central london and just managed to miss most of the explosions. Latest news is 8 explosions at least 2 fatalaties but a double decker had its back blown off and I don't jknow what the casualties for that was.

One of the good things about these situations is that Londoners actually start talking to each other.

I've talked to a few people that were actually trapped on underground on trains.

Some very shaky people

[the4thpip]

I wonder how many security forces had been moved from London to Edinburgh.

[TokenBlackGuy]

i was on the train and all of a sudden the driver says there an explosion near aldgate (i was on the met line a few stops away) and that there was a power surge. and im thinking ok but why did he say ALL london lines suspended? then i hear ambulances and stories of bombs going off on buses. damn. really sad day for london :(

[Haydn C]

Glad everyone is ok so far. Keep us posted.

[ocelotrevs]

I wonder how many security forces had been moved from London to Edinburgh.


Nah the police will be running things with army based around London helping out. The forces in Scotland can take care of themselves, if anything it'll only be the ambulances that need support and the hospital them

Just got back home. I work in central london and just managed to miss most of the explosions. Latest news is 8 explosions at least 2 fatalaties but a double decker had its back blown off and I don't jknow what the casualties for that was.

One of the good things about these situations is that Londoners actually start talking to each other.

I've talked to a few people that were actually trapped on underground on trains.

Some very shaky people

Glad you're okay pal. My mum was saying it was like the IRA explosion that knocked out Liverpool Street

[roguespirit]

Glad you're okay pal. My mum was saying it was like the IRA explosion that knocked out Liverpool Street

I remeber that one too.

Glad your ok Londoners

[matterconsumer]

Best hope and wishes to all except for those responsible.

Hunt them down and put them down...

[the4thpip]

News ticker about this. (http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/news/)

1216 London Ambulance Service also says there are "many casualties and deaths" in today's blasts. There is a rescue operation continuing at King's Cross, where people appear to be trapped on the underground.

1212 There are now reports from the London Ambulance Service of an explosion in Leicester Square.

Leicester Square. That's like a bomb on Times Square or on the champs elysees

[Crowley]

so who do they suspect is behind it?

hope everyone is okay...

[the4thpip]

so who do they suspect is behind it?

hope everyone is okay...
The M.O. is very similar to the al quaeda attacks in Madrid.

[TCJohnson]

Somebody in another thread said that a AL Queda is already taking responsibility for it, although I can't find anything official saying that.

[Charles RB]

Glad you're OK Rogue.

The real disturbing thing? Finding I'm less scared by London being bombed than I thought I'd be.

so who do they suspect is behind it?

The government's saying zip, and the head of the Metropolitan Police said not to speculate. Might be Al-Que'da but that's not definite.

Just in- Charles Clarke in Commons said there's only four confirmed explosions, which goes against earlier reports of seven.

[the4thpip]

Somebody in another thread said that a AL Queda is already taking responsibility for it, although I can't find anything official saying that.
http://www.spiegel.de/img/0,1020,490370,00.jpg

They took responsibility with this letter on some web site, it's said.

[The Xenos]

I keep on wondering when the subway in NYC or Boston or some US city is going to be the target of a major attack. It's so easy it's rather scary.

Well, good luck and best wishes to London in these scary moments.

-Xenos

[TCJohnson]

ONe thing I learned from 9/11...don't believe any news reports until the next day.

[hellokittykat]

Roguespirit and every other Londoner I glad your safe.

What about Lunardaydreamer? Isn't he in London too?

[Papergirl]

My thoughts and prayers are with all our UK posters and their loved ones. I pray you all are safe and sound.

~Bev

[TCJohnson]

God, having flashbacks to 9/11. every time a plane flew over the house I was living in everybody in the room would look up. You could tell we were all thinking, "Damn it, not again."

[Charles RB]

London mayor Ken Livingstone just stated: "This was not an attack on the high and powerful, this was not an attack on Presidents and Prime Ministers. This was an attack on normal, working-class Londoners. Black and white, Muslim and Christian, Jew and Hindu, young and old. This was an indiscriminate attack..."

[Samurai]

London mayor Ken Livingstone just stated: "This was not an attack on the high and powerful, this was not an attack on Presidents and Prime Ministers. This was an attack on normal, working-class Londoners. Black and white, Muslim and Christian, Jew and Hindu, young and old. This was an indiscriminate attack..."
Of course, just as the WTC was... and blowing up school busses, night clubs, and sidewalk cafes; and beheading policemen; and butchering a film-maker in the street, and so on...

[Charles RB]

Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams has stated he's been meeting with Muslim leader "colleagues" and there is a united condemnation of the attacks among the mainstream faith community.

The BBC has stated again that Irish terrorism is unlikely, probably due to lack of advance warning.

[1961]

latest reports are that there have been four explosions .Three on the tube and one on a bus. All the world leaders at the G8 summit have issued a joint statement condeming the attacks

[ocelotrevs]

News ticker about this. (http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/news/)

1216 London Ambulance Service also says there are "many casualties and deaths" in today's blasts. There is a rescue operation continuing at King's Cross, where people appear to be trapped on the underground.

1212 There are now reports from the London Ambulance Service of an explosion in Leicester Square.

Leicester Square. That's like a bomb on Times Square or on the champs elysees

I haven't heard a bomb going off down there, but Leicester Square is usually like that, but not as big as Times, and around them times in the morning it'd be pretty quiet

[Cam63]

Fucking Al Qaeda again.

Please to all in Pommyland, be well and good luck.

[Cam63]

Shit. It looks at first glance like someone was trying to kill as many tourists and civilians as they could. Just awful.

Looks like the fucking pricks timed their bombs at the time that would cause the most carnage.

Fuck them for all time.

[Charles RB]

Looks like the fucking pricks timed their bombs at the time that would cause the most carnage.

Actually, they missed the bulk of rush hour and the latest death toll is a surprisingly low 33+.

[Crowley]

Looks like the fucking pricks timed their bombs at the time that would cause the most carnage.

Fuck them for all time.
it's times like this I'm glad I'm not President...

cause I'd come on TV and say:

"Okay folks... we fucking warned you. You've got ten mintues to clear the fuck out of the Middle East.

Yes... ALL OF YOU. We're leveling that entire region. Seeing as how you all want to fucking kill each other.... today wishes are horses.

9 minutes left."

[Cam63]

I know, Crowley.

I'm a live and let live kinda guy, but when shit like this happens, I get Attila the Hun tapping me on the shoulder.

It's a good thing I tend to just give him a beer and not listen too long.

[TCJohnson]

I am not completely convinced it is AL-Queda. All I am saying is that one of the effects of this bombing was to disrupt the G8 summit. There are a lot of people outside of AL Queda who would like to see that happen.

[ocelotrevs]

I am not completely convinced it is AL-Queda. All I am saying is that one of the effects of this bombing was to disrupt the G8 summit. There are a lot of people outside of AL Queda who would like to see that happen.

This group are claiming to have done it (from the BBC)


Secret Organisation Group of al-Qaeda [literally the base] of Jihad Organisation in Europe

and this is their 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."



But the old bill are saying that no one has claimed responsibilty. It's best to wait until tomorrow

[Michael P]

Well, any douchebag can claim responsibility for a terrorist attack. I'm waiting until the final evidence is in. I want a definite direct object for my verb of vengeance.

[Cam63]

It's either Al Qaeda or the Salvation Army.

I'm guessin' it aint the tamborine bashers.

[Bored at 3:00AM]

Thankfully, this doesn't look to be anywhere near as devestating an attack as it could have been. In fact, I'm surprised the death toll has been so low considering how busy these areas hit usually are. Small comfort to the families and friends of those killed and badly injured, I know, but this really could have been so much worse. It's times like these you're incredibly thankful for the bravery, hard work and sacrifice of our emergency workers. They really can't get enough praise.

I just can't understand what these cowardly fucks hope to accomplish from all this. Can't wrap my mind around it. What are they hoping to accomplish from all this? All it's gonna do is make people dig in even more and prompt governments to erode civil liberties further--which doesn't help anybody.

[SUPERECWFAN1]

Just turned it on.....sad , sad news. Yeah I'm betting Its Al Qaeda.

[TCJohnson]

This group are claiming to have done it (from the BBC)


Yeah, but look how much publicity this Al Queda offshot has gotten this morning? Where as in the WTC, Al Queda denied for months that they had anything to do with the attack.

: shrug : just not jumping to conclusions.

[taintedlunch]

Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams has stated he's been meeting with Muslim leader "colleagues" and there is a united condemnation of the attacks among the mainstream faith community.

The BBC has stated again that Irish terrorism is unlikely, probably due to lack of advance warning.

Muslim leaders are not NEARLY vocal enough in condemning terrorism. Police your own!!!

[Charles RB]

I just can't understand what these cowardly fucks hope to accomplish from all this.

To spread terror to achieve their goals. Dunno about their goals, but they fucked up at making the country terrified.

Muslim leaders are not NEARLY vocal enough in condemning terrorism.

...yet according to Williams, they just did. And an East End mosque leader has joined other religious heads there in condemning it, and so on, so on. And this is before the attacks have even been confirmed as Islamists.

[The Beast Of Yucca Flats]

I hope this is taken care of as quickly as possible. I don't want another country divided so sharply over a long hunt for terrorists like our own country seems to have been. :(

[TCJohnson]

I hope this is taken care of as quickly as possible. I don't want another country divided so sharply over a long hunt for terrorists like our own country seems to have been. :(

First off, too late. England seems to be divided about it's involvement in Iraq.

Secondly, hell, Londoners are tough. I say this with all due respect to those who have died today, but they have been through worse and a lot more often than America has. Remember they have had the IRA a lot longer than we had Al Queda.

[TCJohnson]

Actually, quite honestly, I think that Londoners are amoung the toughest people in the world. Look at how calm they were about it today as opposed to NYC and DC on 9/11. You gotta respect that.

[taintedlunch]

...yet according to Williams, they just did. And an East End mosque leader has joined other religious heads there in condemning it, and so on, so on. And this is before the attacks have even been confirmed as Islamists.

Too little, too late. As powerful as Muslim leadership is, they have done shockingly little to denounce terrorism. They need to do more than issue the occasional statment. There are many people, myself included, who want them to take a stronger stand. To not do so is practically an endorsement.

[Charles RB]

As powerful as Muslim leadership is, they have done shockingly little to denounce terrorism.

As powerful as it is in Britain? British muslim leaders condemning it won't effect the nutters in Saudi Arabia.

Out of interest, how often did the Vatican denounce terrorism committed by Catholics in the IRA and Real IRA?

They need to do more than issue the occasional statment.

Like what? All they can really do here is preach how and why terrorism goes against Islam, and for all I know they are doing that- I haven't been to any mosques recently. They haven't got much power against foreign Muslim terrorists, unless you want British imams to go off loaded with Uzis and one-liners and take down Al-Qui'eda cells Bruce-Willis style. ("Time to put Laden in the bin. *BUDDA BUDDA BUDDA*")

[Corrina]

Actually, quite honestly, I think that Londoners are amoung the toughest people in the world. Look at how calm they were about it today as opposed to NYC and DC on 9/11. You gotta respect that.

Well, you know, buildings came tumbling down on 9/11. Big buildings.

For all that, New Yorkers were quite calm about dealing with it. Guiliani set the tone but very few New Yorkers panicked at all that day, except to run when the buildings fell.

In DC, there was more panic but that was because another plane was presumed to be heading in their direction and no one knew where it was going to it. I don't think any citizens in any large city would be very calm if they knew a big bomb was somewhere in the city, ticking down to zero.

My heart goes out to London and to the people injured and killed and their families.

Like others have said, days like today make me wish to load up a few nukes and just take out huge chunks of real estate. Or, at the very least, nuke the area where Bin Laden is presumed to be hiding.

I think I need that beer, Cam.

[taintedlunch]

As powerful as it is in Britain? British muslim leaders condemning it won't effect the nutters in Saudi Arabia.

Out of interest, how often did the Vatican denounce terrorism committed by Catholics in the IRA and Real IRA?



Like what? All they can really do here is preach how and why terrorism goes against Islam, and for all I know they are doing that- I haven't been to any mosques recently. They haven't got much power against foreign Muslim terrorists, unless you want British imams to go off loaded with Uzis and one-liners and take down Al-Qui'eda cells Bruce-Willis style. ("Time to put Laden in the bin. *BUDDA BUDDA BUDDA*")

What does the Vatican and the IRA have to do with this? Just because the Vatican didn't do anything, then that justifies Muslim leaders' inaction? I'm not talking about just British muslim leaders. I'm talking worldwide. This is a global problem.

"For all you know" they are doing that. That's the point. You don't know what they're doing. I don't either. They're not holding press conferences or appearing on tv. They're not doing anything but issuing short blanket statements whenever something bad happens.

Islam has a stronger hold on its members than does most religions. When their leaders speak, their followers listen and listen well. When the voice yelling "kill for God" is louder than the one saying "do not kill for God" we should all be worried.

[TCJohnson]

Well, you know, buildings came tumbling down on 9/11. Big buildings.

For all that, New Yorkers were quite calm about dealing with it. Guiliani set the tone but very few New Yorkers panicked at all that day, except to run when the buildings fell.

In DC, there was more panic but that was because another plane was presumed to be heading in their direction and no one knew where it was going to it. I don't think any citizens in any large city would be very calm if they knew a big bomb was somewhere in the city, ticking down to zero.


Well, I was working in DC and lived about 10 minutes outside of DC when 9/11 hit. I was a part of that mess, and the truth is that we were just unprepared. In some places citizens got out to direct traffic, and where there was nobody around to do that there was complete gridlock. The rumors about another plane circling around did not reach us until later in the day. All we knew is that we were told to get out of the city but there was almost no help from the authorities on how to do that.

I saw the DC evacuation first hand, I saw the London evacuation on the news and the London one was a lot more calm and organized. Let's face it, they have had a lot more practice than we had.

And as for buildings falling down...Look at the London blitz, which was not so long ago. For all the talk of America bailing them out, that is because they did not have the numbers, not because of any weakness of character. Londoners got hammered and stood tall then too.

[Charles RB]

What does the Vatican and the IRA have to do with this?

You're saying Muslim leaders should criticise the terrorists. I say when did anyone say the Vatican should do the same when Catholic terrorists were running around (and some still are)? The Vatican saying "terrorism is unchristian" would have a far bigger impact on the IRA than a British Muslim cleric saying "terrorism is unmuslim" would have on a Saudi Arabian islamic terrorist, and yet I don't remember the Vatican ever condemning it.

I'm not talking about just British muslim leaders. I'm talking worldwide. This is a global problem.

Well, you can hardly blame the Western muslim leaders for what their foreign counterparts are doing. They've got no say in Iran, Saudi et al. All they can do is influence British muslims, so saying "too little too late" to actions by British leaders over what foreign terrorists do doesn't really work. They can't realistically do jack.

"For all you know" they are doing that. That's the point. You don't know what they're doing. I don't either. They're not holding press conferences or appearing on tv.

Why should they? British Muslims come to them every week or so; any statements they want to make to their congregation gets to be done then. The press conferences might be useful to assure non-Muslims, but what would be said then except the exact same thing being said in the short blanket statements?

[the4thpip]

Guys! Guys!

Can we not be at each other's throats about this until the dust has settled a little and the injured and missing people are all accounted for?

[Charles RB]

I saw the DC evacuation first hand, I saw the London evacuation on the news and the London one was a lot more calm and organized. Let's face it, they have had a lot more practice than we had.

And don't forget it was known an attack was likely after September 11, so all the relevant services had plans ready.

And as for buildings falling down...Look at the London blitz, which was not so long ago.

It was 60 years ago! Most of London wasn't born 60 years ago. It's also a different situation to the terrorism- in the Blitz, if we didn't keep fighting we'd be conquered by a hostile alien power.

For all the talk of America bailing them out, that is because they did not have the numbers, not because of any weakness of character. Londoners got hammered and stood tall then too.[/QUOTE]

[Jeff Brady]

Guys! Guys!

Can we not be at each other's throats about this until the dust has settled a little and the injured and missing people are all accounted for?

Agreed.

Derby is about 130.6 miles (approx 287 KM) from London. Unless Lunar commutes for four hours a day, he should be fine.

Still, the waiting sucks.

Edit: He's fine - he just posted in the Tour de France thread!

Glad everyone's okay so far.

[taintedlunch]

Guys! Guys!

Can we not be at each other's throats about this until the dust has settled a little and the injured and missing people are all accounted for?

Wait, is this Pip being the peacemaker here? I think I'm feeling faint! ;)

All I was really trying to say was that everyone should be as pissed as I am, especially those whose religion is being misrepresented by others' actions.

It was a spirited discussion, but not mean spirited.

[Yoda]

My girlfriends cousin was in London visiting his girlfriend. He was supposed to be on a flight out at 10am London Time, and was planing on taking the subway to the airport with his girlfriend according to his family here.

So for my own and her peace of mind, UK residents, are the wait times for flights the same there - so it would be safe to assume he at least would have been at the airport by then? And given our overall ingnorance of the London Subway - are those stations one would go through to get to the airport?

We are more worried she may have been on her way back by then, but understanably haven't been able to get any calls through to anyone over there.

[the4thpip]

Wait, is this Pip being the peacemaker here? I think I'm feeling faint! ;)


You know things are bad when...

[Lunar Daydreamer]

All more than a little scary watching things unfold over here today. :(

A lass I work with said a friend of hers has a 4 hour walk home tonight

[Screwtape]

Lordy, that's awful. I just called all my London friends to make sure people were OK.

This may be naive, but I wish people were nicer to each other.

[Lunar Daydreamer]

Agreed.

Derby is about 130.6 miles (approx 287 KM) from London. Unless Lunar commutes for four hours a day, he should be fine.

Still, the waiting sucks.

Edit: He's fine - he just posted in the Tour de France thread!

Glad everyone's okay so far.

Thank you so much for caring Sir, very much appreciated I promise you *Hugs* :)

That said, I remember when the IRA blew up the army recruiting office here years back...and come to think of it, being in Manchester when they set off a bomb there too. I was in the comic shop and the roof of the hairdressers sunk in above us! Fastest bit of business that shop has ever done I can tell you!

[taintedlunch]

They just announced this week that the 2112 Olympics will be held in London. Do you think the timing of the attacks is coincidental?

[Spackling Compound]

They just announced this week that the 2112 Olympics will be held in London. Do you think the timing of the attacks is coincidental?
Unrelated I'd bet.

Glad our UK folks are well. I was especially wondering about Lunar. For some reason, he just makes me happy.

God bless you all.

[Lunar Daydreamer]

Unrelated I'd bet.

Glad our UK folks are well. I was especially wondering about Lunar. For some reason, he just makes me happy.

God bless you all.

Thank you also Sir, on such an etheral and strange day, so genuinely lovely to come on here and feel such warmth. Thank you so very much :)

[the4thpip]

They just announced this week that the 2112 Olympics will be held in London. Do you think the timing of the attacks is coincidental?
Yes.
One day would not have been enough to plan this. And most people thought Paris was the front runner.

[Jeff Brady]

They just announced this week that the 2112 Olympics will be held in London. Do you think the timing of the attacks is coincidental?

I didn't realize how far into the future they planned! :p

[Jeff Brady]

Thank you so much for caring Sir, very much appreciated I promise you *Hugs* :)

*HUGS* right back at you!

[taintedlunch]

Yes.
One day would not have been enough to plan this. And most people thought Paris was the front runner.

No doubt they've been planning it for awhile. I thought maybe they decided to do it now as a symbolic strike against the Olympics. Perhaps they activated a sleeper cell or something. Who knows how long it would take them to carry out pre-made plans. It just seems like odd timing to me.

[the4thpip]

No doubt they've been planning it for awhile. I thought maybe they decided to do it now as a symbolic strike against the Olympics. Perhaps they activated a sleeper cell or something. Who knows how long it would take them to carry out pre-made plans. It just seems like odd timing to me.
I think it's much more likely that the G8-Summit in Scotland has something to do with it.

Not only did they have 8 major world leader in their time zone, a lot of the British security forces must have been sent to Scotland to protect Bush, Blair, Schroeder, Chirac etc.

[taintedlunch]

I think it's much more likely that the G8-Summit in Scotland has something to do with it.

Not only did they have 8 major world leader in their time zone, a lot of the British security forces must have been sent to Scotland to protect Bush, Blair, Schroeder, Chirac etc.

This was a perfect time for many reasons.

My business partner is supposed to be flying into Scotland next week. Today she was in Prague, I think.

[ocelotrevs]

I think it's much more likely that the G8-Summit in Scotland has something to do with it.

Not only did they have 8 major world leader in their time zone, a lot of the British security forces must have been sent to Scotland to protect Bush, Blair, Schroeder, Chirac etc.

It's about 1000 Met officers went up there, but there's enough to be here, like 30,000 or something.
I doubt much would've stop this, something like this was gonna happen, with Britains stance on stuff.
The G8 is the most likely thing, maximum exposure

Here's a few picture I took of the afterwards, ain;t much to write home about but you know.

silent london (http://photobucket.com/albums/y121/ocelotrevs/london/)

[TheLyle]

My best wishes to every one affected by this incident.

[TCJohnson]

Hoss posted this in another thread. this is the attitude I was talking about before, with londoners.

A Letter To The Terrorists, From London
July 07, 2005

What the fuck do you think you're doing?
This is London. We've dealt with your sort before. You don't try and pull this on us.

Do you have any idea how many times our city has been attacked? Whatever you're trying to do, it's not going to work.

All you've done is end some of our lives, and ruin some more. How is that going to help you? You don't get rewarded for this kind of crap.

And if, as your MO indicates, you're an al-Qaeda group, then you're out of your tiny minds.

Because if this is a message to Tony Blair, we've got news for you. We don't much like our government ourselves, or what they do in our name. But, listen very clearly. We'll deal with that ourselves. We're London, and we've got our own way of doing things, and it doesn't involve tossing bombs around where innocent people are going about their lives.

And that's because we're better than you. Everyone is better than you. Our city works. We rather like it. And we're going to go about our lives. We're going to take care of the lives you ruined. And then we're going to work. And we're going down the pub.

So you can pack up your bombs, put them in your arseholes, and get the fuck out of our city.

[Cam63]

Take the gloves off MI-6 and the SAS and let them go after the bastards responsible with no constraints.

They'll make 'em wish their parents never met.

[Charles RB]

Take the gloves off MI-6 and the SAS and let them go after the bastards responsible with no constraints.

That's not a good idea unless they're likely to find the terrorists on their first go- and I doubt that's going to happen. It won't help if they're sicced on every suspect with no constraints because some of those suspects are likely to be innocent, and we don't need innocent people being terrorised by the state on top of being terrorised by bombers.

[Dee3]

I really don't know if their is a solution.

but it's the same ol same ol people blaming bush or liberals makes me sick.

my deepist condolances go out to those whos loved ones were hurt or killed by these cowards.

[TCJohnson]

Dee, I am absolutely in love with that avatar!

And I think the solution is to keep on being the good guys, trying our best to do the right things. It's all we can do...if we keep working to make the world a better place, keep working to strengthen our friendships then we will oneday be safe. Not soon, but one day.

[Crowley]

They just announced this week that the 2112 Olympics will be held in London. Do you think the timing of the attacks is coincidental?
i highly doubt it.

I can't imagine Al Quaida was all like:

"dammit! Bagdhad shunned AGAIN!"

More likely the G8 summit.

[TCJohnson]

Assuming it is AL Quada. I have heard a theory that with all the millions at stake, this could be an attempt to get the olympic comittee to change their mind by showing how unsafe London is.

I am not saying I believe this theory, just repeating it.

[kingdom2000]

It doesn't seem like al Quida mainly cause the name of the claiming group is just so damn odd. al Quida would just be "its al Quida". Osama would have probably released a video too.

Frankly, whoever these terrorists are, they are some worldclass dipshits (beyond the usual reasons). Britain's support of American was waning, more and more sick of the war. The only thing this does is rally the British, not turn them. TO piss the British off, helping the US strenghen its ties with its allies strikes the me the opposite of what terrorists goals would be. But then they are dipshits...

[TCJohnson]

It doesn't seem like al Quida mainly cause the name of the claiming group is just so damn odd. al Quida would just be "its al Quida". Osama would have probably released a video too.



One thing you have to remember is tha al Quada is not a terrorist groups. It is a terrorist franchise. Basically al Quada trains a lot of smaller terrorist groups. After training they have permission to call themselves al Quada or whatever and attack the united states. After this initial training these smaller terrorist groups don't have any contact with Bin Laden's group. There is a really good chance that bin Laden did not know of the attack on Madrid or London before hand. All these al Quada wannabes do their own thing once the training is over.

[the4thpip]

It doesn't seem like al Quida mainly cause the name of the claiming group is just so damn odd. al Quida would just be "its al Quida". Osama would have probably released a video too.


Here is some analysis from Juan Cole, a professor of modern Middle Eastern and South Asian history at the University of Michigan:

July 8, 2005 | Credit for the horrific bombings of the London Underground and a double-decker bus on Thursday morning was immediately taken on a radical Muslim Web site by a "secret group" of Qaida al-Jihad in Europe. By Thursday afternoon, as the casualty toll rose above 40 dead and 700 wounded, British Foreign Minister Jack Straw was saying, "It has the hallmarks of an al-Qaida-related attack." Although U.S. President George W. Bush maintains that al-Qaida strikes out at the industrialized democracies because of hatred for Western values, the statement said nothing of the sort. The attack, the terrorists proclaimed, was an act of sacred revenge for British "massacres" in "Afghanistan and Iraq," and a punishment of the United Kingdom for its "Zionism" (i.e., support of Israel). If they really are responsible, who is this group and what do they want?

The phrase "Qaida al-Jihad" refers to the 2001 decision made by Ayman al-Zawahiri, a leader of the Egyptian terrorist group al-Jihad al-Islami, to merge his organization into bin Laden's al-Qaida ("the Base"). The joint organization was thus renamed Qaida al-Jihad, the "Base for Holy War." (Zawahiri and bin Laden had allied in 1998.) The group claiming responsibility for the London bombings represents itself as a secret, organized grouping or cell of "Qaida al-Jihad in Europe." It is significant that they identify themselves as "in Europe," suggesting that they are based on the continent and have struck from there into London. This conclusion is bolstered by their description of the attack as a "blessed raid." One raids a neighboring territory, not one's own. Whether this group carried out the attack or not, the sentiments they express do exist among the radical fringe and form a continued danger. Jihadi internet bulletin boards expressed skepticism about the group, and pointed to an inaccuracy in the quotation from the Quran. But al-Qaida wannabes are often engineers without good Arabic or Islamics training.

Most probably, then, this group consists of a small (and previously obscure) expatriate Muslim network somewhere in continental Europe, which has decided to announce its allegiance to Qaida al-Jihad. It is highly unlikely that al-Qaida itself retains enough command and control to plan or order such operations. They could have found many cues in al-Qaida literature, however, that London should be attacked.

The United Kingdom had not been a target for al-Qaida in the late 1990s. But in October 2001, bin Laden threatened the United Kingdom with suicide aircraft attacks if it joined in the U.S. campaign in Afghanistan. In November of 2002, bin Laden said in an audiotape, "What do your governments want from their alliance with America in attacking us in Afghanistan? I mention in particular Britain, France, Italy, Canada, Germany and Australia." In February of 2003, as Bush and Blair marched to war in Iraq, bin Laden warned that the U.K. as well as the U.S. would be made to pay. In October of 2003, bin Laden said of the Iraq war, "Let it be known to you that this war is a new campaign against the Muslim world," and named Britain as a target for reprisals. A month later, an al-Qaida-linked group detonated bombs in Istanbul, targeting British sites and killing the British vice-consul. Although bin Laden offered several European countries, including Britain, a truce in April of 2004 if they would withdraw from Afghanistan and Iraq, the deadline for the end of the truce ended in mid-July of that year.

Ayman al-Zawahiri recently issued a videotape, excerpts of which appeared on al-Jazeera on June 17, which stressed the need for violent action as opposed to participation in political reform. True reform, he said, must be based on three premises: The rule of Islamic law, liberating the lands of Islam from the Occupier, and the freedom of the Islamic community in managing its own affairs. He thundered that "expelling the marauder Crusader and Jewish forces cannot be done through demonstrations and hoarse voices." Al-Zawahiri's videotapes have often been issued just before major terrorist actions, and some analysts believe that they are intended as cues for when they should be undertaken. Abdel Bari Atwan, the London editor of the Arab newspaper al-Quds, warned that the appearance of the tape signaled an imminent attack.

The communiqué on the London bombing is unusual in appealing both to the Muslim community and to the "community of Arabism." "Urubah," or Arabism, is a secular nationalist ideal. The diction suggests that the bombers are from a younger generation of activists who have not lived in non-Arab Muslim countries such as Pakistan and Afghanistan, and think of Arabism and Islam as overlapping rather than alternatives to one another. The text makes relatively few references to religion, reading more as a statement of Muslim nationalism than of piety.

In accordance with al-Zawahiri's focus on violence as the answer to the "marauding" of occupying non-Muslim armies in Muslim lands, the statement condemns what it calls "massacres" by "Zionist" British troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, both of them Muslim lands under Western military occupation (and, it is implied, similar in this regard to Gaza and the West Bank under Israeli control). These bombings, it says, are a form of revenge for these alleged predations. The language of revenge recalls tribal feuds rather than Islamic values.

The terrorists refer to the bombings, which they say they carefully planned over a long period, as a "blessed raid." They are recalling the struggle between the wealthy, pagan trading entrepot, Mecca, and the beleaguered, persecuted Muslim community in Medina in early seventh century west Arabia. The Muslims around the Prophet Mohammed responded to the Meccan determination to wipe them out by raiding the caravans of their wealthy rivals, depriving them of their profits and gradually strangling them. The victorious Muslims, having cut the idol-worshipping Meccan merchants off, marched into the city in 630. Al-Qaida teaches its acolytes that great Western metropolises such as New York and London are the Meccas of this age, centers of paganism, immorality and massive wealth, from which plundering expeditions are launched against hapless, pious Muslims. This symbology helps explain why the City of London subway stops were especially targeted, since it is the economic center of London. A "raid" such as the Muslim bombings is considered not just a military action but also a religious ritual.

If the communiqué of Qaida al-Jihad in Europe proves authentic, the London bombings are the second major instance of terrorism in Europe directly related to the Iraq war. In March of 2004, the Moroccan Islamic Combatant Group (French acronym: GICM) launched a massive attack on trains in Madrid in order to punish Spain for its participation in the U.S.-led coalition in Iraq, following on their bombing of Casablanca the previous year.

[ocelotrevs]

Anyone else notice

7/7/2005
If you add 2+0+0+5= 7
Which makes 7/7/7, I dunno thought that is was interesting :P

[Cam63]

It doesn't seem like al Quida mainly cause the name of the claiming group is just so damn odd. al Quida would just be "its al Quida". Osama would have probably released a video too.

Frankly, whoever these terrorists are, they are some worldclass dipshits (beyond the usual reasons). Britain's support of American was waning, more and more sick of the war. The only thing this does is rally the British, not turn them. TO piss the British off, helping the US strenghen its ties with its allies strikes the me the opposite of what terrorists goals would be. But then they are dipshits...

Agreed. Most of the aforementioned dipshits couldn't organise a fuck in a brothel. They just want to piss off all the wrong people who will ensure they never know comfort.

[the4thpip]

Fox News slammed over 'callous' line

Rupert Murdoch's Fox News channel was under fire yesterday for comments by some of its leading journalists in response to the London bombs.

Speaking about the reaction of the financial markets, Brit Hume, the channel's Washington managing editor, said: "Just on a personal basis ... I saw the futures this morning, which were really in the tank, I thought 'hmm, time to buy'."

The host of a Fox News programme, Brian Kilmeade, said the attacks had the effect of putting terrorism back on the top of the G8's agenda, in place of global warming and African aid. "I think that works to our advantage, in the western world's advantage, for people to experience something like this together, just 500 miles from where the attacks have happened."

Article continues
Another Fox News host, John Gibson, said before the blasts that the International Olympic Committee "missed a golden opportunity" by not awarding the 2012 games to France. "If they had picked France instead of London to hold the Olympics, it would have been the one time we could look forward to where we didn't worry about terrorism. They'd blow up Paris, and who cares?" He added: "This is why I thought the Brits should let the French have the Olympics - let somebody else be worried about guys with backpack bombs for a while."

Media Matters for America, a watchdog and frequent critic of Fox, criticised the comments on its website. "I think it's absolutely sickening three Fox anchors had such callous reactions to the bombings that took dozens of lives," said the Jamison Foser, of the group.

The Fox News media relations office had not responded by the time the Guardian went to press yesterday.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,12271,1524856,00.html

[PatrickG]

Oh... For cripes' sake.

I haven't weighed in on this because I think things like this take time to process.

But 24 hour news is turning telejournalists into deejays.

I say this with all due respect (I wouldn't mind being a deejay) but deejays say the most empty headed things in the world, whatever pops into their skull, just to fill airtime. But they're deejays. That's their job.

Not to be the best. But to keep people listening, keep people calling in and, mostly, to fill airtime.

Journalists need a higher standard than that. What journalism doesn't need is 24 hours to fill... because that quickly turns headline news into weak improved riffs that wouldn't make in any newspaper editorial in the country, supported by braindead followers and outraged opposition.

This event is a tragedy. Justice is about more than retribution and I pray that we in the west are quick to investigate and slow to retalliate.

[Charles RB]

Speaking about the reaction of the financial markets, Brit Hume, the channel's Washington managing editor, said: "Just on a personal basis ... I saw the futures this morning, which were really in the tank, I thought 'hmm, time to buy'."

The host of a Fox News programme, Brian Kilmeade, said the attacks had the effect of putting terrorism back on the top of the G8's agenda, in place of global warming and African aid. "I think that works to our advantage, in the western world's advantage, for people to experience something like this together, just 500 miles from where the attacks have happened."

Another Fox News host, John Gibson, said before the blasts that the International Olympic Committee "missed a golden opportunity" by not awarding the 2012 games to France. "If they had picked France instead of London to hold the Olympics, it would have been the one time we could look forward to where we didn't worry about terrorism. They'd blow up Paris, and who cares?" He added: "This is why I thought the Brits should let the French have the Olympics - let somebody else be worried about guys with backpack bombs for a while."

...

At the risk of offending someone, these three are complete twats and I hope they face some severe penalties for this. Like a beating.

[PatrickG]

I believe in free speech.

I wouldn't go as far as to suggest they need a beating.

But I think there needs to be a state-sanctioned elderly Jewish grandmother working for the FCC who can randomly show up on any live broadcast and start thwacking people with a yardstick.

[Dee3]

Dee, I am absolutely in love with that avatar!

And I think the solution is to keep on being the good guys, trying our best to do the right things. It's all we can do...if we keep working to make the world a better place, keep working to strengthen our friendships then we will oneday be safe. Not soon, but one day.
cool and thanks TC.