Current Affairs London Attacks!

-taken from cnn.com-

Multiple explosions rock London

Near simultaneous explosions rocked the London Underground and at least one bus at the morning rush hour, police said, causing fatalities and prompting officials to shut down the entire underground transport network.

Accourding to Swedish media, around 90 people casualties, with 2 deaths, and several people injured. The entire city of London has been shut down of it's public transport system.

Shen, hope you are all right mate.

- Teddz

 

I live in East London, work in south/central. I dont start until 12, I walked in because there is no transport. I walked through the City of London which was very quiet, no buses hardly any cars, plenty of Police around everywhere. When I got to work there was a part of the main road by where i work which was cordoned off, with a bout 4 ambulances and lots of Police.

The atmosphere is very weird at the moment, like I said there is not much traffic so its strangely quiet, all i can hear are sirens all the time. I suppose this is good because the emergency services can get around quickly.

Obviously http://news.bbc.co.uk is probably the best site for more details, also http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/ which is Londons local newspaper site.

I'm at work, so can't say any more atm.

 

I live in South London so I'm unaffected by this. Yeah, situation over here was pretty urgent. A double decker bus was described to have "ripped open like a can of sardines" by the explosions. Most of the tube explosions were between underground stations.

But the response by the emergency services have been good so it wasn't thrown into total chaos. However, this was a very precisely executed operation by whoever is responsible.

Any ideas who could be behind this? Speculation have largely been around Al Quaeda, possibility of G8 fanatics and even the French! having lost the Olympic bid to London yesterday (of course this is meant to be a joke).

- Shen

 

Glad that you're alright Shen.

Here are a few BBC news links:
Al-Qaeda claims attacks
Statement claiming London attacks

 

New reports has come in that there are 4 reported bombings. 3 on tube trains in between stations, so it seemed like 6 explosions (at stations it came from and going to). And one on a double-decker bus. So it seemed like 7 bombings - the initial figure.

So far, 45 people have been killed with over 1000 injured.

- Shen

 

I found out around lunchtime at school. It was really scary because almost all of my friends have relatives or close friends who live in London. My dad works in central London and he didn't pick up when i tried to call him, so i was really worried (but he's okay). Apparently on the bus 10 people died, 9 are critically injured and 9 are (less) badly injured.

- 33 have now died from the explosions on the tube.

 

****ing terrorists. they should nuke them once and for all.

 

Most landlines and mobile phone networks were temporarily closed because they couldn't cope with the people calling each other to see if one was alright. Also, reports suggest that the bombs were triggered off using mobile phones... so it was also a precaution to stop other potential bombs.

There has been no figures on casualties on the bus. But it will inevitably seem like there will be a lot because the Bus was literally ripped in half... Reports say a suicide bomber might have been involved.

- Shen

 

Turned on BBC America this morning, gah... My deepest sympathies to all our members who live in London and/or have family and friends there.

 

Ugh...I turned to the newspaper and I find these news to be printed on it. Horrible news indeed for the people in London. These attacks just sicken me.
Goddamned terrorists....


- Kaiyon

 

wow this is so scarey....my thoughts and prayers for all of you who live in london and all who know ppl there...how can people be so evil ugh ive got the same knotted feeling in my tummy that i got on 9/11...it makes me sick....

 

This came as a massive shock to me. I just couldn't beleve that something like this had happened, even though emergency services always knew that London would be attacked by terriorists and they had all the preperations in place, its still kinda hard to believe that its happned. Its no coincisdence that this took place now, when most of the London police have been sent to reinforce the G8 Summit.

Last i heard there are 37 dead, 1000 injuried and theres also reports of a suspious package has been found on a bus as well. Hopefully this will end soon without anyone else getting hurt.

 

Having only heard about this here, just now, I can only say I'm glad everyone we know of is ok. If there are any other members from London, I can't say I'm aware of them, but I hope they're ok, too.

And the rest of the people, too. I wish people could give up on violence and give discussion a chance.

 

The story's on slashdot

As you can remember, Slashdot is famous for its lengthy discussions regarding stories - specially political ones.

Many insightful posts there, they talk about Al Qaeda, bin laden, Bush, etc.

Here's the slashdot story.

 

Amen.

My sincerest condolences to those who have lost someone as a result of this tragedy (and those who have been agonizing over the safety of their loved ones).

Although it's still unclear as to whether this attack is terrorism-related, it's a reflexive response to assume it is, and I for one think it's sad. Their main objective is to prove a point to whatever government/country/other form of organization that offended them, but their attacks are executed in such a way that it's the innocent bystanders, the unsuspecting civilians and their loved ones, who are ultimately victimized.

So much for the "War on Terrorism", huh?

 

my prayers go out to everybody in London. i have friends there....hope there okay. i hate when stuff like this happens......

 

Just to give you an idea of the coorination of the attacks. On the map of central London.



First blast came at 08:51 in an underground tube train between Aldgate and Russell Square stations. 7 confirmed dead.

At 08:57, another tube train gets bombed between King's Cross and Liverpool Street stations killing 21.

09:17 came the next and another train gets denoted at Edgware Road claiming 6 lives

At Tavistock Square, half a double decker bus was literally blown in half killing 2 at 09:47.

A few others has unfortunately died in hospital due to their injuries.

All these locations are North, North-east and East of central London. I don't know how you like to put it but the general mood for the public was "calm", everyone got on with their lives and most dealt with getting home by foot or staying in hotels. The emergency services dealt with the problem efficiently despite the re-allocation of police officers to Scotland to deal with security at the G8 summit.

I think this was a brave face to put on to show those responsible that the British public will NOT be thrown into confusion with their doings... and we will continue to show the spirit we have shown today.

This was not a terrorist attack against the mighty and the powerful.

It was not aimed at presidents or prime ministers. It was aimed at ordinary working-class Londoners, black and white, Muslim and Christian, Hindu and Jew, young and old.

Indiscriminate slaughter irrespective of any consideration for age, class, religion, whatever.

That isn't an ideology. It isn't even a perverted faith. It is just an indiscriminate attempt at mass murder. - Mayor of London Ken Livingston


- Shen

 

The police are now saying that the explosions on the tube happened within 50 seconds of each other and not spaced out like originally thought, so it's unlikely the tube attacks were done by suicide bombers. The bus happened about an hour afterwards and there are now 49 people confirmed dead and 25 people still missing.
a 2 minute silence will be held nest Thursday at 12.00pm (UK time) to mark remembrance for the bombings.
here you can read the full story and see pictures of one of the bombed trains and the bus:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4666591.stm

 

Accourding to Swedish press, the police have caught a suspect. Apparently, he got injured from the bombings, and is a suspect. Whether this infomation is true or false, well, it's up to you.

- Teddz