London Blast Thread #4 - 40 reported dead in London blasts

[flamingyouth]

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/8492258 /

40 reported dead in London blasts
At least 300 hurt, 150 seriously; Blair suspects terrorism




LONDON - At least 40 people were killed in the explosions that ripped through three London subway trains and a bus on Thursday, according to a U.S. law enforcement official who spoke on condition of anonymity because British officials have yet to make public the death toll.

The near simultaneous explosions caused at least 300 injuries in what Prime Minister Tony Blair said was a "barbaric" terrorist attack.

Thread #3 here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

[ZanZaBar]

1. =`(

Imagine all the people, living lives in peace. Yooo hoooooo

[lebkuchen]

15. rather than "in pieces?" which is what the Bush admin has wrought

and why we have no casualty figures on the fourth attack yet.

[SuperCUBE]

52. And to think...

This wouldn't have happened if London hadn't been selected for the Olympics of 2012. Instead, it would have happened someplace else!

[allemand]

2. Juan Cole suspects a connection with the trial of Abu Hamza Misri.

One point I haven't heard so far: The trial of Abu Hamza Misri began a couple of days ago, and I suspect has something to do with all this.
http://www.juancole.com/2005/07/implications-of-london-...

Trial for Radical Cleric Opens in U.K.
http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/world/wire/sns-...

[LanternWaste]

3. Dear Britain

Dear Britain,

You are my father and my mother and for that, I love you dearly. Although I left your house under bad circumstances, you've never lost your place in my heart. We've had heated words over the years, but I've never lost the civility and respect of law you taught me in my youth.

You instilled values in me that I hold both dear and fundamental to my world outlook and I realize that without you, I wouldn't exist as I do today.

I could take the attacks on me four years ago. I've gotten used to being the whipping boy of the world (for reasons both valid and invalid). I've made my share of mistakes and I'm tough and pretty damn big. But now I weep for my parents.

Dear Britain--

GOD SAVE THE QUEEN

[eissa]

4. Sweet

and appropriate. My heart aches for all the victims of terror, be they in London, Baghdad or Gitmo.

[AFSCME girl]

6. Very nice...

thank you, LanternWaste

(edited to correct spelling)

[BattyDem]

13. This is a very nice letter.

You should send it to the UK newspapers.

[bennywhale]

24. Leave out God Save the Queen. there are a lot of us who are

republicans (not in the American sense, but in anti-monarchist pro-republic) God save the people of Britain i say.

Other than that your words are appreciated.

Tonight London is full of calm people basically saying fuck you to the terrorists. This great old city has been through fire, flood, Nazi Blitz and Terrorism,and this one ain't going to do what they couldn't do.

[ticapnews]

5. Do "they" really think this will work?

What I keep thinking about as I watch this unfold is that while this is a very tragic day, historically speaking London has seen so much worse. Londoners endured the f*cking Blitz. Do they really think a few bombs are going to shake British resolve? Do they think that those of us in the West are so soft and complacent that we'll buckle?

This isn't meant to diminish the tragedy of what happened today, but this is London, people. They've seen far, far worse and have always come through stronger than before. We can make a case that we don't really understand our attackers (and the Neocons don't care) but they clearly don't understand us, either.

Our thoughts are with you, Londoners. God save the Queen.

[SoCalDem]

9. There IS a significant difference these days, though..

During the blitz, there were real leaders in charge, and a REAL war going on..

This will be closer to the IRA era ...and even though they carried on during that time, there was a divisive nature to the whole thing, and now it will be even worse, because the public will get carefully parsed and incendiary statements from their leaders. The ultimate goal will be to create a bigger divide between the anglo-UKers and "all others"....and to make it easier for the military to flex more muscle...

[savemefromdumbya]

33. Bush looks like

Bush looks like he wearing a huge skirt - just my eyesight?

[SoCalDem]

39. Gotta love the AP photographers...

They do good work.. This is straight off the wire..no photoshopping

[Igel]

43. Yes. They do.

*IF* they're zealots, that is.

And their answer would be the same as Joshua's at Jericho: God/Allah will fight and grant victory.

If they're zealots--and note the 'if'--you gotta think like a zealot.

[merwin]

7. Why do the sheeple fall for the administration saying that this is why

they are in office... because they fight terrorism.

I think of it as "Why are they in office when they can't stop terrorism?"

[Gemini Cat]

14. Agree.

That's a good question. Why are they?

[EVDebs]

8. Recently an imam in Egypt rebuffed OBLs "fatwa"

This sorry act ostensibly by 'jihadists' only serves to beg further the question so appropriately raised by Bernard Lewis in his book What Went Wrong ?

Indeed, what positive view of Islam are we to receive from these acts of terror ? What is Islam's answer to the Western world's supposed challenge to Islamic supremacy ? I must agree with Irsad Manji (author of The Trouble With Islam) and in fact seek out her comments on this stain to her faith.

http://www.muslim-refusenik.com/

[BattyDem]

10. My condolences to everyone in the UK ...

and to UK DUers ... I hope you and your families are all safe and sound.


Although I haven't been happy with Tony Blair in recent years, I will say this: It was nice to see a leader ACT like a leader when his country was attacked. I was impressed with the fact that he immediately returned to London and didn't run and hide, like someone who shall remain nameless. The look on his face told me that he was truly shaken by the events and was feeling genuine sorrow for the loss of life. Yes, his actions caused this attack, but for a brief moment, I saw the "old" Tony Blair - a man I once trusted and respected. I will always be grateful to him for speaking to us and the world on 9/11 when * disappeared. And I will always be grateful to the Brits for standing with us in good times and in bad, even though we may not deserve it. Today, I hope we can offer the same kind of support to you that you've always given us.

Why do innocent people always have to pay for the arrogance and stupidity of their leaders?

[pookieblue]

25. I agree

I was impressed with Mr. Blair. He did act like a leader. more of a leader than someone else.

[stevietheman]

11. Sorry to seem like a contrarian, but...

I think the Blair government should resign. They failed to prevent this attack... a very well-coordinated attack that their intelligence services *should* have detected. They failed. They should go.

And if another major attack occurs in the U.S., Americans should also roundly call for the Bush administration to resign immediately.

While this is certainly a time to rally around the _people_ of the UK, and my heart indeed goes out to all of them, we cannot allow another "post-9/11 effect" to traumatize us and limit our rational thinking.

Rationally speaking, we should remove people from power who fail to do their jobs, in this case, protecting the public from well-coordinated terrorist attacks.

[fedsron2us]

21. The UK would have got through a lot of governments

the last thirty years using that sort of logic. Every British Prime Minister from the 1970s onwards has had to deal with at least one terrorist incident in their term.

[Oggy]

28. I agree

but B*sh should go first. Your terrorist attack was first.

[stevietheman]

50. The difference is...

that today's London attack was much less of a surprise. After 9/11 occurred, the entire western world should have been on appropriate alert. But on some level, I agree that the Bush administration was culpable in 9/11, at the very least due to their incompetence.

[anarchy1999]

54. You're not a contrarian, but...

...I used to work with security departments, and in the case of losing to the perpetrators, there is nothing changed except the amount of the budget.

Case in point, at the Gardner Museum in Boston, thieves ransacked the property for Picassos, Degases, Monets, valued at millions.
What did their administration do to the security director? Tripled his salary and increased his budget tenfold, virtually securing his position for life.

This is how it works in the real world.

[Monkie]

12. BBC tv reporting bus explosion may be accidental not suicide bombing

this implies that there is some evidence or a body on that bus connected to the attack.

[Oreo]

16. meaning he was on his way somewhere else?

[Monkie]

20. yep,that was the implication

bbc is very careful about how it phrases things like this that are not facts yet.

[fedsron2us]

27. This is certainly how I interpreted it.

The bus was apparently full of people turned away from Russell Square tube station because it was closed after the earlier attack at Kings Cross. It may be that the bombers original target was the underground but he could not get onto the system. It is strange, but without this seemingly chance event the terrorists would have not got the photographic bomb blast images that they usually crave, since most of the destruction on the tube would be hidden from view. It is my impression that whoever carried out these atrocities coordinated the timing of their attacks to kill as many innocent tube commuters as possible but have actually made a poor job of targetting the key hubs of the London infrastructure. This means that most of the transport system will probably be back up and running within 48 hours.

[DoYouEverWonder]

66. If the bus hadn't blown up

The British gov would probably still be trying to claim that this whole thing happened because of a power surge.

[DS1]

31. That's what I thought, was probably out on a bender last night

woke up late, got on a bus, and the timer went off.

[allemand]

17. French Interior Minister: Death toll in London bombings has risen to 50

(Reuters)
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/ShTickers.html

[maddezmom]

67. Toll From London Bombing Raised Above 50

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20050708/ap...

[ClusterFreak]

18. Sadness today, anger tomorrow...

...that's how I feel anyway....just terribly sad, when I see the stunned and bleeding victims on TV....to me today is not about the blame game, it should be reserved for compassion and empathy for the victims and their families in the UK. Tomorrow....whether that be literally or figuratively....there will be ample time for anger - against extremism in all it's forms...and a resolve to rise above this latest, senseless tragedy.

[Mari333]

19. I find it disgusting

that the media can focus on all the bleeding and horror of the London attacks, but when we bombed Baghdad there wasnt one iota of coverage of the people we killed..and throughout this illegal war the news media has not covered any of the suffering of the Iraqi people due to Blair and Bush..the worlds 2 worst terrorists.

[ClusterFreak]

22. I wholeheartedly agree with you

Apparently the MSM believes the brand of suffering of innocent Iraqi civilians is not worthy of coverage....the networks like to show "coalition" troops firing at their targets, but not the devastation at the point of impact.

It is disgusting.

[Karenina]

42. Iraqi dead dont get counted

and their injured are taken to bombed-out, under-supplied hospitals. No water, no power and as we railed here before this clusterfuck even started, 50% of their population is 16 years old and YOUNGER.

My heart is also with all of those in London. They're a tough lot and have endured much worse. NONE OF US deserves this shit. Those who are ladeling it out on our heads MUST PAY FOR THEIR CRIMES.

[frankieT]

61. my thoughts too -eom-

[Apple Smoothie]

23. My heart goes out to Britain

MSNBC is saying that 700 are injured.

[Squeegee]

26. Another score for religion! n/t

[malachi]

29. Certainly removes that nasty Rove stuff from the front pages,doesn't it?

[savemefromdumbya]

35. Don't worry we are not going to let Rove slip away!

I think the public are getting more sceptical of Bush so I think ROve will be back in news before too long.

[truthisfreedom]

47. Tokyo Rove ain't going away. he's here to stay!

that little traitor is gettin' frog marched up and down Pennsylvania Avenue.

[suffragette]

30. Details of the London blasts

The Guardian has a page with special reports on the ataccks today.
Moderators: I searched but didn't see this posted yet. If it has been, please move or close.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/terrorism/story/0,12780,15234...

Details of the London blasts

Mark Oliver
Thursday July 7, 2005

(A map of where the explosions occurred in London)

Four blasts tore through London's transport system during the morning rush hour in a choreographed series of terrorist attacks.

Police said at least 33 people were killed, 21 near King's Cross station, and the ambulance service said it had treated around 350 people, with more than 40 of those in a serious condition.

Three of the blasts were on tube trains and a fourth was on a bus. Explosives were said to have been found at two blast sites.

Below are reports from the main incident sites in order of occurrence:


This goes on to recount witness accounts from people who were on the Tube or near the bus. Tragic.

[4MoreYearsOfHell]

38. "Explosives were said to have been found at two blast sites."

Gee, I wonder if they have "made in Tehran" stamped on them...

[Up2Late]

32. NPR is now reporting that it was only 4 Bomb Blasts!?! WTF?

When did it become 4 and not 7-10 bombs. Has anyone followed the count or duplicate counting of the blasts?

[allemand]

34. The blasts affected several tube stations:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/uk/05/london_blas...

[suffragette]

36. Some of the trains were between stations

So that affected more than one station. Also, one of the explosions affected at least one and maybe two nearby trains.

[ismnotwasm]

37. I work nights and I just woke up to this

I think a lot of us knew it not a matter of where, or how, but when. Those poor families-- god this hurts, it just hurts. Too much suffering, too many places.

[muriel_volestrangler]

40. BBC Newsnight reporter said British group, not al Qaeda, suspected

Mark Urban ('Diplomatic editor', ie international conflict - he's normally quite good) said that the police spent quite a long time examining the bus blast (which was why they weren't releasing the number of dead from that one - once they knew they were dead, they left them as part of the crime scene), and the evidence they have is making them think it is a British Islamic extremist group, that doesn't have any apparent connection to al Qaeda. They also think one of the dead on the bus was carrying the bomb (but didn't say if it was meant to go off then or not).

[Raoul Duke II]

46. Huh?

"...British Islamic extremist group, that doesn't have any apparent connection to al Qaeda..."

Home grown, then?

Actually, I can think of many connections that an "Islamic extremist"
group would have with AQ. Perhaps not directly, but certainly indirect at least, and inspired by AQ no doubt.

[muriel_volestrangler]

48. Yes, 'home grown' was the phrase he used

I put a brief transcript here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

You might say 'inspired', if they agree with them, ideologically. But we don't have to assume there were orders, or money, connecting them, or even that bin Laden had any prior knowledge.

[savemefromdumbya]

49. Maybe not even Islamic?

There are plenty of groups who could have done this especially if it related to the G8. However on the other side it may be to pep up Bush poll ratings. Sad!

[Xipe Totec]

41. Condolences from a Heartbroken Mexican

I want to be
the weeping gardner
of the grounds you occupy,
and compost so early,
my soul mates.

In the rain to feed the garden snails,
organ of my voiceless pain,
surrendering your heart as food,
to the disheartened roses,
such pain clumps in my chest,
breathing is agony.

A hard fist, an icy blow,
an axe strike, homicidal and unseen,
a brutal push tumbled you.

There is no wider chasm than my wound,
I cry to misfortune and her companions,
I feel your death, more than my life.

Unkempt and unshaved,
without warmth or consolation,
I tend to my affairs soullessly.

Death took flight early,
and early came the dawn of morn,
and early it spills upon the ground.

I do not forgive death for loving you,
or forgive life for its distraction,
or forgive the ground,
or forgive oblivion.

With my hands I raise a storm,
of stones, bolts and strident axes,
thirsting and hungering for catastrophe.

With bare teeth I want to dig the ground,
and move the dirt part by part,
in dry and furious bites.

I want to mine the earth until I find you,
to kiss your noble skull,
unbind your body and return you,
to my garden and my fig tree.

[TheGoodCitizen]

60. Don't let Asscroft see that statue...

[XNGH]

44. My deepest sympathies

My deepest felt sorrow for those who lost loved ones in this attack. I will reserve my angry response towards the bush cartel that caused this until the appropriate amount of mourning time has past

[Zech Marquis]

45. my heart is breaking for London

Yesterday I watched the 2012 Games announcement, and when London was declared the wiiner, I immediately jumped up and requested tourist info form the offical Visit London website. So last night I had dreams of visting Bukingham Palace, Wimbledon, Picadelly Circus, etc...and I woke up to the horrible news this morning To everyone in London, as a person who saw 9/11 in DC tae place with my own eyes, I am deeply sadden by your losses. BUt at the same time, i kow that london has been through alot worse days than this one, especially the Blitz and the V-1 and V-2 attacks during World War . And I WILL make that trip to London! Not this year, perhaps next summer or fall.

Hail Britannia, Hail London!

[Nostradamus]

51. an everyday occurrence in iraq and afghanistan

[Cascadian]

53. Today, we are all Londoners.

In spite of the death, injuries, and destruction, it looks as if Londoners are showing a resiliant "stiff upper lip" approach to what has happened and they should be admired for their courage in the face of the evil people who have commit these attacks.

I salute you, brave people of London.

John

[Cascadian]

55. KICK

[Dancing_Dave]

56. It may take as long for us to get the truth of this as get 9/11 truth..

We're just now finding the truth about 9/11 thanks to brave scholars David Ray Griffin and Webster Tarpley.

Hopefully, this time people won't fall for the official lies like a bunch of pathetic suckers. Keep your thinking cap on and begin the investigation.

[burrowowl]

57. My condolences to London

The people claiming the attack don't seem to be the ones.
I am getting so cynical, I suspect Negroponete.

[IndianaGreen]

58. Statement by the Communist Party, USA on today’s attacks in London

Statement by the Communist Party, USA on today’s attacks in London

The Communist Party, USA condemns the series of bomb attacks today in London. We condemn all terrorist acts targeting civilians with violence, whether conducted by individuals, governments or groups. The number of casualties is as yet unknown, but the devastation and loss of human life of every race, religion and nationality is severe. Today’s attack should be treated as a criminal act and not as an excuse for further war, attacks on civil liberties and military aggression.

It is increasingly clear that the US/UK occupation of Iraq and other aspects of the “war on terrorism” are failures. Thanks to the war the world is less safe not more.

We convey deepest sorrow and solidarity with the British people and all those who suffered from the terrorist attack. We applaud the heroic rescue workers and individual working people who have banded together to aid each other in this time of need.

National Board

Communist Party USA

http://www.pww.org/article/view/7348 /

[bobbymo]

63. I doesn't explain all of it! - communism only works in a vacuum

As much as it would be nice to put this at the feet of Bush/Blair, I think we need to look at what the whole world is going through. By trying to blame a select few while ignoring the other side actions(read Islamic/Muslims) just makes our arguments hollow! If world peace is ever to be found, it will only happen when we're are honest with ourselves, and not just using "selected" actions to prove our cause or use against our enemies! The Crusades were horrible, but the "history of conflict" did not start in the 14th century. What these bastards did to the working people of London perpetuates the endless killings.

And how do you blame the west for this... Targeting Buddhist! Damn, these people are the most peaceful in the world!

"NARATHIWAT, Thailand (AFP) - A Buddhist newspaper delivery man was shot and killed and a Muslim ex-paramilitary member critically wounded in violence in southern Thailand that has now left 800 dead, police said."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20050707/wl_asia_afp/thaila...

[AgadorSparticus]

59. omg, was out all day. just sat down to look at the news today.

My heart and prayers go out to all the victims and their families in London.

[TheGoodCitizen]

62. yes, it's truly horrific...

[lebkuchen]

64. Police say death toll in London has risen to more than 50.

As Londoners reluctantly descended into the Underground subway system on Friday, the police announced the death toll from the rush-hour blasts had risen to more than 50.

Commission Sir Ian Blair said 100 victims from the bombings Thursday were hospitalized overnight, and 22 remain in critical condition.


http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8492258/

[TheGoodCitizen]

65. More....

Giuliani LIVE in London this morning!

What a coincidence for him to be so close to the largest attack on American soil and now this in Britain. I'm glad he's around to tell us what's going on over there and what to think about it and how to compare it to 9/11.

[Stockholm]

68. Whenever Ayman al-Zawahiri speaks a bomb goes off within 3 weeks

A Swedish evening paper have an interesting theory about alleged Al-Qaeda no. 2 Ayman al-Zawahiri.

The daily Expressen notes that whenever a taped speech appear a bomb goes of within three weeks of the publication.

The last two years he has published 6 speeches:

25 February 2004. Three weeks later Madrid was bombed.

1 October 2004. Six days later a bomb explodes in Sinai, Egypt.

29 November 2004. A week later bombs are detonated at the US Embassy in Jetta, Saudi Arabia.

10 February 2005. Four days later the ex-PM is killed by a car bomb.

20 February 2005. Eight days later a bombing occur in Hylla, Iraq.

23 June 2005. Two weeks later bombs go of in London.





http://www.expressen.se/expressen/jsp/polopoly.jsp?a=40...

[muriel_volestrangler]

69. Mobile phone indicates earlier time for Edgware explosion

than earlier thought, according to BBC 6 o'clock news. They say it puts the time of the Edgware explosion at 8:53 - previously reported as 9:17 (and right in the middle of the 8:51 and 8:56 explosions in the other 2 Tube trains).

Weird. How could the timing have been got so wrong (the 9:17 has been quoted for over 24 hours now). Or were there 2 explosions at Edgware - but then, why hadn't that been reported?

I'll put a link here if it appears on the BBC website.