I just want to say I hope everyone in London keeps the faith & strength. And hope no one here has any friends or family involved in the explosions.
I wonder if the terrorists are trying to send a message a day after London was announced as the host for the 2012 Summer Olympics?
I have a few close relatives and friends in London, I have heard from some of them this morning and am waiting to hear from the others. I hope they are all right and so are the friends and families of anyone else on these boards. According to Tony Blair this was timed to coincide with the opening of the G8 summit. Whatever the reason, it is always the innocent that suffer. Thanks for your thoughts Fire.
I just saw it on MSNBC online. I too want to wish everyone safe who has friends, relatives, and family in London.
Islamic group claims London attack Previously unknown group says blasts in retaliation for Iraq, Afghanistan MSNBC staff and news service reports Updated: 10:17 a.m. ET July 7, 2005 CAIRO, Egypt - A group calling itself “The Secret Organization of al-Qaida in Europe” posted a claim of responsibility for Thursday’s blasts in London, saying they were in retaliation for Britain’s involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan. The authenticity of the message could not be immediately confirmed. The statement, which also threatened attacks in Italy and Denmark, was published on a Web site popular with Islamic militants, according to Elaph, a secular Arabic-language news Web site, and Der Spiegel magazine in Berlin, which published the text on their Web sites. “Rejoice, Islamic nation. Rejoice, Arab world. The time has come for vengeance against the Zionist crusader government of Britain in response to the massacres Britain committed in Iraq and Afghanistan,” said the statement, translated by The Associated Press in Cairo. The AP was unable to access the Web site where it was posted, which was closed quickly after the reports. But MSNBC TV translator Jacob Keryakes, who said that a copy of the message was later posted on a secular Web site, noted that the claim of responsibility contained an error in one of the Quranic verses it cited. That suggests that the claim may be phony, he said. "This is not something al-Qaida would do," he said. The group al-Qaida in Europe claimed responsibility for the last major terror attack in Europe: a string of bombs that hit commuter trains in Madrid, Spain in March 2004, killing 191 people. Two days after that attack, a video was found in a trash can outside a Madrid mosque with a statement purported to be from the group’s spokesman, called by the nickname “Abu Dujan al Afghani.” In the new statement, the group said “the heroic mujahedeen carried out a blessed attack in London, and now Britain is burning with fear and terror, from north to south, east to west.” “We warned the British government and the British people repeatedly. We have carried out our promise and carried out a military attack in Britain after great efforts by the heroic mujahedeen over a long period to ensure its success.” “We continue to warn the governments of Denmark and Italy and all crusader governments that they will receive the same punishment if they do not withdraw their troops from Iraq and Afghanistan,” the statement went on. It was signed “The Secret Organization of al-Qaida in Europe.” The Associated Press contributed to this report. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8496293/
When I looked the back of the bus was missing’ Shocked eyewitnesses recall horror in the aftermath of London blasts MSNBC News Services Updated: 9:49 a.m. ET July 7, 2005 LONDON - “I was on the bus. I looked round and the seats behind me were gone.” The middle-aged survivor of the bus blast in central London could not say any more. Shocked, disorientated, and with oil and pieces of debris in her hair and clothes, she asked for directions to Holborn but refused all offers of help. The scene was repeated again and again across central London as at least six explosions rocked the capital on Thursday, killing several people and wounding scores, in what police fear were attacks to coincide with leaders of the Group of Eight nations meeting in Scotland. “I was blown in the air and when I looked the back of the bus was missing,” an injured man told Sky News. “There were people climbing down from the top of the bus, but the people in the front were probably hurt more; a lot of people are a lot worse off than me,” he said as he held a tissue to his left ear and a line of blood streamed down his neck and chest. "It was a bomb, it has to be," he said. Walking wounded Most of the attacks centered on the city’s underground rail system. Loyita Worley, 49, was travelling from Moorgate to Aldgate when her train was shaken by a large explosion. “I saw an orange flickering on the side of the tunnel,” she said, adding 20 to 30 “walking wounded” had been led from the damaged carriage, which had been torn from “floor to ceiling.” “Many were shaking, there were a lot of head injuries, it was very bloody,” she said. One man’s clothes had been blown off and he was totally black with soot, she said, but passengers remained calm even as objects fell down onto the roof of the carriage. Another witness, a computer programmer at a London investment bank, was in the same train when he heard an explosion in the carriage in front of him. “There was a loud bang and everybody collapsed to the floor because of smoke. But everybody was very calm and we waited for people to direct us,” he said. 'Many stretcher cases' Rescue crews were seen bringing scores of wounded people out of the Russell Square subway station after an underground explosion. "Looking down onto Russell Square Tube station there's about 20 ambulances," Sky News reporter Mark White said. "Doctors in orange boiler suits are emerging with the walking wounded and many stretcher cases. Once one ambulance is full another is there to take more casualties," he reported from a rooftop above the square. Elsewhere, passengers caught in another subway blast spoke to BBC News. “There were two trains passing each other in Edgware Road; there was a big bang and I believe it was in the second carriage that there’s a lot of injured people," a woman who appeared uninjured said. “We was in the back carriage and when we went past there wasn’t any train left,” another woman said. 'Bomb', 'bombs', 'explosions' Traffic wardens, police support officers and private security guards were all drafted in to man the cordons. Policemen spoke of “a bomb” or “bombs,” or of “explosions.” The slowly expanding police cordon pushed before it droves of confused office workers, evacuated from the surrounding streets. The cellphone networks quickly became jammed with callers trying to reassure loved ones of their safety, and shops filled with people begging the use of a phone. Some young women in a hairdressers’ shop were in tears. People talked of hearing explosions, but the lightly concealed panic as the police combed the area for bombs made any degree of clarity impossible. Traffic halted completely, engines off, the police lines blocking escape routes for all but cycles and motorcycles. But the uncanny absence of motor noise was hidden by the constant howl of sirens. Reuters contributed to this report. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8494354/
I lived in London for 2 years between 2002 and 2004 and took the Tube to my American university during that time period on a daily basis. I traveled through King's Cross and Edgware Road numerous times myself. It's hard to believe and very sad to see something like this occur. The reality of such attacks was always present especially last year after the bomb attacks on trains in Madrid. The official death toll is now at 37, officials haven't confirmed the complete death toll from the 4th explosion on the doubledecker bus: http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/europe/07/07/london.tube/index.html http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/4661059.stm
You know after reading more about this incident it makes me think of how lucky we are. I mean I would honestly be afraid to be alive if I lived in the middle east or anywhere like that. You would not know if you would be blown up or not if you got on a bus to go to work or home. Beileve me I count my lucky stars to know that the odds of a bus that I am on here will not blow up on me. England is one country I hope that the USA helps out because I like England that is where my ancestors came from. I also know Blair wont put up with and horse S***.
There is no doubt in my mind that the US will be 1000% behind England on this. My concerns are any other possible targets in Europe, especially since there was word of Norway & Italy being next. I know we are in our alert stage at work, and what concern's me Ryan, is we are not as safe as you think, and the possibility of this happening here is getting more & more likely, as well as suicide bombers. The reality is now if but when and that is sad.
Yes I agree with you that we are not safe anywhere we go. I believe other countries besides the US are more vulnerable to attacks.
Germany is also at risk due to the large number of US and British military bases located around Wuerzburg, Frankfurt, Kaiserslautern, Stuttgart, Aachen etc. I'm relieved that nothing major has occurred here since Germany currently has 70,000 US troops stationed here and the British are also still out here in force. Germany's interior minister acknowledged that Germany is not immune but that there is no evidence at the present time suggesting that Germany is next or at increased risk. Cologne hasn't upped security in terms of police officers on the streets totting machine guns but you can certainly expect this in places like Berlin and Munich. I certainly hope that all of you in the US will remain safe since the risk is much higher there than here in Germany.
I wouldn't be surprised at an attack against Americans stationed in Germany, but I don't think there will be an attack against the German people. If Al Qaeda really was behind those attacks, then Germany has nothin to fear since they weren't really involved in Irak and Afghanistan, and, instead, aided them with things like the Oil for Food Scandal that came out.
That's very true, the German Bundeswehr (army) has been asked in the past to help guard US installations.
That's what I thought.. I think you're right... I have heard, i dunno how true it is, but anyway, i've heard that a couple of girls from Knoxville (that go to Karnes High School) were over there when it happened.
