Explosions in London

[moriarty]

Originally Posted by Marc Vaughan

There've been around 6-7 explosions here, most in tube stations* and at least one on a bus.

Everyone at SI has reported in and are fine (as are all friends/relatives of people here to my knowledge).

Seriously good news Marc. I hope everyone's family and friends are safe as well.

[sachmo71]

I hates me some terrorists.

[flere-imsaho]

Originally Posted by MIJB#19

FWIW, I'm impressed about how relaxed the English tv is bringing all the facts and only facts. CNN and the Dutch tv are chaotic and making a mess of all the news snippets.

Remember, this is a country with a long history of dealing with terrorist attacks.

I lived in England for 6 years, and have a bunch of friends still there. It'll be a while before I can learn if any/all of them are OK.

[Senator]

A wild day.

[Flasch186]

i HATE Al Qaeda

[Rizon]

Weird, it's only on 3 TV channels here (CA), like it's not news or something. Maybe our news agencies don't wake up until 7am, because this is clearly news.

[JeeberD]

My thoughts are with the people of London. Hopefully nothing more happens to them...

[Kodos]

[Senator]

It looks like a busy day for me. It is hard to maintain a professional demeanor when you are pissed off sometimes.

[Klinglerware]

Originally Posted by Rizon

Weird, it's only on 3 TV channels here (CA), like it's not news or something. Maybe our news agencies don't wake up until 7am, because this is clearly news.

It's amazing how wildly different news coverage is here in the US compared to the rest of the world. While Americans get stuck with the latest coverage from Aruba, everyone else gets harder news. While I was away last week, I noticed that the G8 got a lot of coverage in the international media compared to here and I suspect that many Americans didn't even know it was happening until these attacks.

The G8 is planned way in advance, so the terrorist attacks were probably planned with the G8 in mind...

[Bearcat729]

CNN just said that in 6 minutes or so there will be a press conference

[Arles]

Washington Post and CNN just reported there are 40-45 confirmed dead and 350 injured (150 in critical condition). But they said they still haven't gotten a total yet.

Glad to hear the SI crew and many of the FOFCers in London are OK. I just got an email from a guy I do contract work with in London and he's OK.

[Bearcat729]

Someone has cell phone video of the damage to the cars

[terpkristin]

Glad to hear that those who have reported here from London are OK. My thoughts and prayers are with those in London and their friends and families.

/tk

[vtbub]

BBC America is carrying BBC1 and their coverage.

My condolences to all affected.

[Mustang]

Originally Posted by Klinglerware

It's amazing how wildly different news coverage is here in the US compared to the rest of the world. While Americans get stuck with the latest coverage from Aruba, everyone else gets harder news.

Our Media is generally for shit... We're more interested in what the fuck Paris Hilton is doing than anything else.

[vtbub]

Officially at least 33 dead. Underground service cancelled today. Busses back later today. This from press conference by London Police.

[Arles]

Here's the post story mentioning 40 deaths and 350 injuries:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...700221_pf.html

[vtbub]

BBC Reports that terminal 3 at Heathrow has been evacuated.

[NoMyths]

Terrible. My thoughts are with the people of England and all affected by this tragedy.

[vtbub]

Heathrow has been re-opened.

[flere-imsaho]

Well, I have 4 friends accounted for, and about 10 to go.

One, my former roommate, said there'd been a certain air of inevitability about this attack. Sounds like most people expected it after the U.K. joined the U.S. in Iraq.

[korme]

I'm seeing the news as up to 40 people killed now.

I hope everyone hear from the good UK is safe.

[Galaxy]

Originally Posted by moriarty

Or it's Iraq related and the timing was just random. I mean the timing of 9/11 didn't really signfiy anything as far as I recall.

The date of 9/11 was something that meant something, I just can't remeber. I think a terrorist was schedule to go to trial or something.

As for the Olympics, I don't think it was planned. If anything, it is something the terrorist prolly loved, with everyone looking at London/Britian with the Olympic announcement and G8.

I hope everyone is safe in UK.

[Jesse_Ewiak]

What's funny is the reaction from actual British, here's a couple posts from another board I read.

NEWSFLASH:

There has been a widespread outbreak of grumbling and tutting today in London, along with a large number of people going home instead of to work, with a certain amount of guilty pleasure.

Sorry, bad guys. We've been bombed before, and we just adjust our day to account for it. This is London calling.

Our office is trying to work out whether we can get tonight bar bill on expenses as noone is getting out of town anytime soon.

Ooh. I shoul dswitch Fox News on...

Yep. Far more dramatic. If I'd ben watching this on its own, I'd be convinced that the whole of London was a crater.

And it's taken 30 seconds to link it to Iraq and a war on Christianity. Good going, Fox!

No, let's, please. I'd rather we approached this as a blip rather than becoming po-faced and panicky about it. The LU got blown up, again. It's nasty and unnecessary and probably going to spark all kinds of shite both in Commons and give people in power more excuses to impose crap laws BUT IT IS NOT THE END OF THE WORLD]

t's really rather disappointing -- four years later and all they could do was blow up some public transport? I was half-expecting Canary Wharf to get blown to smithereens, and then the husk of it could zoom off into the space like Doctor Doom did to the Baxter Building.

Did Londoners still react differently to New Yorkers? Yes, they evidently did. Culturally, we are very different cities. Londoners are proud of their strength and resilience in a crisis, and they're going to talk about it. It is distasteful, perhaps, to compare it to New York, but that too can be blamed on our thick skin and black humour. This is our response. We don't weep in the street. We make a cup of tea and say something wry and tasteless.

[Desnudo]

I noticed a similar sentiment on the SI FM board. Realizing the last post is only one person's opinion, there is an enormous emotional difference between several thousand deaths and 45.

[JW]

God bless America's staunchest friend and ally, a brave nation that has stood shoulder to shoulder with us when others would not. May Britain once again be steadfast in the face of evil.

Radical fundamentalist Islam is at war with the West. Few people in the West really seem to understand this. And even our president is afraid to say those politically incorrect words. We need to take off the gloves and name our enemy.

Note - I understand the remote possibility that the bombings may have been by someone other than radical Islamists, for example, anti-G8 anarchists. That doesn't change the truth of the above.

[CHEMICAL SOLDIER]

What Im scared of is that a copy cat event happening in major/ mid major American cities. I pray for those lost and for the deaths of those responsible.

[Klinglerware]

Originally Posted by CHEMICAL SOLDIER

What Im scared of is that a copy cat event happening in major/ mid major American cities. I pray for those lost and for the deaths of those responsible.

Copy cat probably won't happen. These things take planning, and if something were to happen in the US, it would be either (a) something planned some time ago as a companion to the London bombings, or (b) coincidental...

[JeffR]

Yeah, if there was going to be a companion attack in the US, it would've happened by now. Wouldn't make much sense for them to complicate their job by waiting long enough for the level of security to get stepped up.

[BigJohn&TheLions]

Originally Posted by Mustang

Our Media is generally for shit... We're more interested in what the fuck Paris Hilton is doing than anything else.

Agreed. I'm just waiting for the day when they break into a Presidential press conference on a terrorist attack to announce the latest update on the runaway bride.

One thing I can guarantee is that Bush will not use the line about fighting the terrorists over there instead of over here for a few days...

God be with everyone in the UK. And damn the bastards who are even able to carry out actions such as this. It makes me want to vomit, then kill those responsible.

[Ryan S]

Originally Posted by flere-imsaho

Sounds like most people expected it after the U.K. joined the U.S. in Iraq.

Most expected it from 9/11 onwards.

[Dutch]

This attacks locations and timing was probably coordinated months, if not years in advance. I would say the Olympics is definately ruled out as the reason. The G8, however, was probably scheduled quite a bit in advance.

Sad to see it happen. Al Qaeda is never short on madmen.

[AlexB]

Police are now asking people to move away from Victoria Station - asked people to run as fast as they can away from the station according to the news.

[AlexB]

The warning was because the police have found a suspect package on a bus near Victoria Station - no news whether this is a false alarm, a new threat or failed to go off this morning.

[CHEMICAL SOLDIER]

It's probably a co incidence but the blasts this mornign were between 8:46-9:47
almost the smae as WTC attacks. Just wanted to point it out.

[AlexB]

No coincidence - it's a guaranteed time of concentration of people going in to work: timed to create maxium carnage and casualties.

[Icy]

It's also the same time than the Madrid ones, as Jari said, timed with the ppl going to work.

[Dutch]

Originally Posted by flere-imsaho

Well, I have 4 friends accounted for, and about 10 to go.

One, my former roommate, said there'd been a certain air of inevitability about this attack. Sounds like most people expected it after the U.K. joined the U.S. in Iraq.

Hmmm, I thought you believed the GWOT and Iraq were two seperate issues? Why would terrorists (Al Qaeda cell) bomb Britain because of Iraq?

[Franklinnoble]

Sorry, bad guys. We've been bombed before, and we just adjust our day to account for it. This is London calling.

This brought a smile to my face.

[flere-imsaho]

Originally Posted by Dutch

Hmmm, I thought you believed the GWOT and Iraq were two seperate issues? Why would terrorists (Al Qaeda cell) bomb Britain because of Iraq?

I was quoting my former roommate, who is one of the four friends I have accounted for (with a number my wife & I can't reach).

But since you want to turn it political:

Bush's latest rationale for maintaining the course in Iraq adventure has been the "flypaper strategy" -- it's better to fight the terrorists over there than at home. Nevermind that the Iraqis never asked to have their country turned into a dangerous den of terrorism, insurgency, violence and death. For war supporters looking for an excuse, any excuse, to justify the continued disastrous American presence in Iraq, the flypaper rationale was as good as any.

Except that it's not working. The war isn't making the West any safer. In fact, it's creating a whole new class of terrorists. Today it was London. Next time it could easily be the United States. And waging the war in Iraq, rather than make us safer, is further motivating Islamic terrorists to strike at the West.

Five of the London fatalities were killed by a bomb in the Edgware Road Tube station. Elisa and I have friends that use that stop every morning and we're both sick with worry. Every one of those deaths today sickens me. Those committing these attacks, like those committing any terrorist attack, need to be brought down.

But Bush (and Blair) took their eyes off the prize -- neglected to finish the job in Afghanistan, let Al Qaida off the hook to rebuild and reorganize, and helped swell its ranks with an unecessary and inept campaign in Iraq.

There are consequences to the mess in Iraq. And today, we're seeing one of them. Unfortunately, it won't be the last.

Link

Originally Posted by Dutch

Hmmm, I thought you believed the GWOT and Iraq were two seperate issues? Why would terrorists (Al Qaeda cell) bomb Britain because of Iraq?

Point out where I said that. I said there was no connection between Iraq & Al-Qaeda before the U.S. invasion. You know this, because we've argued about it many times in recent memory. But if you want to spin it to make yourself sound good and feel good, feel free to do so.

[larrymcg421]

I'd think if there was ONE fucking thread that would be free from political comments, it would be this one. What a fucking dumbass thing to do in this thread.

I just found out my father is okay. He was in London for a couple weeks, and was heading to Thailand after that. I wasn't sure of the exact timing of his leaving to Thailand, but thankfully it was a few days ago.

My prayers are with those who are suffering right now.

[CHEMICAL SOLDIER]

Originally Posted by larrymcg421

I'd think if there was ONE fucking thread that would be free from political comments, it would be this one. What a fucking dumbass thing to do in this thread.

I just found out my father is okay. He was in London for a couple weeks, and was heading to Thailand after that. I wasn't sure of the exact timing of his leaving to Thailand, but thankfully it was a few days ago.

My prayers are with those who are suffering right now.

Im glad your dad is okay.

[bhlloy]

Originally Posted by larrymcg421

I'd think if there was ONE fucking thread that would be free from political comments, it would be this one. What a fucking dumbass thing to do in this thread.

Ditto. Leave it out for once people.

Back on topic, I understand the death toll is probably going to rise but still cannot believe that the best funded and most prominent terrorist network (assuming it is Al-Qaeda) in the world can plan this kind of thing, set off three bombs on/around packed underground trains and a packed double decker bus, and only kill 50-100 people. Very thankful, but I feel we may have been lucky in a way as well. I still have nightmares about what may happen if somebody gets a dirty bomb onto the Underground.

[dawgfan]

My sympathies to the people of London and their friends and families. Horrible news to wake up to...

[Emiliano]

My thoughts to all the people in London and in the UK living this horrible tragedy. You're not alone.

[flere-imsaho]

In good news, my wife & I have managed to contact all but one of our friends in London, and they're all OK. This includes a couple who, this morning, decided to bicycle to work instead of taking the Tube (subway). *phew*

[bhlloy]

Latest news is that a number of experts believe the Al-Qaeda "admission" is a fake - grammar and language is wrong and none of the other Islamic websites have picked up on it yet. From Channel 4 news so take that as you will, but it is usually pretty reliable.

[vtbub]

Originally Posted by bhlloy

Latest news is that a number of experts believe the Al-Qaeda "admission" is a fake - grammar and language is wrong and none of the other Islamic websites have picked up on it yet. From Channel 4 news so take that as you will, but it is usually pretty reliable.

CNN's excellent in house analyst Octavia Nassar has just said the same thing.

[MIJB#19]

If these terrorist organizations take themselves serious, they plan ahead but also make sure they can pretty much plug and play. Maybe these terrorists had their attack all set up and just had to wait for the right day to act? Given the G8 meeting and the assignment of the Olympic Games, this was the 'best' day to do it from a terrorist point of view.