July 07, 2005
Multiple explosions in London
At least nine explosions have been reported from central London within the past couple of hours, with sketchy reports of "major casualties" from wire services and other media sources.
Three explosions have been reported on buses, with at least two of those buses being destroyed; other explosions have been reported on subway trains, shutting down the entire London Underground tube network. Bus service in central London has been suspended as well. Wire service reports indicate at least 90 casualties, with reports still coming in.
Live audio via BBC Five Live (WMP).
UPDATE (8:30A): Total number of explosions are seven, as confirmed by Scotland Yard.
An Al Qaeda affiliated group in Europe has claimed responsibility for the blasts on an Islamic web site, according to the BBC and Sky News.
The number of casualties has been sketchy thus far, with as many as 90 dead at one Underground station being reported.
Prime Minister Tony Blair has left Gleneagles, Scotland, where the G8 Summit is taking place, and is headed to London to check on efforts first-hand. The meetings will continue, and Blair is expected to return later today.
Posted by mhking at July 7, 2005 06:20 AM | TrackBackFox News is reporting that an Al-Qaeda-related group is taking responsibility. They're also relaying a report by corporate cousin Sky News that Scotland Yard is saying at least one of the bus attacks was a suicide attack.
Posted by: steveegg at July 7, 2005 07:39 AMAnother update - Sky News is reporting 45 dead (including 7 in the bus blasts), 1000 injured with 150 serious injuries, and people still trapped in the subways.
London emergency services are expected to give an update at 3 pm local (10 am Eastern).
Posted by: steveegg at July 7, 2005 09:25 AMLondon emergency services update -
- 4 explosions; 3 in the subway (just past Liverpool Stret station at 8:51, just past King’s Cross station at 8:57, at Edgware Street station at 9:17-this one affected 3 trains), 1 on a bus at 9:47.
- 33 confirmed dead (7 at the Liverpool Street station, 21 at King’s Cross station, 5 at Edgware Street). Unknown number dead at the bus blast.
- 300 treated for minor injuries.
- No people left trapped underground.
- Unknown whether blasts were suicide bombers or packages.
A Joint Statement has been released from the "Muslim Council of Britain" and "Churches Together" in Britain and Ireland
It reads:
Deepest sympathy is expressed at the death and suffering which the series of co-ordinated attacks in London has caused to the families and loved ones who have been the victims of this terrible atrocity.
This criminal attack is condemned in the strongest possible terms. No good purpose can be achieved by such an indiscriminate and cruel use of terror.
The scriptures and the traditions of both the Muslim and Christian communities repudiate the use of such violence. Religious precepts cannot be used to justify such crimes, which are completely contrary to our teaching and practice.
"The evil people who planned and carried out these series of explosions in London this morning want to demoralise us as a nation and divide us as a people. All of us must unite in helping the Police to capture these murderers. Yesterday we celebrated as Londoners, euphoric that our great city had secured the Olympic Games. Today we stand aghast as we witness a series of brutal attacks upon our capital city. We were together in our celebration; we must remain together in our time of crisis,” said Sir Iqbal Sacranie, Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Britain.
"We must and will be united in common determination that terror cannot succeed. It is now the duty of all us Britons to be vigilant and actively support efforts to bring those responsible to justice"
Read more about how British Muslims condemn the acts of terror by so called Islamic Extremists/Jihadis at http://www.mcb. then: oh-are-gee-dot-com
Posted by: Paul at July 7, 2005 03:17 PM