Breaking News: Possible explosion in London Underground

[Graspol]

*ignoring all previous dumb posts*
There just was a press conference...


LONDON BOMBINGS LATEST

.......


Quite.

For all of those hot-heads on mp.net who don't live in the UK, here's a brief outline of what I and many others did yesterday.

I got up and discovered that a terrorist attack had occured in London, I was a shocked and saddend for those that were killed. I continued to watch the news up until midday when I went into town to meet a mate. I listened to the radio instead of music as I walked in to hear the latest, but when I met up with my mate we went about town like we normally do. The town was just as busy as any other thursday, people were smiling and joking with eachother, but no doubt the events of the morning were in the back of their minds. Nobody was wailing or crying, there were no impromptu collections of flowers anywhere, shops were not closed and daily life was not interrupted. I went to see a film, went for a run and then had a few beers after. The bars were reasonably busy and people were enjoying themselves.

The point of this is that, although we are angry about what has happened and want those responsible caught, we've been through this before. We've suffered terrorism by the Irish Republican movement and we've learned to carry on regardless. We have seen the race riots in Bradford and Burnley and were appauled by the actions of a few white 'people'. We've had the debate about islamic fundamentalism and reactionism, and each time these issues have come to the fore, the majority of us in the UK responded with a calm, level-headed attitude. We haven't flown off the handle at any time and it's not about to happen now.

We knew something like this could happen, it has and we need to deal with it and catch those responsible. End of.

That's one of many things we (Europeans) admire you Brits for.

Cheers, Danny


P.S Before it raises any questions, i fly the Union Jack here for supportive means towards the British people,plus that i think it's one of the most beautiful designed flags in the world. ;)

[Zerodivider]

The point of this is that, although we are angry about what has happened and want those responsible caught, we've been through this before. We've suffered terrorism by the Irish Republican movement and we've learned to carry on regardless. We have seen the race riots in Bradford and Burnley and were appauled by the actions of a few white 'people'. We've had the debate about islamic fundamentalism and reactionism, and each time these issues have come to the fore, the majority of us in the UK responded with a calm, level-headed attitude. We haven't flown off the handle at any time and it's not about to happen now.


x2

Terrorism didn't start with 9/11...

[lightlover]

London Police have asked anyone who phoned the Casualty Hotline yesterday to call back and let them know about "Missing People" who have returned. They have many people still declared as missing - please call them to let them know if your friends/family have turned up.

Scotland Yard Police Info (re: casualties)
0870 1566 344

Jahn

For people dialling from outside the UK that number would become -

+44 870 1566 344

Details of the Casualty Hotline in a post by Christophe http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/viewtopic.php?p=1077897#1077897

[Sabre]

^ good point.

@Graspol; I thought you were British?

[Graspol]

^ good point.

@Graspol; I thought you were British?



No mate, Dutch, but i'm a sucker for all that's British,so you may call me a Anglophile! :hug:

[Zerodivider]

TERROR ATTACKS LATEST

London mayor Ken Livingstone and Scotland Yard chief Sir Ian Blair are giving latest details on the London terrorism attacks.

Here are the main points from the latest updates:


:: Thirteen people confirmed dead on bus at Tavistock Square.

:: All bodies have been removed from the bus.

:: Sir Ian said it was clear from the timing of the explosions that they could not have been carried out by one person.

:: No arrests have yet been made, but there are plenty of witnesses.

:: "Stretching credulity" to believe the bombs were put together in 18 hours in response to London winning 2012 Olympics, said Sir Ian.

:: Tube system back to a "substantial service".

:: On Monday at City Hall, a book of condolence will be opened.

:: A bombings relief fund will be opened on Monday in conjunction with the Red Cross.

:: Sir Ian said it will be "business as ususal" after the weekend.

:: Twenty-three forces are involved in running the emergency calls bureau.

:: Two police officers were in Tavistock Square when bus bomb exploded who worked with colleague injured in the blast to help victims.

:: Mr Livingstone said all emergency plans for a terrorist attack "worked like clockwork".

:: Appeals renewed for anyone with information on the attacks to call anti-terrorist hotline on 0800 789 321.

[wiking]

*ignoring all previous dumb posts*
There just was a press conference...


LONDON BOMBINGS LATEST

.......


Quite.

For all of those hot-heads on mp.net who don't live in the UK, here's a brief outline of what I and many others did yesterday.

I got up and discovered that a terrorist attack had occured in London, I was a shocked and saddend for those that were killed. I continued to watch the news up until midday when I went into town to meet a mate. I listened to the radio instead of music as I walked in to hear the latest, but when I met up with my mate we went about town like we normally do. The town was just as busy as any other thursday, people were smiling and joking with eachother, but no doubt the events of the morning were in the back of their minds. Nobody was wailing or crying, there were no impromptu collections of flowers anywhere, shops were not closed and daily life was not interrupted. I went to see a film, went for a run and then had a few beers after. The bars were reasonably busy and people were enjoying themselves.

The point of this is that, although we are angry about what has happened and want those responsible caught, we've been through this before. We've suffered terrorism by the Irish Republican movement and we've learned to carry on regardless. We have seen the race riots in Bradford and Burnley and were appauled by the actions of a few white 'people'. We've had the debate about islamic fundamentalism and reactionism, and each time these issues have come to the fore, the majority of us in the UK responded with a calm, level-headed attitude. We haven't flown off the handle at any time and it's not about to happen now.

We knew something like this could happen, it has and we need to deal with it and catch those responsible. End of.

That's one of many things we (Europeans) admire you Brits for.

Cheers, Danny


P.S Before it raises any questions, i fly the Union Jack here for supportive means towards the British people,plus that i think it's one of the most beautiful designed flags in the world. ;)

I've said it on a thread yesterday, as of now Londoners are my favourite people in the world. Handling something like this in such a calm way.

I fly the union jack now with my condolances. 1. because its' the right thing to do, 2. i didn't have time to make a joined Union jack and Norwegian flag in photoshop yesterday ;)

[TheGambler]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4663931.stm

Hopefully they don't find that many bodies left down there, but i have a feeling they will :(

RIP all that have fallen my prayers are with you and your families

Hope all the injured a fast and good recovery

[szr]

@ Certain people:

Rants aren't news. There are other threads for rants. Lets keep it so the news is easy to find. Thanks.

[TuNeRsHaRk]

does anyone think more countries will beef up on the war on terror because of this, i sure hope so, then they can learn the more they attack us the more forces we put against them

[<Gypsum Fantastic>]

does anyone think more countries will beef up on the war on terror because of this, i sure hope so, then they can learn the more they attack us the more forces we put against them

It's a nice idea. But the problem is it seems like we're fighting ghosts. The only terrorists that come into our grasp are ones willing to blow themselves to pieces for the cause. We just don't know where the main sections of these terror groups are.

The best we can hope is that attacks like this and all that has happened before persuade more people to turn against the terror groups. Let's face it, they're as thick as ****. They think nothing of blowing up their own supporters, and even the most hardline fanatic has to doubt their intentions.

Hopefully terrorist group members, as well as local civilians, will turn on these organistations when they realise what they truely are.

[Sabre]

^ good point.

@Graspol; I thought you were British?



No mate, Dutch, but i'm a sucker for all that's British,so you may call me a Anglophile! :hug:

Ahh, Dutch! That would explain the fondness for the cabbage-heads (RNLMC and RM connection) :lol:

does anyone think more countries will beef up on the war on terror because of this, i sure hope so, then they can learn the more they attack us the more forces we put against them

This is most likely to be an internal security issue than anything else. There are no more countries to attack (there weren't any after Afghanistan), no more need for further troop deployments. The only areas left are the Afghan/Pakistani border and those terrorists now harboured in Iraq. No-one else is going to 'sign up' to Bush's WoT. The 'war' has now reverted to how it should have been handled from the start, a behind the scenes intelligence/security effort. Frankly, I'd prefer if this was no longer an issue a month down the line. That would help to defeat the terrorists by reducing the 'exposure' their attacks recieve in the public consciousness. Let them know that everytime they do this, we'll just shrug it off and ignore it, and that they can expect one night to have a size 10 DMS on their back and the muzzle of a deimaco on their temple.

[California Joe]

Thank you for your excellent, as usual, posts Sabre.

Sergei, STFU.

[Sabre]

does anyone think more countries will beef up on the war on terror because of this, i sure hope so, then they can learn the more they attack us the more forces we put against them

It's a nice idea. But the problem is it seems like we're fighting ghosts. The only terrorists that come into our grasp are ones willing to blow themselves to pieces for the cause. We just don't know where the main sections of these terror groups are.

The best we can hope is that attacks like this and all that has happened before persuade more people to turn against the terror groups. Let's face it, they're as thick as ****. They think nothing of blowing up their own supporters, and even the most hardline fanatic has to doubt their intentions.

Hopefully terrorist group members, as well as local civilians, will turn on these organistations when they realise what they truely are.

I'm rather of the opinion that this is not the 'clash of cultures' the media and reactionaries make it out to be. It is simply a number of extremists, who have been around for some time, turning their attention our way. There isn't going to be a big war, nor will this be a last all of our lifetimes. In fact, I think my kids will have to ask me about the 'WoT' when they're studying it in history. These terrorists can't keep it up, they'll lose support, lose cohesion and eventually be killed, captured or be forced into submission. Their cause will fail, and not too far in the future.

(and cheers joe)

[<Gypsum Fantastic>]

does anyone think more countries will beef up on the war on terror because of this, i sure hope so, then they can learn the more they attack us the more forces we put against them

It's a nice idea. But the problem is it seems like we're fighting ghosts. The only terrorists that come into our grasp are ones willing to blow themselves to pieces for the cause. We just don't know where the main sections of these terror groups are.

The best we can hope is that attacks like this and all that has happened before persuade more people to turn against the terror groups. Let's face it, they're as thick as ****. They think nothing of blowing up their own supporters, and even the most hardline fanatic has to doubt their intentions.

Hopefully terrorist group members, as well as local civilians, will turn on these organistations when they realise what they truely are.

I'm rather of the opinion that this is not the 'clash of cultures' the media and reactionaries make it out to be. It is simply a number of extremists, who have been around for some time, turning their attention our way. There isn't going to be a big war, nor will this be a last all of our lifetimes. In fact, I think my kids will have to ask me about the 'WoT' when they're studying it in history. These terrorists can't keep it up, they'll lose support, lose cohesion and eventually be killed, captured or be forced into submission. Their cause will fail, and not too far in the future.

(and cheers joe)

Yep. It's a matter of time...

[Hydro]

Just managed to get online after the bombings, and am quite moved by the amount of support for Britain on the forums! Not that it hasn't been said before, but what happened was a bloody outrage. We've had Hitler, we've had the IRA, now we have the Islamic fundamentalists. Just another bunch of ****heads that'll get what they deserve eventually.

[TuNeRsHaRk]

does anyone think more countries will beef up on the war on terror because of this, i sure hope so, then they can learn the more they attack us the more forces we put against them

It's a nice idea. But the problem is it seems like we're fighting ghosts. The only terrorists that come into our grasp are ones willing to blow themselves to pieces for the cause. We just don't know where the main sections of these terror groups are.

The best we can hope is that attacks like this and all that has happened before persuade more people to turn against the terror groups. Let's face it, they're as thick as ****. They think nothing of blowing up their own supporters, and even the most hardline fanatic has to doubt their intentions.

Hopefully terrorist group members, as well as local civilians, will turn on these organistations when they realise what they truely are.

I'm rather of the opinion that this is not the 'clash of cultures' the media and reactionaries make it out to be. It is simply a number of extremists, who have been around for some time, turning their attention our way. There isn't going to be a big war, nor will this be a last all of our lifetimes. In fact, I think my kids will have to ask me about the 'WoT' when they're studying it in history. These terrorists can't keep it up, they'll lose support, lose cohesion and eventually be killed, captured or be forced into submission. Their cause will fail, and not too far in the future.

(and cheers joe)

well yeah thats 100% true but if we can get more countries(mainly middel eastern) to crack down on Counter terror inside their own borders than that would probably help alot

[wiking]

does anyone think more countries will beef up on the war on terror because of this, i sure hope so, then they can learn the more they attack us the more forces we put against them

Maybe, but if it'll be another 4 years till the next large attack then, i think, that alot of countrys will start to relax over that time untill something like this happens again.

But if this proves to be the start of a large bombing campaign all over Europe or the world, then **** is going to start happening. The schengen agreement alone makes it pretty easy to start a large scale attack all over europe\the European Union.

Hope it isn't, but i'd rather be pessimistic and wrong than optimistic and wrong.


Ps. One of the best bets to stop any planned attacks anywhere is that the muslim community there opens their eyes and start to tell the local government if they should hear anything.

This isn't just about fighting it far away, but allso right in our towns. If the loccal muslim community starts to tell the coppers about people with extremist attitudes and\or stuff they hear, then that's atleast one hell of a start to combat this.

[Somehow]

Spain to aid Britain in probe of London terror attacks


Madrid, Jul 7 (EFE).- A team of Spanish agents who are experts on Islamist terrorism will travel to London by this weekend to help their British colleagues in the investigation of Thursday's deadly attacks in the British capital, police sources here told EFE.
In addition, another team of the Spanish police's TEDAX bomb-disposal unit will travel to Britain later to provide the expertise they acquired after the March 11, 2004, train bombings in Madrid, which left nearly 200 dead and some 1,500 wounded and constituted the worst terrorist attack in Spain's history.
Sources said that the British police contacted their Spanish colleagues to ask for their help after the attacks in London, where at least 37 people were killed and another 700 wounded by four bombs, three of which exploded on packed subway trains and one on board one of the country's famed double-decker buses.
The Spanish counter-terrorism officers will meet with members of Britain's MI-6 foreign intelligence service to help them with the investigation into the attacks.
Earlier Thursday, Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero conveyed to the British government Spain's "total solidarity" with its European neighbor over the "brutal" terrorist actions committed in London.
Zapatero said such solidarity will translate into the Spanish government's "full cooperation" with efforts to find those who set off the bombs on London's mass transit system during the morning rush hour.
Speaking to reporters at his offices in Madrid, Zapatero underscored that the terrorists will "never succeed" in getting democratic nations to abandon their principles and values "because the moral strength of democracy is vastly superior to their vile and cowardly methods."
Zapatero spoke shortly after Spain declared a maximum alert to prevent terrorist attacks on its own territory.
"Maximum alert" entails the complete mobilization of security forces to protect places where throngs of people congregate, as well as strategic objectives essential to the normal functioning of society.
The Spanish armed forces will also help protect major transportation infrastructure, strategic objectives and air space.
Zapatero reminded the press that for decades Spain has endured the "blight of terrorism ... (and) we know full well the suffering" it produces.
"We join (Britain) in its pain, as so many peoples of the world joined in ours on other occasions," he said.

EFE

http://www.mexico.com/notimexico/?method=una&id=3428&lang=eng

I hope those bastards will get what they deserve!!!!

SomeH0W

[J-10]

London Police Revise Timeline for Blasts
By PAISLEY DODDS, Associated Press Writer
1 hour, 50 minutes ago

LONDON - Police radically revised the timing of the deadly blasts that tore through the London Underground, saying Saturday that the bombs were detonated just seconds apart — not 26 minutes as first reported. The explosions were so intense that none of the 49 known dead has yet been identified.

Many bodies still lay buried in a rat-infested subway tunnel and frantic relatives begged for word about others still missing in the worst attack on London since World War II. Police indicated as many as 50 additional victims were unaccounted for.

In a sign of the continued state of alert, police evacuated 20,000 people from Birmingham's central entertainment district Saturday night after intelligence indicating a "substantial threat," said Stuart Hyde, assistant chief constable of West Midlands Police.

He said the alert was not likely connected to the subway and bus bombings. A controlled explosion to disarm a suspicious object was carried out on a Birmingham bus, and officers concluded there was no explosive device.

Deputy Assistant Police Commissioner Brian Paddick said the near-simultaneous nature of the attacks Thursday indicated timers — not suicide bombers — set off the explosions. He cautioned, however, that the investigation was in an early stage and nothing had been ruled out.

Investigators also said the bombs that brought the British capital to a standstill were made of sophisticated high explosives. Investigators said it was too early to pinpoint where the terrorist bombers got the ingredients.

Investigators repeated their assertion that the bombings bore the signature of al-Qaida, the terror network blamed for the Sept. 11 attacks on the United States. The organization, headed by Osama bin Laden, has gained a reputation for sophisticated timing in its terror strikes.

"It will be some time before this job is completed and it will be done with all the necessary dignity to the deceased," said Andy Trotter of the British Transport Police.

Mustafa Setmarian Nasar, the alleged mastermind of last year's Madrid railway bombings, who also goes by the name Abu Musab al-Suri, has emerged as a suspect in the London attacks, according to unidentified investigators cited in The Sunday Times, The Sunday Telegraph and the Mail on Sunday.

Nasar, a Syrian fugitive, allegedly played a key role in setting up an al-Qaida structure in Spain and was indicted there in connection with the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks in the United States. Last year, the U.S. offered $5 million for information leading to his arrest.

Transit officials originally said Thursday's blasts occurred over a 26-minute span, but computer software that tracked train locations and electric circuits subsequently determined the first blast shattered the rush-hour commute at 8:50 a.m in Aldgate station, east London, with the next two erupting within 50 seconds.

A fourth explosion tore through a double-decker bus near a subway entrance, killing 13 people, nearly an hour later. The attacks hit as President Bush and other G-8 leaders were holding a summit in Scotland and a day after London was named the host city for the 2012 Olympics.

Scotland Yard has declined to issue a list of people unaccounted for. Police said Saturday they were looking into more than 1,000 missing-person reports, although they do not believe more than 50 of them are connected to the bombings, suggesting the death toll will remain below 100.

More than 20 people injured in the blasts remained in critical condition, and an unknown number of bodies remained in the Russell Square subway tunnel, where heat, dust and dangerous conditions slowed crews trying to reach the corpses. Many London subway lines run more than 100 feet below ground.

"It is a very harrowing task," said police detective Jim Dickie. "Most of the victims have suffered intensive trauma, and by that I mean there are body parts as well as torsos." Many of those who worked to recover bodies had done the same work during December's devastating tsunami in the Indian Ocean.

Forensics experts were relying on fingerprints, dental records and DNA analysis to identify the victims.

Riders were returning to Underground stations, but warily and in smaller numbers.

"There's just less people," student William Palmer, 23, said at the Chancery Lane subway stop. "Everyone's looking around a little bit more."

The system was set for its first real test on Sunday when 20,000 cricket fans were expected to travel to the British capital for a match between England and Australia.

When asked about the claim of responsibility by a group calling itself The Secret Organization of al-Qaida in Europe, Prime Minister Tony Blair told the BBC on Saturday it was "reasonably obvious that it comes from that type of quarter."

Little was known about the group, but its name was attached to an Internet statement that claimed responsibility for the Madrid commuter train bombings that killed 191 people in March 2004, the last major terror attack in Europe.

A second claim appeared on a Web site Saturday, this one signed Abu Hafs al-Masri Brigades, a group whose name invokes the alias of Mohammed Atef, bin Laden's top deputy who was killed in a U.S. airstrike in Afghanistan in November 2001.

But terrorism experts said the group had no proven record of attacks, and noted it had claimed responsibility for events in which it was unlikely to have played any role — the 2003 blackouts in the United States and London that resulted from technical problems, for example.

A government-prepared dossier, drawn up by the British Home Office and Foreign Office after the March 2004 train bombings in Madrid, Spain, said al-Qaida is targeting middle-class Britons to join its ranks, The Sunday Times reported.

"Extremists are known to target schools and colleges where young people may be very inquisitive but less challenging and more susceptible to extremist reason/arguments," the report says, according to the Sunday newspaper.

At King's Cross station, near the site of the deadliest of the three subway bombings, service was partially restored on Saturday. Flowers and sympathy cards were piling up outside to honor the 21 known dead as the train was bombed between King's Cross and Russell Square stations.

A group of Muslims held a peaceful vigil outside St. Mary's Hospital on Saturday in solidarity with victims.

"We must remember that terror is all around us these days, that terror has no homeland or nationality and no religion and that we all face the same problems together," said Iman Hassan Ali, from the Dar Al Islam Foundation.

"We all want to understand these incidents and today we are here to give our support to the victims and say that we will stand together despite terrorism."
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050710/ap_on_re_eu/britain_bombings;_ylt=Ak7HH.nIVh3YInixCguioVNvaA8F;_ylu=X3oDMTBiMW04NW9mBHNlYwMlJVRPUCUl

[LazyLob]

Spain to aid Britain in probe of London terror attacks


Madrid, Jul 7 (EFE).- A team of Spanish agents who are experts on Islamist terrorism will travel to London by this weekend to help their British colleagues in the investigation of Thursday's deadly attacks in the British capital, police sources here told EFE.

@ Somehow

I mean it when I say I do NOT want to start a flame. But didn't the Spanish police and CESID already know who the bombers were and that they were up to something imminent? Why weren't they stopped?

[Somehow]

That wasn't so simple. Spanish security forces and the intelligence community (CNI, not CESID - old name!) had certain informations, several people involved in the bombing were under surveillance, but at the end, due to different reasons (from the most silly ones: e.g.: phone conversation in arabic not traslated, to the classical ones: lack of coordination between different agencies, resources, etc.) the terrorists achieved their goal.

Even before 11-S, one of the most important leaders of AQ in Europe was detained in Spain among at least one AQ terrorist cell. And in that moment, AQ terrorism seemed like a joke across Europe. For most of the people, was a far problem.

Just a side note!. In Spain before the 11-M, only some 300 officers were full-time dedicated to the Islamic radical terrorism, while up to 8000 officers were fighting ETA. Just in months after the bombing, while the situation regarding ETA is more or less the same, the resources (included people) fighting Islamic radicals increased several times.

What is a fact is that sadly now the Spanish security forces have a lot of experience dealing with this form of terrorism. Since the first months of 2001, dozens of terrorist were detained, and sadly again our top CT unit, GEO, was the first in European continent dealing with a group of suicide bombers (with the first GEO operator dead in action).

Anyway, nobody is 100% secure against that kind of thread, independently of the measures taken. While there are people ready to use a bomb without any restriction against innocent people ...

Regards,

SomeH0W

[LazyLob]

@ SomeHow

I appreciate your input, thank you.

[joka]

People are often unreasonable, illogical and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies. Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you. Be honest and frank anyway.
What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight. Build anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous. Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow. Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough. Give the world the best you've got anyway.
You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and God. It never was between you and them anyway.

I like to read this whenever things get tough. I hope you're coping down there UK.

RIP.

(Haven't been around a computer for a while, ergo the late condolences)

[CONSERVATIVE53]

People are often unreasonable, illogical and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies. Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you. Be honest and frank anyway.
What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight. Build anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous. Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow. Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough. Give the world the best you've got anyway.
You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and God. It never was between you and them anyway.

I like to read this whenever things get tough. I hope you're coping down there UK.

RIP.

(Haven't been around a computer for a while, ergo the late condolences)

Mother Teresa? I'm not about to forgive the terrorists for what they did. RIP.

[cmdrfire]

People are often unreasonable, illogical and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies. Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you. Be honest and frank anyway.
What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight. Build anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous. Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow. Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough. Give the world the best you've got anyway.
You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and God. It never was between you and them anyway.

I like to read this whenever things get tough. I hope you're coping down there UK.

RIP.

(Haven't been around a computer for a while, ergo the late condolences)

Mother Teresa? I'm not about to forgive the terrorists for what they did. RIP.

And why not? Many Londoners are, as many Londoners forgave the Irish (and the Irish the UK). This is what makes us more civilised, more humane, and above all more right than them - our capacity for forgiveness and compassion.
Thank you joka for your thoughtful words. They are much appreciated.

[Kristos]

A strange coincidence! A crisis managing company was holding bombing drills on the morning of 7/7/2005 at the exact stations that got hit by simulating a simultaneous bomb attack there.


A consultancy agency with government and police connections was running a drill exercise for an unnamed company which revolved around the London Underground being bombed at the exact same times and locations as was happening in real life on July 7th, BBC Radio 5 has revealed.

In a BBC Radio 5 interview which was aired on that very evening, July 7th, the host interviewed Peter Power, Managing Director of Visor Consultants, a firm which labels itself as a 'crisis management' advice company, also known as a PR firm.

Visor's managing director told the radio show's host that at the exact same time as the London bombings were taking place, his company was running a 1,000 person strong exercise drill in which the London Underground was being bombed at the exact same locations, at the exact same times, as happened in real life.

The transcript is as follows.

POWER: At half past nine this morning we were actually running an exercise for a company of over a thousand people in London based on simultaneous bombs going off precisely at the railway stations where it happened this morning, so I still have the hairs on the back of my neck standing up right now.

HOST: To get this quite straight, you were running an exercise to see how you would cope with this and it happened while you were running the exercise?

POWER: Precisely, and it was about half past nine this morning, we planned this for a company and for obvious reasons I don't want to reveal their name but they're listening and they'll know it. And we had a room full of crisis managers for the first time they'd met and so within five minutes we made a pretty rapid decision that this is the real one and so we went through the correct drills of activating crisis management procedures to jump from slow time to quick time thinking and so on.

According to Power the drill focused around 'simultaneous bombings'. At first the bombings were thought to have been spread over an hour, but that was later confirmed by police as being wrong and that in fact the bombings were only seconds apart, therefore simultaneous.

Click here for a clip of this dialogue. Click here for a longer clip where the comments can be heard in their full context.



The interview clips can be accessed from the link (http://www.aljazeera.com/me.asp?service_ID=9160).

[CONSERVATIVE53]

People are often unreasonable, illogical and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies. Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you. Be honest and frank anyway.
What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight. Build anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous. Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow. Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough. Give the world the best you've got anyway.
You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and God. It never was between you and them anyway.

I like to read this whenever things get tough. I hope you're coping down there UK.

RIP.

(Haven't been around a computer for a while, ergo the late condolences)

Mother Teresa? I'm not about to forgive the terrorists for what they did. RIP.

And why not? Many Londoners are, as many Londoners forgave the Irish (and the Irish the UK). This is what makes us more civilised, more humane, and above all more right than them - our capacity for forgiveness and compassion.
Thank you joka for your thoughtful words. They are much appreciated.

You can have some compassion, but that doesn't mean they should be let off the hook. I get mad because here in America people tend to forget about 9/11 and the people who did it.

[wulfstan]

check out some of the pics ppl took;
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_pictures/4660563.stm

[CONSERVATIVE53]

check out some of the pics ppl took;
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_pictures/4660563.stm

:( Sad, RIP.

[cmdrfire]

[quote=CONSERVATIVE53][quote=joka]clipped.

You can have some compassion, but that doesn't mean they should be let off the hook. I get mad because here in America people tend to forget about 9/11 and the people who did it.

That is a fair statement, and I agree with what you say to a certain degree. I found this article by John Simpson on the BBC today, that echoes my thoughts closely; it's well worth a read:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4671577.stm
In particular, I'd draw your attention to this statement. It states, far more eloquently, what I had in mind:

"Thursday was a terrible day for London; yet we mustn't forget that much the same number of people died that day in Iraq, and no one dedicated acres of newsprint to them.

We must hunt the bombers down, because they have committed a vicious crime against society. But we mustn't throw away the calm and self-possession which every decent society needs. It's not weakness; it's our greatest strength. "
(Emphasis added by me)

[CONSERVATIVE53]

[quote=CONSERVATIVE53][quote=joka]clipped.

You can have some compassion, but that doesn't mean they should be let off the hook. I get mad because here in America people tend to forget about 9/11 and the people who did it.

That is a fair statement, and I agree with what you say to a certain degree. I found this article by John Simpson on the BBC today, that echoes my thoughts closely; it's well worth a read:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4671577.stm
In particular, I'd draw your attention to this statement. It states, far more eloquently, what I had in mind:

"Thursday was a terrible day for London; yet we mustn't forget that much the same number of people died that day in Iraq, and no one dedicated acres of newsprint to them.

We must hunt the bombers down, because they have committed a vicious crime against society. But we mustn't throw away the calm and self-possession which every decent society needs. It's not weakness; it's our greatest strength. "
(Emphasis added by me)

Yup, but its hard to find a good balance between justice and compassion. All though we should try and keep the moral high ground in this fight, we have to be extremely tough. I just get upset when people complain about us playing Christina Aguilera music to loud when they are beheading us. That is way too much of a double standard.

[cmdrfire]

[quote=CONSERVATIVE53][quote=joka]clipped.

You can have some compassion, but that doesn't mean they should be let off the hook. I get mad because here in America people tend to forget about 9/11 and the people who did it.

That is a fair statement, and I agree with what you say to a certain degree. I found this article by John Simpson on the BBC today, that echoes my thoughts closely; it's well worth a read:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4671577.stm
In particular, I'd draw your attention to this statement. It states, far more eloquently, what I had in mind:

"Thursday was a terrible day for London; yet we mustn't forget that much the same number of people died that day in Iraq, and no one dedicated acres of newsprint to them.

We must hunt the bombers down, because they have committed a vicious crime against society. But we mustn't throw away the calm and self-possession which every decent society needs. It's not weakness; it's our greatest strength. "
(Emphasis added by me)

Yup, but its hard to find a good balance between justice and compassion. All though we should try and keep the moral high ground in this fight, we have to be extremely tough.
Agreed.
I just get upset when people complain about us playing Christina Aguilera music to loud when they are beheading us. That is way too much of a double standard.
I'm not sure I follow the example (have people been complaining because someone is playing Christina too loud?), but I see your point. The problem is that double standards unfortunately exist everywhere; this isn't an attempt to justify them, by no means, but they're there and there's not much anyone can do about them.
Let's end this little discussion for now though (even though we're steadily moving onto common ground); we've fallen victim to the OT disease.

[GREEK-AIRBORNE]

A very sad day, may all the Victims Rest in Peace and God help their families.
This people who died in this terrorist attack was innocent people, and those who did it are killers….
But
The thousands of Yugoslavians civilians, the Thousand of Afghanistan, and Iraq Civilians are innocent too, and may they Rest in Peace too, and God help their families.
The governments who did it are killers too just like the terrorists
We must not make exceptions to the innocent people who die
R.I.P for ALL the dead innocent people who die all over the World...
The Terrorism must be stoped, and we must do everythink we can to stop the killings

[vryhpyammoadded]

I’ve been away from civilization hiking the Appalachians and only now could reply about the sad news. RIP to the fallen.