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‘45 DEAD’
Sky News reports:
At least 45 people are reported to have been killed and 1,000 injured in a series of co-ordinated terror attacks on London.
Sky News crime correspondent Martin Brunt said the figures, which could rise, were from a reliable source.
He also reported that it is understood that seven were killed in the bus blast in Tavistock Square.
A previously unknown group calling itself “Secret Organisation al Qaeda in Europe” said it carried out the attacks as revenge for British “military massacres” in Iraq and Afghanistan.
(Via J.F. Beck, sourcing many of the links here tonight)
UPDATE I. Der Spiegel translates the letter claiming responsibility for the murders:
“Rejoice, community of Muslims,” the letter states. “The heroic mujahedeens today conducted an attack in London,” it continues. All of Great Britain is now shaken and shocked, “in the north, the south, west and east.” “We’ve warned the British government and the British people time and again,” the letter adds. “We’ve kept our promise and have carried out a blessed military operation.”
UPDATE II. The Australian Foreign Affairs helpline for relatives has changed. Now call 1800 00 22 14. The Scotland Yard hotline for people within Britain: 0870 1566 344.
UPDATE III. Well, this sure is a relief:
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) said on Thursday in Singapore that the London bombing was not related to the Olympic Games.
UPDATE IV. Timelines from Sky and the BBC, and images from This is London. A seat from the attacked bus landed near the home of a former novelist:
UPDATE V. A prediction from Tim Worstall:
Tomorrow we’ll find out whether Britons are, still, in fact, Britons. Many years ago I was working in The City and there were two events that made travel into work almost impossible.
The first was a series of storms that brought down power lines, blocked train routes and so on. Not surprisingly, the place was empty the next day. Why bother to struggle through?
The other event was an IRA bomb which caused massive damage and loss of life. Trains were disrupted, travel to work the next day was horribly difficult and yet there were more people at work than on a normal day. There was no co-ordination to this, no instructions went out, but it appeared that people were crawling off their sick beds in order to be there at work the next day, thrusting their mewling and pewling infants into the arms of anyone at all so that they could be there.
Yes, we’ll take an excuse for a day off, throw a sickie. But you threaten us, try to kill us? Kill and injure some of us?
Fuck you, sunshine.
We’ll not be having that.
UPDATE VI. Many blog links and reactions (Australian, UK, and elsewhere) gathered by Phil Gomes.
The timing of the attacks in London looks rigid and unimaginative to me. True, they do coincide with the opening of the G8 summit. However, had they been launched only 18 hrs earlier they would have formed both a terrorist commentary on the summit AND the complete ruin of London’s chances to host the 2012 Olympics. This strange instance of “not killing of two birds with one stone” seems to hint that: (1) the attack was designed in detail long time ago by (2) people residing outside the UK, and that (3) those people have serious problems with modifying their plans on real-time basis. Does it mean that the channels of long-distance communication they use are ad-hoc and infrequent?
Press confrence says:
8:51 Moorgate / Liverpool street explosion, 100 yards into tunnel from Liverpool Street. Seven confirmed fatalities
8:56 Kings Cross / Russell Square: 21 confirmed fatalities
9:17 explosion on train arriving at Edgware Road; three trains involved, 5 confirmed fatalities
9:47 explosion on bus at Upper Woburn Square; number of fatalities unconfirmed
As I expected, veiled threats from a Musintern puppet;
http://www.socialistworker.co.uk/article.php4?article_id=6929[2.50pm Thursday 7 July]
Statement on the London bombings by George Galloway on behalf of RespectWe extend our condolences to those who have lost their lives today and our heartfelt sympathy to all those who have been injured by the bombs in London.
No one can condone acts of violence aimed at working people going about their daily lives. They have not been a party to, nor are they responsible for, the decisions of their government. They are entirely innocent and we condemn those who have killed or injured them.
The loss of innocent lives, whether in this country or Iraq, is precisely the result of a world that has become a less safe and peaceful place in recent years.
We have worked without rest to remove the causes of such violence from our world. We argued, as did the Security Services in this country, that the attacks on Afghanistan and Iraq would increase the threat of terrorist attack in Britain. Tragically Londoners have now paid the price of the government ignoring such warnings.
We urge the government to remove people in this country from harms way, as the Spanish government acted to remove its people from harm, by ending the occupation of Iraq and by turning its full attention to the development of a real solution to the wider conflicts in the Middle East.
Only then will the innocents here and abroad be able to enjoy a life free of the threat of needless violence.
George Galloway, Respect MP for Bethnal Green and Bow
We urge the government to remove people in this country from harms way, as the Spanish government acted to remove its people from harm, by ending the occupation of Iraq and by turning its full attention to the development of a real solution to the wider conflicts in the Middle East.
Galloway has sold his soul. Nothing less than what the terrorists want will satisfy this venomous scoundrel.
Posted by The_Real_JeffS on 2005 07 07 at 10:36 AM • permalinkAnyone shocked about Galloway’s response?
Posted by Andrew Ian Dodge on 2005 07 07 at 10:49 AM • permalinkHow do you extend condolances to the dead? Or does George want us to believe he can get Allah to do it for him?
Posted by Susan Norton on 2005 07 07 at 10:53 AM • permalinkI always thought Galloway was a scum sucking lowlife dirtbag, after that statement frankly words fail me.
On another point the copper in charge, Paddick is his name, has just said that this attack was incompatible with Islam as he understands it. You should know that Paddick is the Metropolitan Police’s highest ranking gay officer, he has admitted smoking dope and claims to be an anarchist, Christ help us, he’s really going to shake up the jihadis!
“You must do your worst and we will do our best”, Winston Churchill, 1941, I just hope that spirit hasn’t left us.
GOD SAVE THE QUEEN!
Posted by Harry Flashman on 2005 07 07 at 10:54 AM • permalinkNot that he would care, but has Galloway noticed the Spanish are still getting bombed?
Posted by richard mcenroe on 2005 07 07 at 10:59 AM • permalinkShhhh, you’ll mess up Galloway’s bullshitting
Posted by Aging Gamer on 2005 07 07 at 11:02 AM • permalinkAnyone shocked about Galloway’s response?
I’m surprised it took him so long to get out. Much like al’Jazeera in Iraq, I figured he would have been forewarned.
Posted by Rob Crawford on 2005 07 07 at 11:05 AM • permalinkBRITS AREN’T SPANIARDS
Up yours, Galloway. Fat lot of good Spain’s pucillanimous behavior did them. This is not England’s fault.
Fundamentalist Arabs are simply fucking murderers. And if they think that the U.K. are get all French and run away, they have another guess coming.
Posted by freespeech on 2005 07 07 at 11:06 AM • permalinkThere will ALWAYS be an England
And she will always have her friends standing with her.
What will it take for the rest of Europe to wake up? Wasn’t Madrid enough? Now London? What happens if Paris is next? Will Chirac unilaterally surrender to the first country in line?
At what point will W. just decide that it is time for Syria to disappear as a little reminder to Iran that the game is up? Or would it just be better to blow Iran up now? This slow process of stablization in Iraq and a refusal to deal more drastically with its neighbors keeps getting more innocents killed. As Ledeen always says, “Faster, please!”
If the countries that aid and support the islamofascists were taken out, this morning’s happening would be less likely to occur in the future.
Tomorrow we’ll find out whether Britons are, still, in fact, Britons.
Perhaps the English people should acquaint these charming Islamic individuals as to why the words Hastings, Agincourt, Rorkes Drift and Goose Green are significant.
Posted by Mike Jericho on 2005 07 07 at 11:52 AM • permalinkI don’t really think Londoners need to be reminded how to stand up to this sort of thing. Galloway and his ilk are the exception not the rule.
Posted by Andrew Ian Dodge on 2005 07 07 at 12:15 PM • permalinkI am afraid jorgen is right. It is amazing how the west has chosen to die, to allow its civilization to be over-run by a theology that preaches death and intolerance - in conflict with everything they say they hold dear.
And when one in the west chooses to stand up and fight it is ridiculed, and is but 4% in the next presidential election away from joining the rest.
How sad.
If we were serious, at the very least, certain parts of Iran would be smoldering. We know where these people are funded supported. It is time to take the fight to them. If they don’t want to join the modern age - fine. If they want to blow us up because we are modern, why not just give them a quick trip to hell.
If terrorists want to live in the 14th century that’s fine. I don’t. Travel back to your mother countries and enjoy your lives there.
I am gobsmacked at some of the ideas held by people who blame western society (particularly those who live within the benefits and freedoms of western society), for the ills of followers of a religion who seem happy to be rooted in the 14th century.
And that’s pretty rooted.
Ah, good to see the brilliant sages on Gomes’ site have pinpointed the root cause as ... poverty. Yes, when we find out who did this, I’m sure it will be group of irate farmers from the Congo. Or Chinese peasants. Yes, yes. But fucktard raving lunatic inhuman Islamists bankrolled by the idle rich of some of the resource-wealthiest countries on the planet? No, no. Not possible.
Posted by Crispytoast on 2005 07 07 at 08:30 PM • permalinkJEM
LOL, the 7th and 8th century would be when they spread all over the world and they just wanna get it back. The world, I mean. (Even Australia, ask the mullahs here, they were here first, it was an islamic nation way back, the aborigines have some beliefs which tie in with islam and that proves it.)
They hate us because we think, and because they are told to hate us. They hate. That seems to be all they know. Hate.
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I hadn’t heard about these British “military massacres” in Iraq and Afghanistan. I don’t suppose they give any details, do they?