RKMBs Forums .::Important::. Politics and Current Events Shit! Somebody blew up London!

LONDON - At least six blasts rocked the London subway and tore open a packed double-decker bus during the morning rush hour Thursday, police said, killing at least two people and injuring nine, prompting officials to shut down the entire underground transport network.

The near simultaneous explosions came a day after London was awarded the 2012 Olympics and as the G-8 summit was getting underway in Scotland. Initial reports blamed a power surge, but officials were not ruling out an intentional attack.

"There have been a number of dreadful incidents across London today," said Home Secretary Charles Clarke, Britain's top law enforcement officer. He said there were "terrible injuries."

One witness, Darren Hall, said some passengers emerging from an evacuated subway station had soot and blood on their faces. He told BBC TV that he was evacuated along with others near the major King's Cross station and only afterward heard a blast.

Police confirmed an explosion destroyed a double-decker bus at Russell Square in central London and said they suspected a bomb caused the blast. Dow Jones Newswires reported that police said there were explosions on two others buses.

A witness at the Russell Square blast said the entire top deck of that bus was destroyed.

"I was on the bus in front and heard an incredible bang, I turned round and half the double decker bus was in the air," Belinda Seabrook told Press Association, the British news agency.

She said the bus was packed with people.

"It was a massive explosion and there were papers and half a bus flying through the air," she said.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who was hosting the world's most powerful leaders at Gleneagles, Scotland, was expected to make a statement at 7 a.m. EDT. It was not clear if the G-8 gathering focusing on climate change and aid for Africa — but from which Iraq has largely been left off the agenda — would have to be postponed.

Police said incidents were reported at the Aldgate station near the Liverpool Street railway terminal, Edgware Road and King's Cross in north London, Old Street in the financial district and Russell Square in central London, near the British Museum.

London Ambulance Service said several vehicles had been dispatched to the area near Liverpool Street station.

"We believe there was some sort of explosion. There are some walking wounded at Aldgate," said a spokesman for City of London police, speaking on condition of anonymity.

"We are not sure of the scale of the incident. Reports are still coming in."

Bradley Anderson, a subway passenger, told Sky News that "there was some kind of explosion or something" as his train reached the Edgware Road station in northeast London.

"Everything went black and we collided into some kind of oncoming train," Anderson said.

Simon Corvett, 26, who was on an eastbound train from Edgware Road station, said: "All of sudden there was this massive huge bang."

"It was absolutely deafening and all the windows shattered," he said. "There were just loads of people screaming and the carriages filled with smoke.

"You could see the carriage opposite was completely gutted," he said. "There were some people in real trouble."

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Steve T said:
Fuck!

it's like being in the fucking eighties again!

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General Zod said:
Phones....Now available to everyone, But at least it wasnt Us Irish again

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Report: Islamic Group Claims London Blasts

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.

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."

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Nowhereman said:
Whether it be arabs,the Irish or whoever,its still just a bunch of cowards who are stupid enough to think that killing innocent people will get them any kind of support or bring attention to their cause.

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Nowhereman said:
Thankfully I have heard that both my friends were working (they are tube drivers,so you can understand why I was concerned) but were luckily enough not to be on those particular trains.

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Whether it be arabs,the Irish or whoever,its still just a bunch of cowards who are stupid enough to think that killing innocent people will get them any kind of support or bring attention to their cause.
The only people who support them are idiots who already support them,and the only attention they get is against them,not for them!

Whether these people are right or wrong in their cause is not the point,its how they fight that cause thats wrong!
What did those people on the trains & busses have to do with anything thats been done wrong against them?

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the G-man said:

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Nowhereman said:
Whether it be arabs,the Irish or whoever,its still just a bunch of cowards who are stupid enough to think that killing innocent people will get them any kind of support or bring attention to their cause.

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The problem is that these cowards always find a sizeable contingent of idiots who are stupid enough to think that if we are nice to terrorists they will leave us alone.

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Four London Blasts Kill 40, Injure 300
By JANE WARDELL, Associated Press Writer

LONDON - Four blasts rocked the London subway and tore open a packed double-decker bus during the morning rush hour Thursday, sending bloodied victims fleeing after what a shaken Prime Minister Tony Blair called "barbaric" terrorist attacks. Two U.S. law enforcement officials said at least 40 people were killed and London hospitals reported more than 350 wounded.

Blair said the "terrorist attacks" were clearly designed to coincide with the G-8 summit opening in Gleneagles, Scotland. They also came a day after London won the bid to host the 2012 Olympics. A group calling itself "The Secret Organization of al-Qaida in Europe" claimed responsibility.

The explosions hit three subway stations and a double-decker bus in rapid succession between 8:30 and 9:30 a.m. local time. Implementing an emergency plan, authorities immediately shut down the subway and bus lines that log 8.4 million passenger trips every weekday. It brought the city's transportation system to a halt.

"It was chaos," said Gary Lewis, 32, who was evacuated from a subway train at King's Cross station. "The one haunting image was someone whose face was totally black and pouring with blood."

Blair, flanked by fellow G-8 leaders, including President Bush, said: "We shall prevail and they shall not."

Earlier, a shaken Blair said, "Whatever they do, it is our determination that they will never succeed in destroying what we hold dear in this country and in other civilized nations throughout the world."

He departed by helicopter back to London, but said the meeting of the world leaders would continue. The G-8 summit's agenda got sidetracked, however, and they decided to delay declarations on climate change and the global economy.

Bush warned Americans to be "extra vigilant" as they head to work after the deadly explosions in London. He said he had conferred with federal homeland security officials back in Washington.

Much of Europe also went on alert. Italy's airports raised alert levels to a maximum. The Czech Republic, Hungary, Russia, the Netherlands, France and Spain also were among those announcing beefed-up security at shopping centers, airports, railways and subways.

The U.N. Security Council was to meet later Thursday to address the London attacks and was expected to pass a resolution condemning the blasts, an official said.

A group calling itself "The Secret Organization of al-Qaida in Europe" posted a claim of responsibility, saying the blasts were in retaliation for Britain's involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The statement also threatened attacks in Italy and Denmark. It 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.

The authenticity of the statement could not be immediately confirmed, but terrorism experts said the coordinated explosions had the trademarks of the al-Qaida network.

"This is clearly an al-Qaida style attack. It was well-coordinated, it was timed for a political event and it was a multiple attack on a transportation system at rush hour," said Lawrence Freedman, professor of war studies at King's College in London.

European stocks dropped sharply after the blasts, with exchanges in London, Paris and Germany all down about 2 percent. Insurance and travel-related stocks were hit hard, and the British pound also fell. Gold, traditionally seen as a safe haven, rose.

The explosions also unnerved traders on Wall Street, sending stocks down sharply in morning trading.

The U.S. officials who gave the death toll spoke on condition of anonymity because British officials have yet to make the toll public. U.S. authorities learned of the number from their British counterparts, according to the official.

Officials at seven major hospitals surveyed by The Associated Press reported 358 people had been wounded, including more than 120 who were treated and released.

London Mayor Ken Livingstone said the blasts that ripped through his city were "mass murder" carried out by terrorists bent on "indiscriminate ... slaughter."

"This was not a terrorist attack against the mighty or the powerful ... it was aimed at ordinary working-class Londoners," said Livingstone, in Singapore where he supported London's Olympic bid. Giselle Davies, an International Olympic Committee spokeswoman, said the committee still had "full confidence" in London.

Jay Kumar, a business owner near the site of the blast that destroyed a double-decker bus at Russell Square in central London, said he ran out of his shop when he heard a loud explosion. He said the top deck of the bus had collapsed, sending people tumbling to the floor.

Many appeared badly injured, and bloodied people ran from the scene.

"A big blast, a big bomb," he told The Associated Press. "People were running this way panicked. They knew it was a bomb. Debris flying all over, mostly glass."

"I was on the bus in front and heard an incredible bang, I turned round and half the double decker bus was in the air," Belinda Seabrook told Press Association, the British news agency.

Traces of explosives were found at two explosion sites, a senior police official said. Police confirmed fatalities but had not confirmed any numbers by early afternoon.

Pope Benedict XVI deplored the "terrorist attacks," calling them "barbaric acts against humanity," and said he was praying for the victim's families.

Explosions were reported at the Aldgate station near the Liverpool Street railway terminal, Edgware Road and King's Cross in north London, Old Street in the financial district and Russell Square, near the British Museum.

"I saw lots of people coming out covered in blood and soot. Black smoke was coming from the station. I saw several people laid out on sheets," office worker Kibir Chibber, 24, said at the Aldgate subway station.

Simon Corvett, 26, on an eastbound train from Edgware Road station, described "this massive huge bang ... It was absolutely deafening and all the windows shattered."

"You could see the carriage opposite was completely gutted," he said. "There were some people in real trouble."

London's cell phone network was working after the explosions but was overloaded and spotty, limiting communication.

On March 11, 2004, terrorist bombs on four commuter trains in Madrid killed 191 people.

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PJP said:

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the G-man said:

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Nowhereman said:
Whether it be arabs,the Irish or whoever,its still just a bunch of cowards who are stupid enough to think that killing innocent people will get them any kind of support or bring attention to their cause.

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The problem is that these cowards always find a sizeable contingent of idiots who are stupid enough to think that if we are nice to terrorists they will leave us alone.

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Exactly.....the only way to deal with them is to kill them....all of them.

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Nowhereman said:

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PJP said:

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the G-man said:

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Nowhereman said:
Whether it be arabs,the Irish or whoever,its still just a bunch of cowards who are stupid enough to think that killing innocent people will get them any kind of support or bring attention to their cause.

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The problem is that these cowards always find a sizeable contingent of idiots who are stupid enough to think that if we are nice to terrorists they will leave us alone.

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Exactly.....the only way to deal with them is to kill them....all of them.

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That I disagree with as their is a knock on effect.
You kill them,and those that maybe wouldnt have gone to those extremes will then think "What my terrorist friends have been saying is right,they were killed by the barbaric warmongers for fighting their cause. Now I must become a terrorist as well & take up their fight for them!"

Ok,maybe thats a bit comedic,but its not entirely false.

While I am not saying fighting them is wrong,what I am saying is killing them just because,actually aids their misguided cause.

I dont believe the war on terrorism will ever be ended,but as the situation with the IRA has been lessened,there are always ways and means of dealing with terrorism that will be beneficial to both sides.

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harleykwin said:
I agree with Pete's above statement. Arafat was a joke, and at least the IRA had reps that one could try to reason with. With Al Queada its a "join us or die" mentality - there is absolutely no room to negotiate.

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Nowhereman said:

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harleykwin said:
I agree with Pete's above statement. Arafat was a joke, and at least the IRA had reps that one could try to reason with. With Al Queada its a "join us or die" mentality - there is absolutely no room to negotiate.

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Yes,but how many years did the IRA exist before the cease fire was finally agreed?
I would hope to god that it doesnt take as long to come up with a similar solution with regards to the arab states etc!

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Im Not Mister Mxypltk said:
I'm happy to hear all our brits are ok, as well as their friends. In what city does ROY live?

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Nowhereman said:
Thankfully I have heard that both my friends were working (they are tube drivers,so you can understand why I was concerned) but were luckily enough not to be on those particular trains.

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Whether it be arabs,the Irish or whoever,its still just a bunch of cowards who are stupid enough to think that killing innocent people will get them any kind of support or bring attention to their cause.

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The only people who support them are idiots who already support them,and the only attention they get is against them,not for them!

Whether these people are right or wrong in their cause is not the point,its how they fight that cause thats wrong!
What did those people on the trains & busses have to do with anything thats been done wrong against them?

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Im Not Mister Mxypltk said:
I'm happy to hear all our brits are ok, as well as their friends. In what city does ROY live?

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