London Attacked: Combined thread

[Mrs. M.]

My DH just called me about what happened in London and I am so shocked! This is so horrible.

Multiple explosions rock London

LONDON, England (CNN) -- Near simultaneous explosions rocked the London Underground network and at least one bus at the morning rush hour, police said, causing fatalities and prompting officials to shut down the entire underground transport network. etc., etc...

[AusMarchBride]

Terrible, I'm watching BBC News on cable.

I used to work for a major international bank and I know their head office in London has been evacuated.

[nylons73]

Headline news everywhere at this hour (6:57 EST) but I'll give you the cnn.com link for more info.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/europe/07/07/london.tube/index.html

Prayers and thoughts to the British people today! :(

Multiple explosions rock London
Initial reports say at least two deaths

Thursday, July 7, 2005; Posted: 6:56 a.m. EDT (10:56 GMT)
LONDON, England (CNN) -- Near simultaneous explosions rocked the London Underground network and at least one bus at the morning rush hour, police said, causing fatalities and prompting officials to shut down the entire underground transport network.

In the first report of casualties, City of London police told CNN there had been two fatalities at Aldgate east station.

The explosions came a day after London was awarded the 2012 Olympics and as the G8 summit was getting under way in Scotland. Initial reports blamed a power surge, but officials were not ruling out a terrorist 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."

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Ian Blair said London had been hit by at least six blasts and there had been many casualties. He urged Londoners not to panic and said it was too early to say what caused the blasts.

UK Prime Minister Tony Blair said he would make a statement on the London explosions from the G8 summit at 1100GMT, his spokesman said.

A White House spokesman said U.S. President George W. Bush was aware of the explosions and had been in briefings with Blair all morning.

Claire Burroughs, spokeswoman for St Mary's Hospital in central London, told CNN the hospital was on "major incident alert."

Four patients were critically injured, eight were seriously injured and 14 others were being treated for minor injuries, she said.

"The types of injuries we are seeing include limb damage, burns, cuts, breaks, head injuries and chest problems due to smoke inhalation," Burroughs said.

The Tube blasts at the height of the rush hour on Thursday were initially blamed on a power surge.

But amid the chaos eyewitnesses reported that a packed double decker bus in the Russell Square area had been severely damaged in a blast.

There were media reports that a second bus had been damaged in Tavistock Square. Police told CNN they could not confirm that report.

Describing the Russell Square blast, eyewitness Belinda Seabrook told the UK Press Association she saw an explosion rip through the bus as it approached the Square.

"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," she said.

One Tube passenger told CNN passengers had been packed in smoke-filled carriages "just waiting to die."

One passenger, with blood streaming down the left side of his face from a wound on his temple, said he didn't "want to live through it again."

"I was in the front carriage and people were severely injured there," he said, adding that his train had been in the tunnel between Kings Cross and Russell Square.

"I heard, but I don't know, that people were hurt worse further back. Some people were very calm, others very panicky."

"There was a very loud bang, the lights went out, the carriage filled with smoke," he said. "We were all thrown forward."

Travellers emerged from underground tunnels covered in blood and soot. Scotland Yard declared the emergency a "major incident."

Emergency services were called to London's Liverpool Street Station after reports of an explosion shortly before 9 a.m.

A short while later, London Underground said there had been "another incident at Edgware Road" station in north west London.

[nylons73]

Hi there! This is truly TERRIBLE!

I just started a thread on this in the 'NEWS' forum since I thought that's where it belonged.

[Mrs. M.]

Ack. I had no idea there was a NEWS section. Sorry! (Still used to WC format where there wasn't one).

Hi there! This is truly TERRIBLE!

I just started a thread on this in the 'NEWS' forum since I thought that's where it belonged.

[jennylou]

Ugh, how awful.

[kalogrias]

My friend in London (who, incidentally, lives in Russell Square -- which is a lovely section of town most of the time) said that initial reports had Al Qaeda claiming it. Scary.

At first the press was trying to make it sound like jealous Olympic people...which, though very strange, would probably been better than the reality.

[Mrs. M.]

At first the press was trying to make it sound like jealous Olympic people...

That's crazy. Such things must have been planned and coordinated for a long time. Impossible that someone came up with it in a day, just because of the Olympics.

[kalogrias]

One would think, right? Then again, no one really wanted to think about it being in place to disrupt the G8 summit, which is probably why it was planned now -- the coincidence being a bonus. What troglodyte barbarians. What a tragedy.

[solongtogo]

What horrid news :(

[Zelda Von Yitz]

There is somebody on another board whose boss told her to come to work anyway!

That's insanity. I'd refuse; take a sick day or do what you have to DO -- it's too dangerous to fvck with.

[juliemag]

Gosh that's so awful. I had no idea, my boss just informed me. :(

[Belm]

At least two killed as explosions rock London (http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/1120729188476_6/?hub=World)

CTV.ca News Staff

At least two are dead and 100 wounded after six near-simultaneous explosions rocked London during Thursday's morning rush hour.

Meanwhile, rescue operations were underway at King's Cross, a major transportation hub, where there were reports one train was stuck.

The blasts prompted officials to shut down the entire bus and underground network.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair said it was "reasonably clear" that a series of terrorist attacks had struck the city.

"It's reasonably clear there have been a series of terrorist attacks in London, there are obviously casualties, people that have died, and people seriously injured," Blair said from Gleneagles, Scotland, where he is hosting the G-8 summit.

He said the meeting would continue as he headed to London to meet with the city's officials.

"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,'' Blair said one day after London was awarded the 2012 Olympics.


Initial reports blamed a power surge, but it became increasingly clear as the day progressed that officials were not ruling out an intentional attack.

The National Grid, which supplies power to the city's subway network, said there had been no problems with the system which could have contributed to the incidents.

One senior Israeli official, on condition of anonymity, says Scotland Yard told the Israeli embassy in London minutes before explosions that it had received warnings of possible terror attacks, The Associated Press reported.

Arab sources said the blasts were likely the work of al Qaeda, the British Broadcasting Corp. reported.

Reports from a German magazine said a group calling itself "Secret Organization -- al Qaeda in Europe" is claiming responsibility in an unverified online statement.

Der Spiegel said the group says the blasts are in retaliation for Britain's involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan.

While Scotland Yard said it was "too early to say" what caused them, when asked whether they may be terror-related, police said officials found indications of explosives at one of the sites.

Though the al-Qaeda link was not confirmed, security analysts said the blasts bore similarities to last year's Madrid bombings, when 10 bombs hidden in sports bags exploded on four packed commuter trains. The explosions, at the height of the city's morning rush hour, killed 191 people.

"The first thing that's very obvious is the synchronized nature of the attacks, and that's pretty classic for al Qaeda or al Qaeda-related organizations," Budapest-based security analyst Sebestyen Gorka told Reuters.

"If we're talking about several attacks on one day, then there's a good likelihood we're talking about a known quantity here...The similarities to Madrid are clear."

Police urge calm

London's police chief Sir Ian Blair urged people to stay where they were and not to call emergency services unless it was a life-threatening situation.

While he confirmed there had been several blasts, he said the picture in London was still "very confused."

Scotland Yard said explosions were reported at: Edgware Road, King's Cross, Liverpool Street, Russell Square, Aldgate East and Moorgate. The police also confirmed a blast on a bus in Tavistock Square in central London.

"What we really do need is calm," one metropolitan police spokesman said Thursday, cautioning against any speculation as the blasts threw the city into a panic.

There were reports that the cellular phone networks and telephone land lines were jammed as concerned residents tried to make calls.

Meanwhile in France, the government raised its terror alert level to the second-highest ranking on a four-notch scale, Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin said.

U.S. officials said they had no immediate plan to raise the nation's terrorism threat level, a spokeswoman said.

"The Department of Homeland Security does not have any intelligence indicating this type of attack is planned in the United States. However, I would just also say that we constantly evaluate both the threat information as well as our protective measures," spokeswoman Katy Montgomery said.


Hopefully, the death toll will not increase. :( :(

[Mrs. M.]

I just listened to the guy who told about how people got on the crowded bus because the subway had shut down and then the bus blew up.

It's making me sick

[Heidi9771]

oh my gosh! I used to live in Boston and took the "t" all the time...it was one of the city's worst fears as a terrorist threat.



From Yahoo News (http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20050707/ap_on_re_eu/britain_explosion)

LONDON - Four confirmed explosions rocked the London subway and tore open a packed double-decker bus during the morning rush hour Thursday. The blasts killed at least two people and injured scores in what a shaken Prime Minister Tony Blair called a series of "barbaric" terrorist attacks.

ADVERTISEMENT

Three blasts were on Tube trains and the fourth was on a bus, Britain's Home Secretary Charles Clarke told the House of Commons. "We do not know who or what organizations are responsible for these terrible criminal acts," Clarke said.

Police reported "a number of fatalities" at one London subway station. "Things are still relatively confused," Superintendent John Morgan said.

Blair said it was clear the attacks were designed to coincide with the opening of the G-8 summit in Gleneagles, Scotland. The prime minister said the meeting of world leaders would continue but that he would return to London.

"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," said Blair.

The blasts came one day after London was awarded the 2012 Olympics. Giselle Davies, a spokeswoman for the International Olympic Committee, said the committee still had "full confidence" in London as host.

Bloodied and bandaged witnesses reported panicked crowds fleeing the blast sites. A witness at the bus explosion said the entire top deck of the bus was destroyed.

Sir Ian Blair, London's police chief, said he was concerned the explosions were a coordinated attack but said he wouldn't speculate on who was responsible. He said officials had found indications of explosives at one of the sites.

Denying an earlier report, Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom said that Israel was not warned by Scotland Yard in advance of the blasts.

"We have been at a very high state of alert. Of course if there had been any kind of specific warnings we would have dealt with it," Blair said.

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. Dow Jones Newswires reported that police said there were explosions on two other buses, but police hadn't confirmed those blasts.

Paul Woodrow, an official with the ambulance service, told reporters that rescue operations were ongoing and that "there are large numbers of casualties." Officials at the Royal London Hospital told BBC that 95 injured had been brought into that hospital alone.

Jay Kumar, a business owner near the site of the bus blast, 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.

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, near the British Museum.

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."

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

The explosions sent stocks plummeting in Europe, with several of the major indexes down 3 percent.

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

[December27JJB]

I just saw that in the news. How horrible. My heart goes out to these who are in London right now.

[kalogrias]

The inherrent evil in it is gross. I agree, Mrs. M. It's making me sick, too. My heart and thoughts go out to London. I wish there was something we could do.

[mmeblue]

I'm glad it was posted in this forum...I don't always think to check the News one. How awful. :(

[sarahh]

I think its ok if this in on the Chit Chat board...although this is news I think it has a far reaching effect and will be the topic of discussion for many people today and in the future.

What a horrible tragedy...my heart goes out to all the victims and the citizens of London. How frightened they must be!

[taraw]

I just heard on CNN that a group called "The Secret Group o f Al Quaeda's Jihad in Europe" claimed responsibility for the blasts.

[taraw]

I just heard on CNN that a group called "The Secret Group of Al Quaeda's Jihad in Europe" claimed responsibility for the blasts.

[Kinetic]

Sickening! I heard about this this morning as soon as I saw the TV. They initially reported it to be a power surge on the subway, but when the buses were attacked, they knew that wasn't the case. My heart goes out to those innocent people.
How do these terrorists plant these bombs right under our noses?

[oceaneast]

It's heart breaking.

[Taylandra]

I'm so sad and a litle scared right now...Does anyone know if you can look at a list or contact any of the hospitals to see if the person you're looking for is there? My DH's aunt just left for London on Monday with a group of college students to teach for a month. She does this every year and I'm worried about her and a few other friends from England...

If it is against the G8 summit, is it b/c they don't want the big countries together or b/c they don't want us sticking our nose in other people's business? So confused...

-Cassie

[scout]

So sad. Do we have any British CC users?

[bciob22]

I am FREAKING here. My parents live in London and I can't get through to them. :(

[dionysia]

I have no words.

Di

[jennylou]

So sad. Do we have any British CC users?

Did Quartercentury come over from the WC?

bciob - I hope you are able to get through to your parents soon. Can you try email instead? I remember on 9/11 not being able to contact my sister b/c of the busy phone lines, so I emailed her instead.

[kris97]

So, so incredibly sad. :( And just yesterday, the city was jubilant for winning the Olympics. How I hate the people who do these things.

[dionysia]

bciob:
The United States State Department has also set up a telephone hotline for US citizens with relatives or friends in the area. This number is +1 888 407 4747.

Di

[dionysia]

Taylandra:
The United States State Department has set up a telephone hotline for US citizens with relatives or friends in the area. This number is +1 888 407 4747

Di

[bciob22]

bciob - I hope you are able to get through to your parents soon. Can you try email instead? I remember on 9/11 not being able to contact my sister b/c of the busy phone lines, so I emailed her instead.


They don't have e-mail currently. I have no reason to believe that they would even believe they would be on the train. The only real reason I am freaking out is they are there for 2 years and are scheduled to be home in August and I have had a feeling since they left that my mother would not make it back to the U.S. I am most likely being overly scared but still....

[sublime311]

For me it brings back those feelings of vulnerability and fear that 9/11 did.

Why, why, why?? :(

ETA: bciob, I am so sorry you are going through this. On 9/11 my mom was supposed to be on a plane home from Seattle and it took awhile to speak with her so I can imagine how you must feel. Rationally, we know that they must be fine, but just like a loved one who doesn't come home when they're expected, your mind wanders to all the horrible possibilities. I'm sorry you have to go through that. Please let us know when you hear from them.

[SoCoWife]

My best friend's boyfriend (also a co-worker of mine) lives there and another one of my co-workers from the home office is there with his family, he was visiting our UK offices and turned it into a vacation with the family. No one can get in touch with any of them, we are all calling every five minutes here to get an update on everyone.

bciob22 I was going to say the same thing that jennylou did about 9/11 I couldn't get any of my NY family on the line for about 6 hours. I thought maybe it would give you a little peace of mind to know we are having the same trouble with our friends there so it may be everyone, please let us know when you hear from your parents!

Gina

[dionysia]

33 confirmed fatalities.

:(

Di

[tunibell]

I lived in NYC on 9/11 and watched the towers burn. Horrific. Our apartment in Brooklyn was right across the river from downtown, and the way the air smelled for weeks was just beyond description. We're in SF now, but I'm opting to work from home today instead of take BART in. I don't think I've ever seen a cop on BART, so I'd like to give them time to beef up security a little.

So, so sad.

[ag-girl]

This is just horrible :(

[Brandles]

I emailed two friends over there and they're okay (whew!). It's scary.

[lawyerlee]

If it is against the G8 summit, is it b/c they don't want the big countries together or b/c they don't want us sticking our nose in other people's business?
If it is Al Queda, it is probably just like it was with 9/11 and 3/11 - very little rhyme or reason other than fanaticism. :(

I hate this. I'm so sad and angry for the people of England. :mad: :(

[lawyerlee]

CNN is now reporting 33 dead.

London bombs kill at least 33 (http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/europe/07/07/london.tube/index.html) CNN

'Barbaric' terror attack says PM Tony Blair

LONDON, England (CNN) -- At least 33 are dead and scores wounded after a series of four "callous" and coordinated bombings in London's transport system, Scotland Yard said.

U.S. law enforcement sources say the British government has told them the death toll is at least 40.

Witnesses described the horror of seeing victims dying and with serious injuries. There were scenes of panic as power failed on crowded underground trains, and tunnels filled with smoke.

"We were all trapped like sardines waiting to die," said Angelo Power. "I honestly thought I was going to die, as did everyone else."

British Prime Minister Tony Blair said it was a "barbaric" terrorist attack as he flew back to London from the G8 summit in Scotland, which he said would go on in defiance of the bombers.

A group, the "Secret Organization group of al Qaeda Organization in Europe," claimed responsibility in a Web site posting. The authenticity of the claim could not immediately be verified.

[lawyerlee]

CNN Breaking News

Sources: U.S. terror threat level to be raised to orange for mass transit network in wake of London bombings. Details soon.

World leaders condemn attacks, offer support (http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/europe/07/07/world.reax/index.html) CNN

President Bush also condemned the perpetrators of the attacks.

"The contrast couldn't be clearer between the intentions and the hearts of those of us who care deeply about human rights and human liberty and those who kill, those who have such evil in their heart that they will take the lives of innocent folks," Bush said.

The president said the ideology of hope and compassion would triumph over that of hate.

Bush also said he had spoken with U.S. Department of Homeland Security officials and told them to be "extra vigilant."

[lawyerlee]

My DH's aunt just left for London on Monday with a group of college students to teach for a month. She does this every year and I'm worried about her and a few other friends from England...
I also meant to say that I will hold your family in my thoughts along with all of the others who are worried about their loved ones right now.

[sarahh]

Terror threat raised in U.S. ....U.S. raising terror alert level for rail systems
Homeland Security decision will not apply to airlines, official tells NBC

BREAKING NEWS
NBC News and news services
Updated: 11:32 a.m. ET July 7, 2005

WASHINGTON - The Homeland Security Department on Thursday was raising the terror alert level for subway and rail systems — but not airlines — in the wake of the terrorist attacks in London, a U.S. official told NBC News.

The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the alert level for trains and subways would be raised to orange, which signifies a high risk of terrorist attack, from yellow, the mid-point on the five-point color-coded system.

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff was expected to announce the increase in the five-tier terror alert system at an 11:45 ET news conference.

The terrorism alert level was last raised in August last year to orange for the financial services sector in New York City, northern New Jersey and Washington D.C., based on intelligence that al Qaeda was targeting specific buildings. It was lowered back to yellow on Nov. 10, 2004.

Word of the increase came as authorities around the country ratcheted up security on public transportation systems and urged extra vigilance.

The moves came after President Bush ordered the U.S. Homeland Security Department to contact authorities in major cities and urge them to be "extra vigilant" after the attack in London.

Bush calls for alert to go out
"I instructed them to be in touch with local and state officials about the facts of what took place here in London," Bush told reporters from Gleneagles, Scotland, where he was attending the Group of Eight summit.

In New York, Gov. George Pataki said authorities were relying on the public as well as the stepped-up security.

“We are asking people to be alert, to report any suspicious activity or packages, backpacks, boxes to police,” he said in a telephone interview.

About 4.5 million passengers use New York City subways daily, and officials increased police coverage of the subways, buses and transit stations throughout the city.

Commuters, while admitting to some nervousness, didn’t let news of the explosions alter their travel.

Commuter follows routine
“I’ve always been aware that the subway could be a target but it hasn’t affected the way I live my life. I got on this morning and rode downtown just like I always do,” said Mary Ellen Kelly, who lives in midtown Manhattan.


Amtrak officials increased security at all its stations around the country, and posted police officers on board all trains.

“These security measures are just taken as a precaution,” company spokeswoman Tracy Connell said. “We will continue the heightened security threat level until we have a better understanding of what happened in London.”

In San Francisco, Bay Area Rapid Transit System officials closed all station bathrooms, while Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney took the unprecedented step of raising the security level on Boston’s transit system.

“The governor is alarmed by what happened in London,” Romney spokesman Eric Fehrnstrom said. There was no specific intelligence about any threat to the city or the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority system, he said.

‘You kind of hold your breath’
“You kind of hold your breath until rush hour is over because of the timing of the one in London,” said Paul Dullea, 37, of Millis, Mass., while an announcement telling people to report suspicious activity played repeatedly over a Boston subway station intercom.

In Atlanta, all MARTA commuter rail police officers and dogs were deployed. Los Angeles police officers were told they couldn’t leave their shifts without permission and extra sheriff’s deputies were sent to patrol Metrolink commuter stations and trains, officials said.

A police helicopter hovered over Penn Station in Newark, N.J., Thursday morning while authorities blocked off the lane in front of the station that taxis and buses use. Uniformed officers scurried to each platform and in and out of shops inside the station.

“I’m shaken up,” said Towyonia Johnson of Jersey City, who noticed more officers than usual riding the PATH train to her computer operator job in Newark. “If it can happen there, it can happen here. I just want to make it home safe.”

Despite the added precautions taken by local authorities, Homeland Security spokesman Brian Roehrkasse said that there were no immediate plans to raise the nation’s threat level.

“We do not have any intelligence indicating this type of attack is planned in the United States,” Roehrkasse said.

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.
© 2005 MSNBC.com

URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8494550/

[claribella]

I just turned on the news to this...33 killed was it?

I'm terrified...i don't know what to think.

Oh and someone said their friend's boss told them to come to work anyway! Hell I don't even want to go to work in L.A.! I can't believe that!

What is the alert now? Orange? Isn't that right under red?

[Peaches]

So sad. Do we have any British CC users?

I just moved back to the south coast of England after being in the States for 10 years.
It is just terrible. The worst ever terror attack on UK soil...

[hockeybrat]

It just makes me sad :(

[ptrecluse]

bciob - I just wanted to send you a hug and say that my thoughts and prayers are with you. I hope you hear from your parents soon.

This is heartbreaking, my family is from England and I lived in London in the early 90's. I love London and I am so saddened by this.

[LeslieandPaul]

That's so scary!!! This must be why they're doing a security briefing on NBC New York (I have satellite) and security is being tightened there. I couldn't figure out what was going on and came on here to find something out. They're showing footage from London right now-it's frightening.

[Secret_Squirrel]

Here is a BBC graphic of where the blasts occured:

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41277000/gif/_41277669_central_londonblast5_map.gif

And this is a photo of people exacuating the tube:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/05/in_pictures_enl_1120742501/img/1.jpg

Those poor people. Yet they are the fortunate ones because they can walk out of the tunnel.

My sympathies to the British people. And just yesterday they were so happy about having the Olympics!

It's also a bit of sad irony that this G8 meeting was the first meeting of major nations that a discussion of terrorism was not on the agenda. Instead, it was focusing on environmental and humanitarian causes. How threatening to Al-Qaeda.

[lawyerlee]

My thoughts are with all of you who are worried about family members or friends in London and with all the people of London and the UK. :(

That map is extremely helpful, Secret Squirrel. Thank you for posting it.

[lawyerlee]

Officials: Unexploded Devices Discovered in London (http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/print?id=918193) ABC News
Sources Tell ABC News Two Bombs, Evidence of Timing Devices Found

Jul. 7, 2005 - U.S. authorities tell ABC News that British police have recovered two unexploded bombs from the scene of the terror attacks in London.

In addition, British investigators say that parts of timing devices have been recovered from the blast scene that would have been used to detonate an explosive device. This could provide evidence that would help determine who was behind the attacks, sources told ABC News.

Police in London found two unexploded devices after the morning's four subway and bus bombings that left at least 40 dead and 700 injured, ABC News has learned.

Officials also found remnants of timing devices left behind on the subways, though it is believed that the bus attack was carried out by a suicide bomber, sources said.

It is not yet known where the unexploded devices were discovered.

[Asha]

this is terrible. now, i am really paranoid. just the other week i was telling my friends that i worry when about this when i go on the subway bc i saw a tv show about the bombings in madrid, and it showed how easy it is to really carry this off. yeah, and it makes me mad bc when you are on a subway and you notice suspicious behavior, how can you report it? there is no reception underground for cell phones and they have the doors locked between cars so you can't go and tell a conductor. this also makes me mad that they lock the doors between cars bc if there were ever an emergency like this in nyc hundreds of people would be trapped inside the subways bc of the locked doors between cars. again, i am sounding paranoid but i think this is a forewarning about future attacks on u.s. soil. they will get us when we least expect it. london was celebrating the olympic bid win. i think it does have to do with the olympic bid win especially since nyc was so invested in that as well. it doesn't take a lot of advance preparation to carry something like this off. also, i think i have a right to be paranoid as i was in nyc during the wtc bombings and that whole day i was frightenend and sad beyond description. my good friend from hs used to work there, and i thought she had died. thank god she was saved, but we lost so many others. what does raising the level of alert do?? i am confused there is no way that they can watch all the buses and metro of nyc let alone the entire u.s.

[TX Sweetheart]

Hope everybody's family & friends in England are ok... my mom e-mailed me tonight and told me that my cousin is over there for some school trip... luckily they were not in London, but they were supposed to go to London Saturday but in light of the attacks are... not. I'm just glad he's ok... hope he makes it back to the States safely.

[mmeblue]

bciob - have you been able to get in touch with your parents yet?

[Asha]

watching the news was heartwrenching last night. all those video clips from the cell phones were so scary. my heart goes out to them.

[bciob22]

bciob - have you been able to get in touch with your parents yet?

No, but my brother was in contact with friends of my parents who had talked to them about an hour before and it sounds like they were no where near.

[Taylandra]

Di-Thanks for the phone number. I wound up not needing it b/c DH's aunt called us to let us know she was ok. My other friends over there got in touch with a mutual friend and she let me know that everyone was safe.
Diana-Thanks for your thoughts!!! I'm very thankful those I know were ok!
I'm glad that those other two devices didn't go off-esp. during the evacuations. My thoughts are still with all those affected...

[camberne]

I was one of the people having issues getting onto CC yesterday, but thought a few might be interested in an email from my sister who lives with her family just outside of London:

Thanks to those who emailed. Neil and I are fine - London is pretty fine, too, come to that. Bizarre day, though for us a fortunate day and no harm at all. Soberingly, we were both at Kings Cross within 10 minutes of one bomb blast; I was then on the tube line and was within 5 minutes of another blast, but we were totally unaffected by anything other than traffic chaos and noise and confusion. At one point I phoned Neil to say I was getting on a bus; next thing he knew the tv news was saying that there were 3 buses bombed, but the phone networks were down, so he had an anxious time for a while until we could speak. That is nothing, of course, compared to what many people went through.

TOTAL gridlock and shutting down of the city centre, which was eerie, but the way things so quickly returned to normal functioning was equally eerie. One thing Londoners do well is a crisis. Thick upper lip, blitz spirit, etc.

Recovering well, as required by the "we won't bow to terrorist" mode, I will take this opportunity to remind you now that we will take highest bidders for accommodation during THE OLYMPICS. We have four tents, but highest bidders may find floor space indoors. Over 65s will get first dibs on beds. Bring your own pillows.

Love to all, Lauryn & Neil

It was SO reminiscent for me of 9/11, when we couldn't get through to any of our family... my cousin is a NYC police officer and we didn't get word from him until after 7:00 that night. Lauryn emailed around 3:00, after we had been franticalling phoning and emailing all day!!

Word to the wise, if you get caught in anything such as this - CALL HOME IMMEDIATELY.

So glad that everyone else's family from here is well that we know of. We're very thankful!!

[nylons73]

Alice - Thanks so much for sharing that email. What an insight into what a normal commuter was going through on Thursday. Thanfully they are both ok!

Sounds like your sister is a real ham. I love her comment "Over 65s get first dibs on beds." lol. :)

[lawyerlee]

London Bombs May Have Been Suicide Attacks (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050713/ap_on_re_eu/britain_bombings&printer=1;_ylt=Ajtp09RURrhpOXKRk2kQNmRbbBAF;_ylu=X 3oDMTA3MXN1bHE0BHNlYwN0bWE-) AP

By THOMAS WAGNER, Associated Press Writer

New evidence suggests four suicide bombers, including at least three Britons of Pakistani descent, carried out the terror attacks in London, officials said Tuesday. Surveillance cameras captured the men as they arrived in the capital just 20 minutes before the explosions began.

Police raided six homes in Leeds searching for explosives and computer files that would shed more light on what were believed to be the first suicide bombings in Western Europe. They arrested a man, identified by the British news agency Press Association as a relative of one of the suspected bombers.

A town councilor told The Associated Press that at least three of the presumed suicide bombers were British citizens of Pakistani ancestry.

One bomber was thought to be Shahzad Tanweer, a 22-year-old cricket-loving sports science graduate, and another was a teenager, Press Association reported.

On its Web site, The Times newspaper named Tanweer, as well as Leeds residents Hasib Hussain, 19, and Mohammed Sidique Khan, the 30-year-old father of an eight-month old baby. The newspaper said police were still trying to identify the fourth bomber.

Without citing sources, the Times said the mastermind behind the attacks as well as the bombmaker were still thought to be at large. Police found a "bomb factory" during the Leeds raids, the newspaper said.

Press Association said the men had driven a rental car to Luton, 30 miles north of London, and then boarded a commuter train to London's King's Cross station. Police closed Luton's train station and carried out a controlled explosion on a parked car, which the BBC reported had explosives.

Closed-circuit TV video showed all four men arriving at King's Cross by 8:30 a.m. on Thursday, about 20 minutes before the blasts began, Peter Clarke, head of the Metropolitan Police anti-terrorist branch, told a Scotland Yard news conference.

[miel]

I think there will be more suicide attacks. Here and in Europe. Not a lot more, I hope. I don't know why this suicide attack scared me much more than 9-11. And made me more sad. 9-11 seemed sort of unreal to me but this seems so real. Later, when I visited NYC it hit me hard. But even after that I never looked around and thought "are there terrorists here?" Now I do...it's ridiculous but I can't help it.

A fear I have that is worst than the terrorist attacks is what it will do to the U.S. Will the reactionaries take over? Is there any hope for U.S. democracy once a few terrorist attacks hit? I doubt it. But what then? I shudder to think. I know that the goal of the terrorists is to cause an over-reaction that will be politically useful to them. I don't think they know what they are getting into...There is not going to be a democratic country that is busting up other nations--there is going to be an imperialist right wing country that is going to be much, much harder to deal with. True, that will provide even more catalyst for outrage in some parts of the Middle East--but I think they are forgetting how well militarist repression can work (as it did in Saudi Arabia and Egypt).

I wonder what will happen now to British politics. I have a feeling that they will become more isolationist than before. That would be wise.

I know I'm going off the deep end! I used to write a political blog and I could spin my fearful scenarios there but I haven't kept it up for a year! However, I don't think the expectation of more terrorist attacks and suicide bombers is irrational.

[miel]

I forgot to say that a good friend of mine was right there when the attacks hit. I haven't talked to him yet. He emailed me briefly to say he was alright.