Although the current theory is a power surge of some kind.
Posted by Harry (Member # 265) on :
So official word seems to be a power surge and/or outage.
But there are some rumours of bombs and a double decker bus that has exploded...
Posted by Wraith (Member # 779) on :
Seems to be terrorist related. National Grid says it has no record of a power surge. The bus explosion would seem to rule that out too.
Although there's still no real idea about what's going on.
Posted by Cartman (Member # 256) on :
If it is, they ought to check their major-events-in-London-to-plant-bombs-at calendar again. LiveAid and Wimbledon were last week, and it's a bit on the early side for the Olympics.
Still, the explosion pattern sure seems intentional.
Posted by Doctor Jonas (Member # 481) on :
Six explosions... three dead people. But some France media outlets say 20.
And they checked fine. The G-8 summit is undergoing NOW, you know.
Posted by Harry (Member # 265) on :
And there probably was more security during Geldof Day and Wimbledon than during G8, when security was more focused on Gleneagles, or whatever the place is called.
Posted by Wraith (Member # 779) on :
Up to seven blasts now; Edgware Road, King's Cross, Liverpool Street, Russell Square, Aldgate East, Tavistock Square and Moorgate.
quote: The BBC's Frank Gardner said Arab sources said the blasts were probably the work of al-Qaeda.
London's police chief said traces of explosive had been found at one site.
Blair is leaving Gleneagles and coming down to London.
On the plus side people have been brewing tea for those in the streets so things'll probably be ok.
Posted by Cartman (Member # 256) on :
Traces of explosives have been found according to the London chief of police. So much for any power surge theories.
I guess the idea was to remind everyone up in Scotland they're still around. Cowards.
Posted by tricky (Member # 1402) on :
From the sound of things, the objective seems to be to bring down the public transport network, rather than the objective in Madrid, which seems to have been to kill as many as possible. I'm still trying to contact all friends and family who work in town, but the mobile networks are a bit busy. Email is working. The emergency services seem to have been amazingly fast and efficent, thank god!
Posted by AndrewR (Member # 44) on :
They have said that the mobile network went down, either due to overuse, or that they may have shut it down as mobiles were used in Madrid as detonators.
Are you Brits/londoners on here ok?
Posted by Veers (Member # 661) on :
Good God...weren't we supposed to have defeated al-Qaeda?
Posted by Wraith (Member # 779) on :
I've got in touch with most of my friends in London and they all seem to be ok; the mobile network is down for calls but text messages are still getting through.
The number of explosions appears to have been reduced to four, with three occuring on the Underground, mostly between stations, which would account for the earlier reports of more.
And I'm going there next Tuesday. Guess I'll stick to Brighton, then.
Posted by tricky (Member # 1402) on :
My blackberry was still receiving emails, but not calls, so I don't think they shut it down, although the tube lines where the bombs are the "cut and cover" ones quite close to the surface, they still have very poor phone coverage, and mobiles are unlikely to have been used. However, half the population of London would have ben ringing each other to say "I'm ok" , or "I'm going to be late for work" The message from the police is stay where you are, the tube network has been shut down, as have the major overground stations, and all buses have been withdrawn from Zone 1 (for public trasport, there are 6 charging zones, 1 being in the middle). Transport details here: http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tube/ I can't imagine that amnyone in London is going to find it easy to get home tonight, I suggest looking for hotels and arange room sharing with collugues As it reopens, here are a few tube maps: http://map.tfl.gov.uk/map.asp http://map.tfl.gov.uk/realtime.asp (not currently working) http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/til/jsp/maps/tube.jsp Geographic tube map http://solo2.abac.com/themole/geo_tubemap.gif Posted by PsyLiam (Member # 73) on :
The chances of them striking the same place twice in a week are pretty much zero. But I can understand you being nervous.
I don't recall when (if ever) the entire underground network has been completely shut before. London is completely dependent on it's public transport network, so shutting it will have bought the place to a complete halt.
And some sort of Eurpean group with links to Al-Quaeda are claiming responsibilty.
Posted by tricky (Member # 1402) on :
Looks like one on the bombs was on the Picaddily, which is a deep level "Yerkes" tube. Definablty no phone coverage.
Posted by Veers (Member # 661) on :
According to Reuters--quoting Sky News--45 people are dead and 1,000 injured. CNN and ABC say 40 people are dead and 300 injured.
Posted by AndrewR (Member # 44) on :
Gawd! Just an hour and a half ago it was 2 people dead, 90 injured! 2 people too many dead.
So can someone explain (if they know) the explosions in the tube - was it ON the trains, in the tunnels or at the platforms? The bus explosion supposedly lifted the roof off of the bus!
Fucking gutless-wonders.
Posted by Wraith (Member # 779) on :
quote: Metropolitan Police Deputy Assistant Commissioner Brian Paddick confirmed 33 people had died in the blasts on the Underground. He said it was not yet known how many died in the bus blast.
From the BBC Posted by tricky (Member # 1402) on :
The train bombs were on the trains, they went off inside the tunnels. I can't imagine of anthing much more scary, especially on the deep level picadilly line. I just don't want to think about it. The bomb that went of near Edgware road station apparently managed to damage 2 nearby trains as well as the train the bomb was on. The double decker bus bomb blew apart the top deck, the picture on the BBC show bits of the sides of the top deck, the roof and most of the seats missing (top deck is lightweight, a routemaster can tilt at something like 35% before it will fall over, even with a full load up top). One (for want of a better word) fortunate thing there was the bus exploded next to the British Medical Association, so there were a lot of doctors on hand. They've estimated 33 people have died on the tube, but can't estimate how many died on the bus, which worries me.
The inital reports of a power surge was caused by the safteies cutting power, so showing a large reductions in power used at control stations
Some of the mainline overground stations are reopening, but no tube for the rest of the day. After they have inspected all of the tube trains plus all of the stations, they hope to open the lines which wern't damaged tomorrow. The lines that were damaged they hope to do shuttle services in the unaffected sections. Dockland Light railway has reopened.
Posted by machf (Member # 1233) on :
I got a response from my friends currently working in London and they are OK... one of them had stayed home and the other was on a train when all this happened (no idea which train, I guess it wasn't the underground).
Posted by akb1979 (Member # 557) on :
I'm in the UK - Derbyshire (well away from the horribile events of today).
37 dead at last count: 7 at Liverpool Street Station 21 at King's Cross 5 at Edgware ? from the bus bomb (the top of it was split open from the blast - they even said there was blood splattered on the nearest building - the British Medical Association God that must have been horribile to see! We won't know for a while as they'll likely have to examine the pieces of the bodies! ) 4 more but I don't know where they lost their lives 37+ dead 45-100 seriously injured - loss of limbs, heart attacks, severe head injuries, etc. Anything from 300-800+ injured (minor): cuts, bruises, shock, etc.
I heard of this on the news this morning about 9:30 and watched it pretty much all day - so depressing and sad. Don't know anyone in London but it still got to me seeing all the walking wounded and hearing how everything happened.
I would like to salute the emergency services and the passersby who helped the injured - we're all proud of you guys and gals!
What a shame that it takes a disaster for us all to come together. Posted by Siegfried (Member # 29) on :
This is probably going to sound US-centric since I'm assuming that just because they're from the UK they are in London, but I've noticed Lee and MaGiC haven't posted in here. Does if either of them live or work in London, and does anyone know if either of them are all right?
Posted by tricky (Member # 1402) on :
3 million people use the tube everyday, millions use the buses. The total population of london is 7.5 million (not including the surrounding areas), out of a population of 60 million plus. My job allows me to work from home if needed, and save for the disruption, I would use the underground and buses today. I used to walk pased where the IRA blew up Broadgate, near Liverpool street. These days I visit Canery Wharf everyday, also targeted by the IRA, and all over the tube you can see world war 2 anti bomb shutters. I gew up near primary and secondary USSR H-Bomb targets. I've had relatives on platforms where bombs have gone off years ago. I have family in Spain affected by ETA. al-Qaeda, if this is that bunch of jerks, are a bunch of amaters who are about to learn something about this nation: You give us a bloody nose, we get back up and get back to work. And we have had as much practice as Spain at finding you.
Lee's profile says Bristol, relativly close to Wales, other side of the country, which is far enough away to not suggest a daily commute. MaGiG's profile says London, however her occupation would suggest she may be a little busy at the moment. [edited to fix gender]
Posted by Sol System (Member # 30) on :
(her, incidentally)
Posted by tricky (Member # 1402) on :
ooops, Sorry.
Posted by AndrewR (Member # 44) on :
"more than 50" dead now. 700 injured, 22 critically.
I've heard that at least 8 Australians have been injured - 2 critically.
I listened on the radio to a poor Australian man who had been there at the bombings in London - had also been through the Bali bombings. He sounded very upset. Poor guy.
Posted by MaGiC (Member # 59) on :
Didn't have a chance to post yesterday, but yes i'm fine and well - I work at The Guardian newspaper / guardian unlimited so stuff was somewhat frantic yesterday. It's the first major event since i've worked there and I had no idea what it would be like. I had a slight advantage over lots of people in that I can get my news right from the wires and don't have to wait for it to be published - I was using MSN to keep all my contacts informed with accurate and up to date info. Don't know why I didn't think to do that here! Dur.
Walking home last night was a really strange experience. Streets full of people who had no other way home - and a feeling of solidarity which believe me you don't normally get in London.
Glad everyone seems to be OK.
Clare X
Posted by Mark Nguyen (Member # 469) on :
My parents were vacationing in France, but are heading home today on a British economy carrier. They're okay, but probably going to be late. >.<
Mark
Posted by tricky (Member # 1402) on :
The trouble with most large cities is it's very hard to feel part of a community. On the tube you shut yourself away, tring to ignore the armpit your nose is pressed into. You see homeless people on the street, and you soon realise you can't give them all money as you pass, everyday. So you do other things to help, and try to get on with your own life. However, I've always found that once something serious happens, Londoners do come together, and will help each other out. Such things do remind us that we are part of something great, a town that lasted millenia that is constantly changing and absorbing new cultures, but remains what it has always been: Home.
Posted by Siegfried (Member # 29) on :
Thanks for the info, tricky. And, MaGiC, it's good to see that you're all right.
Posted by Kosh (Member # 167) on :
So has anyone heard from Lee and Kate?
Posted by Sol System (Member # 30) on :
Well, as pointed out, they do live on the other side of the country. (Assuming Lee's profile is up to date, that is; I think that's the case, but seeing as how he's circumnavigated the globe, housing-wise, lately, I have trouble keeping track.)
Posted by AndrewR (Member # 44) on :
I've got cousins living and working in London, they and their partners are OK. One though was actually in the train immediately behind the one that blew up at Liverpool St. Station. He had to walk through the tube tunnels to get out.
Posted by Veers (Member # 661) on :
There are two things I am wondering about these attacks:
1) Where are the bombers? There is some speculation that one of them died in the bus blast, but the rest are obviously still out there. Either they left the country or they are still in Britain, likely planning further attacks (a la Madrid). If they didn't want to die in the blasts, then I assume they don't want to get caught, either.
2) On June 17, a videotape by OBL's no. 2, Ayman al-Zawahiri, was released. There was speculation that this was a signal to carry out attacks, as several Zawahiri tapes have been followed within 3 weeks by attacks. While this is a good theory, it seems reasonable to assume this was not ordered by the al-Qaeda leadership itself but by an independent group. Still, it's an interesting coincidence.
Posted by Sol System (Member # 30) on :
Well, "al Qaeda leadership" is sort of a nebulous concept.
Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
quote:Originally posted by MaGiC: Didn't have a chance to post yesterday, but yes i'm fine and well - I work at The Guardian newspaper / guardian unlimited so stuff was somewhat frantic yesterday. It's the first major event since i've worked there and I had no idea what it would be like. I had a slight advantage over lots of people in that I can get my news right from the wires and don't have to wait for it to be published - I was using MSN to keep all my contacts informed with accurate and up to date info. Don't know why I didn't think to do that here! Dur.
Walking home last night was a really strange experience. Streets full of people who had no other way home - and a feeling of solidarity which believe me you don't normally get in London.
Glad everyone seems to be OK.
Clare X
Really glad to hear you're unharmed. I hope Lee is well also- as pointed out, he (probably-hopefully) was not near the blasts.
Crazy as it may seem, (from what I've read in the paper today) the authorities have some good leads- two unexploded bombs and bazillions of hours of survelance footage to review. I've heard that this was not a suicide bomber thing but that timers were used (so much easier than a coordinated attack with people acting directly).
Here's hoping they get these fucktards.
Posted by Lee (Member # 393) on :
We're fine, thanks. When the news broke I was driving to Nottingham for some work-related absurdities. Initially what I heard was a travel report on Radio 2 about a power-surge causing disruption to trains near Liverpool Street, King's Cross and Edgware Road; I immediately smelled a rat as they were too widely-spread out. I phoned Kate who hadn't heard anything - she's the one who called me back about the bus, at which point it became obvious.
Since then I've had no chance to get on the net. Couldn't be bothered to figure out how to dial in from my hotel room. It felt very strange going out to get some dinner in Nottingham, knowing what was going on. Especially when we came out of the restaurant to find that the main square was cordoned off for a security alert.
We always felt that Liverpool Street was a prime target, it's where we used to come into the centre from the suburbs via. Granted we went the other way round the Circle Line (the bomb was on a clockwise train); similarly we worked at King's Cross and I occasionally used the Piccadilly Line to get there, but I'd always get off at KX - unless I was going on to my gym at Russell Square, not something I'd be doing at 9am on a weekday!
Last I heard our old company had one person missing and unaccounted for, and one of Kate's ex-colleagues there had lost her cousin.
Posted by Veers (Member # 661) on :
Brit Hume: "Just on a personal basis ... I saw the futures this morning, which were really in the tank, I thought 'hmm, time to buy'."
Brian Kilmeade: "I think that works to our advantage, in the western world's advantage, for people to experience something like this together, just 500 miles from where the attacks have happened."
John Gibson: "If they had picked France instead of London to hold the Olympics, it would have been the one time we could look forward to where we didn't worry about terrorism. They'd blow up Paris, and who cares?" He added: "This is why I thought the Brits should let the French have the Olympics - let somebody else be worried about guys with backpack bombs for a while."
But then again, this is what we expect from Fox News.
Posted by TSN (Member # 31) on :
Even better was Bush's comment that "We will stay on the offense, fighting the terrorists abroad so we do not have to face them at home."
Which, of course, put another way, is essentially "Hey, England, better you than us."
Posted by akb1979 (Member # 557) on :
quote:Originally posted by Lee: It felt very strange going out to get some dinner in Nottingham,
You were in Nottingham in the last few days! Damn! You should have let me know - I could have shown you around! Damn!
quote: Last I heard our old company had one person missing and unaccounted for, and one of Kate's ex-colleagues there had lost her cousin.
Aww that just sucks! Posted by Lee (Member # 393) on :
Oh, if only we had a Prime Minister with balls, who'd grab Bush and hold him by the lapels and shout "YOU are coming down to London with me, and YOU are going to see the people who've died because you wanted to avenge some non-existent assassination plot against your daddy, and then YOU are going to come back up here and sign up to my climate change proposals because it's payback time, motherfucker!" Of course, if we had a Prime Minister with some balls, he'd never have helped Bush invade Iraq in the first place.
More fun and games tonight. Suspect packages in Birmingham city centre, controlled detonations, hundreds of bars and clubs evacuated, the city centre cordoned off. . . And all because some secretary from West Bromwich didn't take her handbag to the bar because she had about a half-dozen Bacardi Breezers to carry back, I'll warrant.
Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
Please, lets not start with "it's all the American's/ Bush's fault" yet. I've already heard an earful of that- there would always be a reson for creeps to kill innocents, their motivations of the moment are just more publicly accepted just now.
It's nobody's "fault" people are dead except for the fuckers that planted the bombs.
quote:Originally posted by Veers: Meanwhile, in Fox News land... John Gibson: "If they had picked France instead of London to hold the Olympics, it would have been the one time we could look forward to where we didn't worry about terrorism. They'd blow up Paris, and who cares?" He added: "This is why I thought the Brits should let the French have the Olympics - let somebody else be worried about guys with backpack bombs for a while."
Cock-sucker.
Posted by Lee (Member # 393) on :
I'm trying not to blame anyone. It just. . . would have been nice.
Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
Well, I understand that explosive experts from the F.B.I and A.T.F. were sent over immeadeately to help in the investigation and that agents/ground suppot was offered as well.
It's something anyway.
I wish we americans could issue a notice to the world (mabye a UN Resolution) that FOX News does not in any way represent America or the adverage person's viewopoint on anything.
Posted by Wraith (Member # 779) on :
Unfortunately, it's not like the Iraq War had much to do with this. The sheer hatred of al-Qeada and the like for western civilisation made it pretty much inevitable that there was going to be an attack here.
What really would have helped is a PM who was able to resist the urge to be economical with the truth and come up with a convincing case for war with Saddam. Which would not exactly have been difficult.
Posted by Cartman (Member # 256) on :
I would like to visit this magic wonderland of yours in which "the average person's" viewpoint on "anything" is actually informed and doesn't originate with Fox News in any way.
Plus, the US'd likely be the first to ignore that resolution, so...
Posted by Balaam Xumucane (Member # 419) on :
My parents were in London. Their first reaction to the news after the requisite "Gawd, that's a tube stop we were going to take today--WE COULD HAVE BEEN ON THAT TRAIN!" was "aww crap, this is more or less our (the USA's) fault." After some initial terror for my parent's safety, I too felt that in some way that the provocative policies toward terror that the regime of my nation has been pursuing must be at least partly responsible. It's an awful feeling.
Part of me wants to believe that Al Queda would have eventually gotten around to something like this, that the attitude and actions of our President and armed forces have only advanced the timetable. But part of me knows that's bollocks.
I'll be meeting them in Paris next week. Maybe I'll just pretend to be Canadian again.
Posted by Sol System (Member # 30) on :
While I doubt that U.S. policies in Iraq have helped anyone anywhere, Britain wasn't exactly smoothly sailing through the straits of Islamic extremism prior to 2002.
quote:Although Britain has passed a series of antiterrorist and immigration laws and made nearly 800 arrests since Sept. 11, 2001, critics have charged that its deep tradition of civil liberties and protection of political activists have made the country a haven for terrorists.
Clearly the solution is to turn the West into a series of totalitarian nightmares so that not even terrorists will want to immigrate there.
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You should have let me know - I could have shown you around! Damn!