# Blasts hit London



## Viro (Jul 7, 2005)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4659093.stm

Looks like London is being targeted by unknown terrorist groups. Some are saying al-Qaeda but they seem to be scape goats for nearly everything, so I'm taking that with a lot of salt. 6 blasts occurred today, and so far there have been 2 confirmed deaths. 

And I was going to go down to London today to get something in the Apple store. If I did, I would have been there at about the time of the attacks, which would have been quite scary....


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## bbloke (Jul 7, 2005)

Yes, I heard about this as the news was breaking early this morning. Funnily enough, a French colleague was phoned by her Mom (who is in France) to see if she was OK and an Italian colleague read about it on an Italian news site, before the British colleagues knew anything about it!

Originally there were statements about a power surge, but now the talk is of six or seven explosive devices, and at least 90 casualties, with Tony Blair coming back from the G8 summit.


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## fjdouse (Jul 7, 2005)

My dad was at Edgeware Road and people have died there, he's fine though and just sitting tight until he can get back home. I hope this doesn't throw petrol on the nationalist fire and incite race tensions, or act as an excuse for restrictive laws.  I'm surprised it's not happened before though, I think we all knew this would happen after getting involved in Iraq.

Blair has just made a second statement from the G8, with some rather wooden looking heads of state behind him.


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## bbloke (Jul 7, 2005)

I'm really glad to hear all is OK, fjdouse. My brother was on a train to London when it was stopped due to a "security alert" (familiar words, for those used to a certain Irish republican group's campaign).

I completely agree. I really hope this does not fuel nationalism and an excuse for more clamping down on civil liberties. Populations can act very strangely, granting all sorts of powers to authority or going along with troubling new laws, when in fear. Let's also hope the far right do not use this as an opportunity to stir things up in an attempt to gain votes.


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## Viro (Jul 7, 2005)

I'm glad that your dad is fine. I too hope that this doesn't throw more fire on the xenophobic segments of British society (especially the BNP). This shouldn't really come as a surprise, after all we did go to Iraq. Nevertheless the gravity of the situation never really strikes you until it ... well, strikes you.

My biggest fear from all this is the Labour government using the bombs as an excuse to impose all sorts of laws to repress Free speech (e.g. Incitement to Religious Hatred act), halt lawful asylum seekers, etc. What's worse, I hope people do not take out their anger and hatred on the Muslims in the UK, since it has been claimed that al-Qaeda are behind the attacks. 

We'll see what happens in the coming days.


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## mw84 (Jul 7, 2005)

Is the information line they gave out not working for anyone else? My dad works in London and I can't get through to his mobile because the networks are jammed and when I try calling the helpline they gave on the news it just goes dead.


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## fjdouse (Jul 7, 2005)

Haven't used the number, but the mobile networks should be clearer now than earlier, unless there has been a surge in the last hour.


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## bbloke (Jul 7, 2005)

mw84 said:
			
		

> Is the information line they gave out not working for anyone else? My dad works in London and I can't get through to his mobile because the networks are jammed and when I try calling the helpline they gave on the news it just goes dead.


I haven't tried the helpline (fortunately my parents contacted my brother through his mobile at the time), but I do know there are problems with mobile communications at the moment. The authorities have also said not to contact emergency services unless absolutely necessary, so that is probably a sign of how busy all the switchboards are. 

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/07/07/london_phone/

I know you must be concerned about your Dad and want information, I just meant that not getting through on his mobile is likely to just be a sign of congestion on the mobile airways. Hang in there (easy for me to say, I know).


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## Randman (Jul 7, 2005)

Much of the cellular services in London were shut down amid fears that the bombs were detonated via mobile phone as in Bali.


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## brianleahy (Jul 7, 2005)

My sincere condolences to Londoners.  Hope everyone's all right.


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## Shookster (Jul 7, 2005)

It was nice to see the way everyone was so calm though, and there was a great sense of community spirit. It reminded me of the general spirit that kept people going through the Blitz. That was the general impression I got. That also steadied the FTSE because it didn't really affect consumer confidence much.

P.S. I hope your Dad's ok, mw84.


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## markceltic (Jul 7, 2005)

My thoughts as well go out to all of the U.K.people here.


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## Satcomer (Jul 7, 2005)

My prayers go out to the people of London tonight.


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## fjdouse (Jul 8, 2005)

We're used to it, when I was younger my uncle and I were caught up in an IRA attack, so we are used to terrorists. 

My concern now is the impact it will have, my dad (who was at Edgeware Road) gave notice to quit his job today and many like him, unfortunately, have quite an ignorant view of all things Islamic.  The stuff he's saying now goes beyond religious or racial hatred, I wish I could write it off as shock but he never approved of my views or my sister's choice in marrying a Tunisian, so all this has just crystalised his views.  

I hope my fellow Londoners meet this with the usual 'stoic' determination which we're famous for and realise this is the work of a few, hateful individuals who represent nobody and have to use violence to support their weak and backward views. They are not muslims.

I'm awaiting news of my sister, I haven't found out if shes ok or made it home, I'm hoping she just checked in at a hotel or something or is with a friend which I think is more likely.


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## Shookster (Jul 8, 2005)

fjdouse said:
			
		

> My concern now is the impact it will have, my dad (who was at Edgeware Road) gave notice to quit his job today and many like him, unfortunately, have quite an ignorant view of all things Islamic. The stuff he's saying now goes beyond religious or racial hatred, I wish I could write it off as shock but he never approved of my views or my sister's choice in marrying a Tunisian, so all this has just crystalised his views.



I think that may be just the older generation. My grandfather's against muslims, gays, blacks etc without truly knowing why. My mum doesn't like blacks even though she's a Christian and shouldn't really do that kind of thing. It's because they were brought up that way. The truth is, events like this give them a reason for their beliefs, when before the beliefs were still there but there was no reason for them (if that makes sense).


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## fjdouse (Jul 8, 2005)

Ignorance begets ignorance.


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## Viro (Jul 8, 2005)

Shookster said:
			
		

> My mum doesn't like blacks even though she's a Christian and shouldn't really do that kind of thing. It's because they were brought up that way.



You should introduce her to William Wilberforce, whose faith spurred him to action in abolishing slavery in the UK (years before the Americans, btw ).

I honestly hope that the Muslim communities in and around the UK are safe from repercussions from people who are intolerant to begin with, and are looking for the slightest excuse to cause harm.

Hope you'll be able to talk some sense to your dad, fjdouse. I know that is never an easy thing to do


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## fryke (Jul 8, 2005)

Only four blasts, it seems now. Of course that doesn't change anything, really, but the scope's different. And the number of killed and injured people has grown, too. :/ I'm just glad the reaction this time isn't "Hey, we know who was behind it and now we're going to bomb the country they possibly live in."


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## fjdouse (Jul 8, 2005)

My sister has turned up at a friends house, they had a late one and blew off work today. My mother says they found out late last night but nobody thought of telling me, which is typical.  

As for my father, his views are pretty rigid he can be pacified but he's too into what he reads in the papers and sees on the news so within 24 hours he's back to his old position.

mw84, is everything ok with you?


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## fjdouse (Jul 8, 2005)

fryke said:
			
		

> Only four blasts, it seems now. Of course that doesn't change anything, really, but the scope's different. And the number of killed and injured people has grown, too. :/ I'm just glad the reaction this time isn't "Hey, we know who was behind it and now we're going to bomb the country they possibly live in."


I think we'd string up Blair by the short-n-curlies if he tried that again.  It will only be a matter of time, after the shock has gone before fingers are pointed at him, along with the obvious "see?". His best hope is that the G8 is a staggering success.


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## mw84 (Jul 8, 2005)

Yea I finally got through to him last night . He was stuck in the mass of traffic trying to leave london and luckily in south london when it happened


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## bbloke (Jul 8, 2005)

mw84 said:
			
		

> Yea I finally got through to him last night . He was stuck in the mass of traffic trying to leave london and luckily in south london when it happened


That's great news, mw84!  I'm really pleased to hear this.


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## fjdouse (Jul 8, 2005)

mw84 said:
			
		

> Yea I finally got through to him last night . He was stuck in the mass of traffic trying to leave london and luckily in south london when it happened


Thank heavens!  I'm so pleased, I think a lot of us have had worries in the last 24 hours.


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## Shookster (Jul 8, 2005)

I read in an article today that police presence on the tube this morning was quite sparse which I found surprising. I have to travel on the tube in two weeks time so last night I cancelled my tickets and rebooked them 30 mins earlier because I thought there might be delays due to security checks. It seems that wasn't necessary


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## brianleahy (Jul 8, 2005)

Shookster - a silly question, if I may, just a cultural ignorance factor...

Am I correct in thinking that "The tube" is the subway system?  Commuter rail?  In short, the same system that was bombed?

I ask, because at least in the Cleveland area, you actually _can't_ book tickets weeks in advance on our commuter trains.  I mean, you can _buy_ the tickets in advance, but they aren't for a specific time or date - they're good for whenever you walk up and decide to get on...


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## Shookster (Jul 9, 2005)

Yeah, the tube is the underground.

It's just that I live about 80 miles away from London so I have to catch the train to London Waterloo and then switch to the tube. I can catch the tube train at any time, but obviously the time I catch it is limited by the time I arrive at London Waterloo.


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## brianleahy (Jul 9, 2005)

Ah, gotcha.   That makes sense.


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## Shookster (Jul 9, 2005)

Part of Birmingham has just been evacuated as a "precautionary measure":
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/4668313.stm

Btw, for those that don't know, Birmingham is the second-largest city in the country after London.


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