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grim stuff in London: bombings in buses and trains etc

duan Jul 07 2005 04:44 AM Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Jul 07 2005 04:59 AM

http://news.bbc.co.uk/ quite a few dead - reports are very sketchy at this stage.

seawolf17 Jul 07 2005 04:55 AM

Duan, I saw that story this morning. Six explosions. Scary. Only two confirmed dead so far, though.

MFS62 Jul 07 2005 06:25 AM

In an associated story, British Prime Minister Tony Blair will immediately leave the summit meetings and return to London. I wonder if he felt he had to finish reading a book to some kids before he left. Or if he felt he had to wait three or four days to visit the scene of the attacks. Later

Willets Point Jul 07 2005 06:52 AM Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Jul 07 2005 07:00 AM

Holy shit! Those blasts are all in the part of London I stayed in last summer, so I know it well. My friend who lives in London has sent out an email so at least she's okay. Let's hope the fatality rate doesn't go any higher than reported. Kudos to the emergency response team in London who are reported to be doing an excellent job in getting people out. They're responding here too, I hear the helicopters flying over Boston. I suppose all of you in New York and Washington will see heightened security too.

metirish Jul 07 2005 06:59 AM

This is just terrible, is it G8 connected?, Al-Qaida related, OK, I have this from CNN.. ]A group calling itself the "Secret Organization group of al-Qaeda of Jihad in Europe" claims London blasts. Details soon.

soupcan Jul 07 2005 07:02 AM

I would have thought when I came into Grand Central or got on the subway I would have seen a greater police presence but nope, not at all. I did notice a lot less people commuting this a.m. though.

Edgy DC Jul 07 2005 07:04 AM

MFS, how long did you wait before you decided to use the deaths of innocent strangers to take a political cheap shot?

seawolf17 Jul 07 2005 07:06 AM

Oh come on, we all made the same cheap shot talking to the TV this morning. I got your back, 62.

KC Jul 07 2005 07:06 AM Edited 2 time(s), most recently on Jul 07 2005 07:10 AM

Thanks Edge, the response to that which I was typing in my head was far less civil. I don't need to read Tues night Howard Johnson's Lounge humor while watching dead bodies being pulled out of subway stations.

Edgy DC Jul 07 2005 07:06 AM

We all who?

soupcan Jul 07 2005 07:08 AM

You're flying solo on this one wolf.

Willets Point Jul 07 2005 07:11 AM

Let's keep focused on the people who have died and are wounded and those who are being evacuated or stranded and not snip at one another. If one thing these attacks further prove - along with Madrid, Bali, and Sept. 11th - is that we're all in this together.

seawolf17 Jul 07 2005 07:11 AM

I apologize for what appeared to be making light of what is obviously a very serious situation. I just didn't want to leave 62 twisting in the wind, because I'm always up for a cheap shot on politicians.

Edgy DC Jul 07 2005 07:13 AM

So far, 150 are reported as seriously injured. Blair's absence from the a summit with such an ambitious worldwide agenda could itself be terrible.

Willets Point Jul 07 2005 07:15 AM

This is scary stuff: This wasn't an open-top bus before the blast. I can't imagine how people survived this.

cooby Jul 07 2005 07:22 AM

I wonder....if this is in anyway related to the Olympic award. A way to just drain the joy out of that announcement.

Benjamin Grimm Jul 07 2005 07:33 AM

Probably just a nasty coincidence. From what we've heard, it takes Al Qaida a long time to plan things.

metirish Jul 07 2005 07:35 AM

Over 40 dead... http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/news/

MFS62 Jul 07 2005 07:39 AM

The part about Tony Blair going home immediately is true. I saw it on Yahoo news(reported by AP). As for the other part, about 38 seconds after reading the AP story, because I was impressed with Blair's ability to both quickly determine what is important and then act upon it. This doesn't mean I do not feel for the victims or their families. I had a good friend who worked at the WTC and had with worked with others on a Project for the Port Authority (Ironically, a security project for the three NY Area airports) . I remember the sadness, anger and frustration of the families, and know how important it would have been if their President had shown up immediately. Comedy was the farthest thing from my mid when I wrote it. I was speaking from experience. Sarcasm, yes Btterness, yes but, Comedy, no To understand, you would have had to walk the proverbial mile in my shoes. Later

KC Jul 07 2005 07:54 AM

>>>To understand, you would have had to walk the proverbial mile in my shoes.<<< Good Lord.

Edgy DC Jul 07 2005 07:57 AM

OK, I've tried five different responses. None of them do it. I'm done.

Benjamin Grimm Jul 07 2005 07:58 AM

I hate to say it, but that one made me roll my eyes, too. We were all affected by September 11, one way or another. There's no need to borrow anybody else's shoes.

metirish Jul 07 2005 08:01 AM

Meanwhile back in London the death toll rises, plus all circuts to London are down/cut, tried calling a friend, no go.

Willets Point Jul 07 2005 08:04 AM

London mayor Ken Livingstone returning to London too.

ScarletKnight41 Jul 07 2005 08:07 AM

RIP to all of those who died and sympathy to all who were injured just because they woke up and commuted into work today. A true tragedy.

sharpie Jul 07 2005 08:07 AM

They made a security announcement on the subway I was on this morning. The subway announcer started with "due to the terrible news from London I feel I need to make this announcement..." First time I've ever seen everyone stop what they were doing to pay attention. The guy next to me listening to incredibly loud music through headphones took them off.

duan Jul 07 2005 09:02 AM

yeah it's been a bit of a scramble here as everyone checks in with friends and relatives - mobiles being down has meant that email's been the best way to do it.

KC Jul 07 2005 09:13 AM

I'm home today and have had CNN most of the morning. They've pretty much changed the reports that one particular group claims responsibilty. It's quite possible in my mind that this isn't al queda but rather some other extreme group (lesser known or not known) that wants to make a big bang as the big eight meet. It's always tough for me when these things happen at home (meaning not the Middle East) to reconcile that some people have so much twisted hate in their hearts that they can kill com- muters with absolutely no conscience.

soupcan Jul 07 2005 09:49 AM

In their minds, we who think we are innocent of any crimes against these fanatics idealogies, are guilty because of either our acceptance or support of policies which they find objectionable, or our inactivity in fighting against said policies. They can rationalize that any way they want to but when children - the truly innocent - become victims whatever scintilla of logic they may put forth goes right out the window. An eye for an eye has never really washed with me.

ScarletKnight41 Jul 07 2005 09:54 AM

soupcan wrote: but when children - the truly innocent - become victims whatever scintilla of logic they may put forth goes right out the window. Agreed. One of the 9/11 comments that still haunts me was an interview that Mike Piazza gave, where he commented, "There were babies on those airplanes." It's a small thing, but the horror of that thought has stuck with me.

Nymr83 Jul 07 2005 01:17 PM

] It's always tough for me when these things happen at home (meaning not the Middle East) to reconcile that some people have so much twisted hate in their hearts that they can kill com- muters with absolutely no conscience. But its ok when it happens in the Middle East? But oh my god not London! now its happening to white people like us! oh no!

Benjamin Grimm Jul 07 2005 01:19 PM

No need to play the race card. It just seems more personally threatening when the terror expands beyond the Middle East and into the West. There have been plenty of white victims in Israel and Iraq.

KC Jul 07 2005 01:21 PM

No asswipe, I mean it happens every day in the Middle East and I've become numb to hearing every day when I turn on the news. I didn't say it was ok, and I certainly didn't mention skin color or religion.

Nymr83 Jul 07 2005 01:36 PM

yes it does happen alot in Israel and Iraq, but you made it sound like that didn't matter to you. I'm tired of people who flip out over things like the train bombings in spain and now this but dont give a rats ass about a pizza shop in jerusalem or a car bomb in baghdad. and watch your mouth with me "asswipe" because i gaurantee i can knock it off your head old man

Willets Point Jul 07 2005 01:38 PM

Take this to the Red Light forum please.

KC Jul 07 2005 01:50 PM

Don't play the pizza shop in Bagdad card here either. Nymwhatever, you misread my statement. Then pulled this whitey stuff out of your rear end and I'm thinking you just picked a post out of thread and pounced and went for me unecessarily for whatever reason.. Yeah, I'm white. There were people of all nationalities, religions, and color killed on 9/11 and your comments about it happening to whites like us per- haps because it happened in London angers me. London is a melting pot just like NYC and you have no idea the color or ethnicity of those killed and injured this morning. I apologize for the name calling, I should know better, but I must tell you I take exception to the threats of physical violence over a thread. Especially on such a violent day.

Nymr83 Jul 07 2005 01:56 PM

well, if you're going to apologize for the name calling then i'll apologize for the threats... i still don't like your comments and you obviously don't like mine, i think my solution is just going to be staying out of this conversation in the future.

KC Jul 07 2005 01:57 PM

yeah, I'm done too. Peace.

Johnny Dickshot Jul 07 2005 02:12 PM

Everybody! We are the world... We are the children...

Willets Point Jul 07 2005 02:14 PM

Johnny, it's just not right making me laugh in the Grim Stuff thread. In the latest news, the Prime Minister has returned to Gleneagles.

ScarletKnight41 Jul 09 2005 09:21 AM

Humorist Dave Barry just happens to be in London on a family vacation, and he has been posting updates on [url=http://weblog.herald.com/column/davebarry/]his blog[/url]. Here is this morning's update - July 09, 2005 LONDON UPDATE Last night we went to see the musical production of "Mary Poppins," which is quite different from the movie, and astonishingly good. If this show gets to New York, it will be huge, one of those shows that runs forever. The theater had been closed the night before because of the bombings, but last night the house was full. We stood for a minute of silence in honor of the bombing victims, and then the show, as shows must, went on. The show goes on everywhere here: The underground is running again, and people are resuming their lives. I remain awed by how calmly Londoners have handled the terrorist attack. I believe that one reason for this is that the British TV news people have displayed less excitability and hysteria than American TV news people displayed in response to the Michael Jackson verdict. That's not an exaggeration: That's really how it appears.

metirish Jul 09 2005 03:58 PM

From the Guardian.. ]Police evacuate central Birmingham Press Association Saturday July 9, 2005 West Midlands Police tonight confirmed they had ordered the evacuation of large parts of Birmingham city centre as a "precautionary measure" following the receipt of credible intelligence suggesting a possible terrorist threat. Officers urging members of the public to leave the area around Broad Street told passersby that they had carried out a series of controlled explosions nearby. Allan Sartori, a Birmingham club owner, told ITV News police appeared to have the situation under control. He said he had himself already returned home, adding: "I would suspect that everything's pretty calm at the moment and that everyone has moved away and done exactly what they were asked to do." Mr Sartori said evacuating the city centre would have cost "a lot of people a lot of money". But he added: "People's lives are far more important than money in a situation like this." Earlier, police had banned vehicles from passing the inner ring road. Birmingham is no stranger to terrorist attacks. The notorious IRA pub bombings of 1974 were some of the most serious terrorist atrocities ever committed in mainland Britain, claiming the lives of 21 people and leaving scores more injured. http://www.guardian.co.uk/terrorism/story/0,12780,1525465,00.html

ScarletKnight41 Jul 18 2005 04:41 PM

I was just online with a friend of mine. A close friend of hers is studying in London - they hadn't heard from him since the blast, so finally she and her friend's mother went to London to check things out. He was in the Underground during the blasts, he lost a lot of blood, and he's still in the hospital. Thankfully, the prognosis is good. But Holy Hell!

Benjamin Grimm Jul 18 2005 05:15 PM

Wow! How did they find him? London is a big city. Or are there only one or two hospitals that the victims were brought to?

ScarletKnight41 Jul 18 2005 05:22 PM

I'm not entirely sure. I was just glad to hear that they found him and that the prognosis is good.