Posted on 07/07/2005 3:15:34 AM PDT by MadIvan
Several people have been injured after explosions on the Underground network and a double-decker bus in London.
A police spokesman said there were "quite a large number of casualties" at Aldgate Tube Station.
And Scotland Yard confirmed one of several reports of explosions on buses in the city - in Tavistock Place - but said the cause was not yet known.
UK Home Secretary Charles Clarke said several explosions in central London had caused "terrible injuries".
"The health services are in support to deal with the terrible injuries that there have been," Clarke told reporters outside Downing Street.
Number 10 said it was "still unsure" whether the explosions were a terrorist attack and although casualties were reported, no further details were yet available.
Ministers are meeting to clarify the situation and the government will make a statement later, Leader of the House Geoff Hoon told the Commons.
One caller to BBC Five said his friend had seen "the bus ripped open like a can of sardines and bodies everywhere".
And the Press Association quoted union officials as saying sources had told them there had been at least one explosive device on the Underground.
British Transport Police said incidents took place at Aldgate, Edgware Road, King's Cross, Old Street and Russell Square stations.
Scotland Yard confirmed they were assisting with a "major incident" and said there were casualties.
Hospitals have said they are no longer accepting non-emergency cases, BBC Five Live reported.
The National Grid, which supplies power to the Underground, said there had been no problems with its system which could have contributed to the incidents.
'Screaming and crying'
Jacqui Head, from BBC News, who had just left King's Cross station on a Piccadilly Line train as an explosion happened, said: "Everything was normal. Suddenly there was a massive bang, the train jolted.
"There was immediately smoke everywhere and it was hot and everybody panicked. People started screaming and crying."
The train was kept in the tunnel for 20 minutes and no announcement was made to explain the delay to passengers, she added.
Liberal Democrat MP Simon Hughes, near Kings Cross, told Five Live: "My only thought in the midst of all this confusion is that after the celebration of yesterday (for the Olympic 2012 London success) for people to be evil enough - if it is the intentional causing of death and injury - and think that they can justify this in any circumstances is completely unacceptable."
London Fire Brigade said four crews were at Liverpool Street and more were on their way.
Another passenger, who had left the Tube at Fenchurch Street Station, and walked to Aldgate East, told BBC Five Live that he saw injured people.
"As I walked through the bus station I could see people lying on the ground, black, as if they'd been covered in smoke. There were about three or four people on the floor being treated."
Eyewitness Paul Woloszyn from BBC News, who was at Blackhorse Road station on the Victoria Line, said: "We were told there was a bomb at Liverpool Street station.
"I was on the Tube, and they stopped the train and told everyone to get off and evacuate the station."
He said staff had said the entire Tube network had been affected, and leaflets had been handed out with details of alternative bus routes.
Another eyewitness, Dorothy Molloy, had been on a Tube train at King's Cross and said "staff just chucked everyone out of the station".
She said staff there had not given any details, but she said two passengers she had spoken to had said they had received messages saying there had been bombs.
"People didn't really know what was going on, they were just huffing and puffing and saying how annoying it was," she said.
"People don't seem to be panicked, but there's so many police and ambulances coming into the areas. People are just concerned, and some are just annoyed at the delay."
Unfortunately, the "clues" had been the Brits giving Al Qaeda and various Islamofascists groups carte blanche to openly assemble, organize, and spout their venomous hatred of the West in public with impunity.
Will all that now change?
Even if a high-profile summit of global leaders was a red meat cue for Al Qaeda to wreak havoc for maximum PR effect, was it really all that surprising to discover they conducted such attacks with alarming ease?
The only solution -- and damn "civil libereties" groups -- is to root out ALL known Al Qaeda organizations and members and deport them immediately -- whether it's Britain or the US.
The time for nicities is over. The can STFU, War is WAR, and we must demand that our spineless congress critters start taking as much responsibility for the security of the U.S. as our troops and the Minutemen Do.
They will not waste the effort attacking secure targets, though, expect them to go after the helpless, the weaker elements of our society, and any society they attack. Schools, the average worker, children, whatever will give them the highest terror value for their explosives.
They have done this in Israel, they have done this in the rest of the world, hitting schools, nightclubs, and public transportation: hitting civillians, not soldiers.
They are cowards all.
I agree. I don't know who it was, but centuries ago a military strategist once said, "It is your enemy that determines where you fight, whom you fight, when you fight and how you fight. If you fail to meet your enemy in any of these, you will be defeated."
Seems that we have no choice but to "sink to their level", simply because that is where they are. That is where they've chosen to take this battle.
Just heard. Prayers up, I hope you and yours are ok. This is terrible, just terrible.
Bollocks, when will the Libs and the rest of the idiots in the world understand that we are at war.
Waking to this, FR will not allow the words I have been hurling at the TV and radio about the "terrorists"......STAY SAFE, Ivan....and we ARE WITH YOU!
Stay safe and angry!
Thanks for keeping us posted on the terrible events in London.
As GWB said the contrast of what world leaders attending the G8 are trying to accomplish (rid the world of poverty, famine, disease) vs. those whose aim is to kill and destroy is mind boggling and defines good vs. evil.
Apparently they kill indiscriminately as foxnews is reporting that Edgware Rd is a Moslem area.
MI, as you've stood with us throughout, I hope my countrymen stand with you through this--with you in pain, with you in prayer, with you in arms, with you in victory!
Kindly attribute your Shakespearean quotes to the appropriate play, it's been many years since my high school English classes. (Re: post 181)
Thanks for the ping.
I think is simply titled 9/11. If you have never seen it, you owe it to yourself, just so you can keep that day in context. It makes you remember all the feelings you had that day. Not a good thing, I admit, but for some, necessary. If you have trouble finding it, freepmail me.
Thanks for the ping. He was on a good rant--got the blood boiling.
Don't forget the cobalt jackets.
Solidarity.
Good luck and may God and of course the US stand beside you. I think the terrorists forgot that London has been through this before and stood strong.
Sounds like this POS Mayor of London who has been in bed with the Islamofascists may have finally woke up.
He will still probably blame GW, Tony and John Howard before the week is over.
LOL!!!!!
Now THERE'S an idea!
The English have been through a lot worse. The amount of damage in this attack is not significant in either a military sense or in an economic sense. It may have some propaganda value, except the English still are allowed pitchforks and hoe handles and aren't about to give in to a group of 20 young people.
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