Massive hunt for London bombers ~~ name of a Moroccan man, Mohamed Guerbouzi appears in blogs

BBC ^ | Friday, 8 July, 2005, 04:55 GMT 05:55 UK | staff

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Massive hunt for London bombers

Many were left in a state of shock

A massive intelligence investigation is under way to find those responsible for the bomb attacks in London which killed at least 37 and left 700 injured.

Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said Thursday's attacks bore all the hallmarks of the al-Qaeda network.

The Queen and Prince Charles will visit casualties in hospital while Tony Blair prepares for the G8 summit's last day.

Transport operators hope to run a near normal service on the Tube on most lines on Friday.

But the Circle and Hammersmith and City lines will remain closed.

Vigilance plea

King's Cross station was due to re-open for suburban rail services only.

Buses are expected operate normally, except around the immediate areas where the explosions took place.

Transport officials have urged passengers to remain vigilant and keep hold of their baggage at all times.

Home Secretary Charles Clarke is urging people to go about their business as normally as possible on Friday.

Anyone worried about relatives or friends they have not heard from is advised to contact a special police hotline on 0870 156 6344.

Scotland Yard have confirmed seven people died in the Liverpool Street explosion, while 21 lost their lives at the King's Cross blast and another seven were killed at Edgware Road.

Two people died in the explosion on a double decker bus at Upper Woburn Place.

It is thought the death toll could rise on Friday. Australian Prime Minister John Howard said he had information that 52 people had died.

I saw three bodies on the track - I couldn't look, it was so horrific Scott Wenbourne Commuters to face London travel

One eyewitness - Scott Wenbourne - was on the train travelling in to Aldgate station when there was an explosion in the carriage in front of him.

He told of how he and other passengers were led to the station after the blast.

Describing the sight before him, Mr Wenbourne said: "As we walked up past the carriage we saw debris and torn metal. I noticed the carriage was completely ripped apart on one side.

"I saw three bodies on the track. I couldn't look, it was so horrific. I think one was moving but I'm not too sure."

BBC correspondent Frank Gardner said dozens of secret service staff at MI5 headquarters are working flat out to find out who was responsible for the four blasts which terrorised London in the space of 56 minutes.

'Soft' targets

Closely co-ordinated attacks aimed at "soft" civilian targets without warning pointed towards a group linked to, or at least inspired, by al-Qaeda, he added.

Whitehall sources say every resource is being used, but it may take some days before a picture emerges of who was to blame.

Police said they were examining a claim on the website of a previously unknown group, the Secret Organisation Group of al-Qaeda of Jihad Organisation in Europe, saying it was behind the blast.

The statement said the attacks were revenge for the "massacres" Britain was committing in Iraq and Afghanistan and that the country was now "burning with fear and panic".

It warned Denmark and Italy they faced similar attacks if they did not withdraw their troops from the Middle East.

			Passengers evacuate an underground train at Kings Cross (Photo: Alexander Chadwick)

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Brian Paddick said officers were looking into this claim, but that they were keeping an open mind.

He also stressed officials had not received any warning of the blasts.

Anti-terrorism officers are also examining whether or not the attacks were the work of suicide bombers. Mr Paddick said it was too soon to say definitively either way.

Foreign Office officials says the attacks were similar to those on the Spanish capital, Madrid, last year.

Mr Straw said the spate of attacks on the public transport system bore "all the hallmarks of an Qaeda-based organisation".

But he stressed that assessments were still being made.

The prime minister, who left the G8 summit to meet police and security officials in London after the attacks, is due to get back to business with other world leaders later.

Two people died in the bus blast

All statements on the key issues being discussed, including steps to tackle climate change, were postponed until Friday, although negotiations continued.

The leaders did however pause to condemn what they called "an attack on civilised peoples everywhere".

Meanwhile the home secretary urged people to try to continue their lives as normally as possible.

Mr Clarke said: "The aim of the terrorists to try and stop us leading our lives as we best can and I think our responsibility is to try and get on and live our lives as we can."

No intelligence had been received of any further attacks being threatened, he added.

But the Metropolitan Police advised people to consider whether they needed to come to work.

	Blasts occurred: Between Aldgate East and Liverpool Street tube stations Between Russell Square and King's Cross tube stations At Edgware Road tube station On bus at Tavistock Square

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[endthematrix]

British fail to extradite enemies within

http://observer.guardian.co.uk/waronterrorism/story/0,1373,1174624,00.html

"A Moroccan militant, Mohammed al-Guerbouzi, emerged as a potential bridge between the Madrid cell and London Islamic extremists.

The Moroccan authorities allege that al-Guerbouzi, now a British citizen who has lived in London for many years, is one of the leaders of the Group of Islamic Combatants of Morocco and is a suspect in the Casablanca bombings. Al-Guerbouzi is said to be a regular worshipper at a west London community centre.

Security sources in Britain have confirmed that al-Guerbouzi has been living in Britain for more than a decade, but say that, while they were aware that the Moroccan authorities 'take exception' to al-Guerbouzi, the authorities have not been presented with sufficient evidence that he was involved in any terrorist attack."

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Waiting for Disaster
The Belmont Club

Christopher Hitchens thinks the London attackers may have been homegrown. In an article in Slate, Hitchens argued the attacks were timed to coincide with specifically British public events, the G8 meeting in Edinburgh, the successful Olympic hosting bid and the imminent extradition trial of the hook-handed Mullah Abu Hamza al Mazri. Therefore:

********************************

See link for more.......

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

As Putin says, the WEST is not really serious yet about the War on Terror!!!

[devolve]

     




   
   

                                  

[advance_copy]

President Bush needs to take Prime Minister Blair aside and explain something to him. This is WAR, not law enforcement. Maybe we should offer to send John Ashcroft over there to help them round up the terrorists and stop worrying about the other critters who share the swamp they in which they live.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Discussion of the Christopher Hitchens article reference by the Belmont Club is here:

The Anticipated Attack Don't blame Iraq for the bombings.

[GloriaJane]

I feel so sad for the British people who were hurt or lost loved ones. I hope they find the terrorists who did this and fry them!

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Right, see link at #26.

[gatorbait]

A Moroccan militant, Mohammed al-Guerbouzi, emerged as a potential bridge between the Madrid cell and London Islamic extremists.

If the Moroccan authorities could get their hands on this creature, they'd convince him to speak out. As it stands, this despicable cur has hidden behind the protections the British Crown offers. The Moroccan Crown would like to nail this walking feces pile. Hmm, I think now, the Brits might want to help this fellow find his way home.I'm sure his welcoming committee will throw him a lovely party.

[I'm ALL Right!]

"Mr Clarke said: "The aim of the terrorists to try and stop us leading our lives as we best can and I think our responsibility is to try and get on and live our lives as we can."

Nothing to see here....everybody go buy a car.

[Ramonchito]

The press is just exagerrating things. Terrorist attacks can't be prevented. Pretty soon we will hear Germany to have a terrorist attack. How could you prevent it? The people killed in these terrorist attacks is peanuts compared to the people killed in WWII. The best thing the press should do is to advise people to pray. That's the best solution.

[endthematrix]

Are you saying that terrorist attacks can't be prevented or that the press is pushing that?

[UnbelievingScumOnTheOtherSide]

When they know the names of some of the perpetrators hours after the attack...it means, they knew they where dangerous, but hesitated to act.

You can't do anything until they commit a crime. /sarcasm
Intern - Deport - Tear down the mosques, not one stone left on another.

[hardworking]

The best thing the press should do is to advise people to pray. That's the best solution.

Yes, and the Lord helps those who help themselves. The best solution is to return to the times when our country absolutely refused to allow certain ethnic and foreign people(s) in. Period. We need to round up all the rag heads and send them packing. Those who were born here need to be tracked and NO MORE should every be allowed in. Will we wake up and do this? No. Too stupid and lily-livered.

[tonycavanagh]

I understand youir sentiments but we are not Islamic, Nazie or Communist Murders, punish the guilty not who ever comes to hand.

[jeffers]

Three significant downsides for Al Qaeda from this attack.

1. The Advice and Reformation Committee, AQ's PR arm, along with all of the Muslim community in London, are going to take a serious hit, probably already are as I type this.

2. At least 80% of the international ill will over the Iraq war evaporated with this attack. None of the G8 leaders will be able to dissociate their presence with the timing of this attack. Their grey faces on TV today substantiate this.

3. The cell phones, the unexploded ordinance, the timers, the witnesses, the big ears at NSA and elsewhere, all the intel will coalese towards those nations supporting AQ leadership for this attack. (My money's on Iran)

Relations between Britain and that nation will....chill.

Or perhaps heat up.

[bernie_g]

The police here in the UK have been pretty successful so far in preventing this, they've stopped multiple attempts that w know about already, but we all knew we could expect one to get through. Now the issue is putting them out of business.

Mr Blair himself said "Not if, but when it happens" and as you probably saw, our emergency services, well used to bombings because we've had quite a lot over the years, were prepared and our citizens behaved with calm determination.

We all knew this was the price of our support, some of us here thought it worth paying, others in the UK never did.

I doubt this will change many opinions in either group.

[Wiz]

ping

[trisham]

The press is just exagerrating things. Terrorist attacks can't be prevented. Pretty soon we will hear Germany to have a terrorist attack. How could you prevent it? The people killed in these terrorist attacks is peanuts compared to the people killed in WWII. The best thing the press should do is to advise people to pray. That's the best solution.

**************

I smell ozone.

[truth_seeker]

"I understand youir sentiments but we are not Islamic, Nazie or Communist Murders, punish the guilty not who ever comes to hand."

Hiroshima, Nagasaki.

We decided to do this, to cause the civilians to pressure the government and military how high the price of war was....to stop. It worked.

Dresden was the same. It didn't work in the short run.