London rocked by explosions
Blair says he suspects terrorists are responsible
Thursday, July 7, 2005; Posted: 8:27 a.m. EDT (12:27 GMT)
• Timeline: Blasts across London
• Blair statement: Full text
• Major U.S. cities raise vigilance
• Witnesses tell of subway horror
• European stocks fall
LONDON, England (CNN) -- Four explosions in London's transport system have **** at least two people and wounded dozens more in what UK Prime Minister Tony Blair said was an apparent ****attack.
More fatalities were sure to follow -- emergency services personnel told CNN that a rescue operation at Kings Cross station had successfully evacuated all survivors, leaving **** below ground "in the double digits."
Three of the blasts took place in the city's subway system and one more hit a double-decker bus, all at the height of rush hour.
International SOS, an international medical emergency service, reported that the police had found explosive traces in at least one of four confirmed blast locations.
Hospital officials have reported at least 160 wounded. London transit officials shut down the entire Underground and stopped buses in the central city district.
"We are dealing with large numbers of casualties," he said, "and we believe a number of fatalities."
Flanked by the somber leaders of the world's eight largest industrial nations at the G8 summit in Scotland, Blair said: "We condemn utterly these **** attacks. We send our profound condolences to the victims and their families.
"All of our countries have suffered from the impact of ****. Those responsible have no respect for human life. We are united in our resolve to confront and defeat this **** that is not an attack on one nation, but all nations and on civilized people everywhere."
Blair told reporters he would leave the summit for a "face to face" report in London and then return later in the evening.
A White House spokesman said U.S. President George W. Bush was aware of the explosions and had been in briefings with Blair all morning.
Despite calls from officials to stay home, however, Londoners were on the streets except in areas where they were barred by police.
Police cordoned off areas around six stations in and around the city's center and financial area and brought in sniffer dogs to check the areas.
Telephone traffic -- particularly by cell phone -- was nearly impossible. London's largest cellular provider, Vodafone, said it had devoted much of its network to emergency services, causing the problems with subscribers.
London's police chief said the explosions, which began at about 8:50 a.m. (3:50 a.m. ET), certainly appeared coordinated.
One man, with blood streaming down the left side of his face from a wound on his temple, said he didn't "want to live through it again."
"I was in the front carriage and people were severely injured there," he said, dispassionately, adding that his train had been in the tunnel between Kings Cross and Russell Square. "I heard, but I don't know, that people were hurt worse further back. "Some people were very calm, others very panicky."
"There was a very loud ****, the lights went out, the carriage filled with smoke," he said. "We were all thrown forward."
Another man, clearly shaken by his experience, described being on a smoke-filled carriage on the same train, he and his fellow passengers afraid to try to leave the train.
"We were all trapped like sardines waiting to die," said Angelo Power. "I honestly thought I was going to die, as did everyone else."
A police spokesman urged Londoners to "stay where you are."
"There's no way to travel around London at the moment," he said.
"There is a London emergency plan," he said. "It has been put into effect. It is being coordinated by the Metropolitan Police, and that's about all I can say at the moment."
Scotland Yard sent out a notice saying that "public transport in London will be affected in the next few days."
Claire Burroughs, spokeswoman for St Mary's Hospital in central London, told CNN the hospital was on "major incident alert." Four patients were critically injured, eight were **** and 14 others were being treated for minor injuries, she said.
"The types of injuries we are seeing include limb damage, burns, cuts, breaks, head injuries and chest problems due to smoke inhalation," Burroughs said.
London Hospital said it received 95 patients, most with minor injuries. Ten, however were listed in serious condition and seven in critical condition as well as "numerous with significant orthopedic injuries requiring immediate surgery."
CNN cameraman Oran **** said he has seen seven of the city's famed double-decker buses as well as police cars and ambulances arriving with casualties.
Another hospital told CNN it had taken in 40 wounded.
British Home Secretary Charles Clarke said the explosions took place between Russell Square and Kings Cross Underground; near the Moorgate, Aldgate and Liverpool Street stations Underground; and the Edgware Road station.
The fourth **** on a bus just outside Tavistock Hotel.
London Metropolitan Police, British Transport Police and London's fire brigade are investigating, according to Scotland Yard.
****, who was at Aldgate station, saw passengers coming out of it with signs of smoke inhalation -- black smudges around their mouths and noses.
"They're pushing people away from the tube (train) station," **** said. "Police are telling us to evacuate the street."
Also at Aldgate, CNN producer Roger Clark said he had seen people with blood running down their faces, with many others looking stunned.
An eyewitness who was on a train told Clark the car in front of him exploded and then the the train tunnel filed with smoke.
Separately, the **** Service said it was responding to a report of an **** on a bus at Russell Square. Chamberlin heard a loud **** in central London. Witnesses told him they saw a heavily damaged double-decker bus.
Copyright 2005 CNN. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Associated Press contributed to this report.Now, I was watching Good Morning America, and one of their reporters brought up a scary fact: this attack occured around the same exact time (London time) that the attacks on 9/11/2001 AND the Madrid Spain attacks....
Supposedly, that's where Bin Laden is, and Dubya Bush has to keep faking like we're really there looking for him. But a braindead blind person could see WTF is really going on....
Personally, I think Osama is somewhere in the White House taking a dump...
And would somebody please order CNN to take the "BREAKING NEWS!" banner down? For the love of God, if it has already been broken, IT ISN'T BREAKING ANYMORE!!!!! :rock:
Ooohhh, my head.... :boom:
And another thing:
If this happened in a "brown" country (Turkey, Africa, Indonesia, India), nobody would give a rats ****. It MIGHT be a 2 1/2 minute package on the evening news.
"We will not yield to these people, will not yield to the terrorists. We will find them, we will bring them to justice, and at the same time we will spread an ideology of hope and compassion that will overwhelm their ideology of hate."
Funny how things don't change. Bush said the exact same thing 4 years ago.
And another thing:
If this happened in a "brown" country (Turkey, Africa, Indonesia, India), nobody would give a rats ****. It MIGHT be a 2 1/2 minute package on the evening news.
To say that we could rid the world of ****and **** is ridiculous. If you find Osama there will still be terrorist. If you blow Afghanistan and Iraq to smitherines there will still be terrorist. Terrorists are everywhere and the biggest one is residing at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave, Washington DC.
To be honest you can worry and take precaution all you want to try and prevent **** but as it is said, where there is a will there is a way. You'll never be able to monitor public transportation the way you can air travel. All we can really do is hope and pray that this will some how come to a positive end and soon.
To say that we could rid the world of ****and **** is ridiculous. If you find Osama there will still be terrorist. If you blow Afghanistan and Iraq to smitherines there will still be terrorist. Terrorists are everywhere and the biggest one is residing at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave, Washington DC.
To be honest you can worry and take precaution all you want to try and prevent **** but as it is said, where there is a will there is a way. You'll never be able to monitor public transportation the way you can air travel. All we can really do is hope and pray that this will some how come to a positive end and soon.
Exactly.
Thats like trying to rid the whole world of crime. You can't change a way of life and a way of thinking. People have to change on their own, and it's a crying shame that our president (and many other blind people) cannot see it this way.
I believe there is a scripture in the bible that says "You cant add any time to your life by worrying" Therefore......we shouldn't worry and we should pray that these 4 years go by asap.
maybe I've seen to many CIA conspiracy movies(Swordfish,etc.) but WHY do I think the US Goverment had sumin 2 do with this??? JUST 2 get MORE countries behind us........ :???:
