Thursday, July 07, 2005

London Under Attack

Live blogging as I catch the news from London. CNN is stinking with little info and Fox is doing better. Reports 90 casualties at this time. Seven explosions. At least three to four on the underground and three on buses.

They were interviewing some wounded and the police came and asked the wounded to go back into a local hotel they must be using for coordination of casualties.

Affected areas are Tavistock and Aldergate Station.

Sounding like coordinated terrorists attacks. Secondary bombs went off after emergency personnel came to rescue the wounded. I don't see a good cordoning effort going on to look for suspects nearby. With secondary explosions going off after rescuers arrived, the suspects are either nearby or watching the news somewhere safe and detonating from remote control although, the only way to do that with a safe distance would have to be a cell phone set up. All other remote detonation devices require a close proximity.

Let's hope that the explosive experts can quickly tell the detonation device and make efforts to determine the radius.

Update 5:06pm: Question about Zarqawi's statements if he made any that would point towards these attacks. He didn't but Osama did recently press Zarqawi to attack Americans and British at home.

Witness reporting explosion was near Kings Cross.

Several walking wounded, possible fatalities. Looks like mainly head wounds and lacerations.

update 5:09 AM Explosion unconfirmed in the Financial District.

Update 5:10 Cresswell station another possible explosion.

Double decker buses are being emptied and searched.

Update 5:12 Waiting for Tony Blair to comment. Expecting to hear the US increase terror alert sometime early this morning.

90 casualties are only at one station. Total unknown as yet.

Update 5:14 Soldiers are reported in the streets of Coventry Garden nearby these incidents and extra police and other security also dispatched. I expect this will be part of the cordon and search considering that these are not suicide bombings but remote control. Also expecting additional explosions. Ongoing.

Update 5:18 As expected, Washington DC Metro has increased security alert for transport in the city.

update 5:21 Just saw emergency personnel wheeling a severely injured person down the road. Half of a bus is missing. Witness said the top of the bus went flying.

Update 5:29 It's aldgate station and they are saying 2 dead and nine seriously hurt at Aldgate. Police are asking for the media not to speculate and cause anymore panic.

Police indicating that situation is coming under control. People should stay where they are for now.

Alleged warning to Scotland Yard from Isreali intelligence moments before attacks from AP. However, police spokesman not aware of any warning. No one expected attacks but concern was high due to multiple events going on.

AP in Jeruselam, Scottland Yard told Israel that attacks imminent. No one indicating this is accurate. (personal note, reporting this, but first reports are often wrong and this seems odd; would seem much more likely that Israeli intelligence would tell Scottland Yard)

Update 5:40 Picture of emergency workers doing CPR on a man on the way into the hospital. enormous traffic jams.

Explosions at Edware Road and Kings Crossing. Russel Square and Aldgate Station.

New York also increasing security at transportation centers.

Update 5:48 At least two bombs are recovered unexploded. Remote controlled or timed devices. (secondary explosions after the fact sounds like remote controlled to me...ed)

Update 5:54 Indicating up to 20 fatalities but no confirmation. Expecting fatalities will be held until confirmation with relatives.

Central bus route in London closed down.

6:04 Update Tony Blair very emotional and not his usual eloquent self. Says that terrorists need to understand that England will not allow extremists ideology to destroy their way of life or things that they hold dear. Blair indicates he will go down to London and then return late that night for the G8

Now Royal Hospital reporting 1 fatality and 95 injuries.

Confirmation Kings Cross station still ongoing rescue mission. Still cannot confirm fatalities but think there are many more. Asking people to stay off of the roads, that national train systems coming in and out of London are cancelled. Underground stopped and asking people not to call LAS (emergency system?) unless absolutely necessary.

Bus explosion at Tavistock square. Witness indicating many "bodies" lying around the bus but cannot say their condition (ie, fatalities or injuries)

Update 6:30 At Aldgate Station rescue workers are bringing out bodies and injured.

Indicating that Israel denies any information was passed to or from Scottland Yard.

Italian news agency reporting unknown group claiming responsibility in the name of al Qaida. However, cautioning note as many "crackpots" have been known to come out and claim such things.

Now seeing what looks like fire and bomb disposal units going up to Aldergate Station.

Scottland Yark Skye Reporter (beat reporter) now saying bus explosion an indication of suicide bomber. There is only one confirmed bus bombing.

(Speculation from me, depending on the order and if only one bus bombing and after the explosions on train, suicider could be person who did the main detonations and then killed himself. However, totally speculation as I have no idea of the order nor confirmed suicide bomber on the bus)

Explosions: Russel Square, Liecester, Edgware, Kings Cross, Aldgate, Lester(added) and Tavistock.

Update: 6:41 Now reporting bomb sniffing dogs and extra security into DC and NY subways. However, homeland security indicating no plans to raise security threat level in US and no indications of attacks here.

Update 6:49 London schools go on "lock down" and keeping all children inside

Scenes of complete devestation at the exploded bus site. Many seriously wounded.

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