Explosions in London, As It Happened
Dateline: Thursday 7th July 2005

There have been a series of explosions across London this morning. They took place at Aldgate East Underground Station and Edgware Road Underground Station, at about 8.45am, also on a double decker bus in Tavistock Sqaure (in the area near the British Museum). It is reported that the explosion on the bus took place on the upper deck and blew off the roof.

The whole of London Underground has been closed as a precautionary measure and all Zone 1 bus services have been suspended. Police have also cordoned off areas around the sites of explosions. All hospitals in Central London are gearing up for a major emergency.

No figures on casualties have been given. Reporters have seen 'walking wounded'.

There are rumours of further incidents including a major incident at Kings Cross Station.

Initially, a 'surge in power' was given as the cause of the explosion at Aldgate Station. Now it's become clear that these explosions cannot be just coincidences and must be terrorism.

11.20am
Sir Ian Blair, Metropolitian Police Commissioner, in an interview has said that there have been six explosions: Aldgate East, Kings Cross, Liverpool Street, Moorgate, Edgware Road, Russell Square (probably the incident at nearby Tavistock Square.

His advice is:

• Stay where you are - there is no public transport in Central London
• Do not call emergency services unless you have a life threatening situation
• There will be more information later.

11.30am
Arab sources have told the BBC that this is almost certainly the work of Al Qaeda.

Police have confirmed at least 2 people have been killed at Aldgate East Station, many injured. Reporters at the Royal London Hospital, Whitechapel (East London, near Aldgate) have seen air ambulances landing, buses are being used to ferry walking wounded from Kings Cross to the hospital. All routine appointments have been cancelled.

St Mary's Hospital, Paddington, have reported 4 people critically injured, 8 seriously injured and several with minor injuries. They say they are seeing a range of injuries including those to limbs, burns. smoke inhalation, head injuries, lacerations.

11.50am - Kings Cross Station
This apparently took place before 9am. It appears an explosion occurred on a tube train underground. Eye witnesses report a loud explosion followed by thick black smoke that covered faces and limbs. Lights went out and other electrics failed. People tried breaking train windows and injuries were caused doing this and then when people clambered through them.

Walking wounded started coming out of the station from about 9am and 4 double decker buses were used as emergency treatment centres. Now more seriously wounded people from the train where the explosion occurred are being brought out.

12.10pm - Statement by Prime Minister Tony Blair
Tony Blair, looking pale and shocked, has just given a short statement. He is leaving the opening day of the G8 to return to London to get first hand reports on the terrorist incidents but will return this evening. He said there was no doubt that these are a result of terrorism. He said that it was particularly barbaric that these incidents were times to coincide with the opening of the G8 Conference where people were meeting to try to alleviate poverty and deal with global warming. He went on to say, "Our determination to defend our values and way of life is greater than their determination to cause death and destruction to innocent people..."

12.15pm - Latest news
The ambulance service say there is a rescue operation going on at Kings Cross with a tube train stuck in one of the tunnels. Fatalities are reported.

The number of explosions has been now reported as seven - Russell Square and Tavistock Square are apparently separate incidents.

1.30pm - Al Qaeda
It has been reported that a website has appeared with a statement apparently from Al Qaeda claiming responsibity for the attacks.

2.25pm - Latest News
It has been confirmed that the bus bombed this morning was a number 30 en route between Marble Arch and Hackney. The police say that the explosion took place towards the back of the bus on the upper deck. They are refusing to confirm or deny that it was detonated by a suicide bomber. If it was a suicide bomber, this would be the instance of this kind of terrorism in Britain.

2.40pm
Advice from police is that people in Central London should stay where they are for the time being. Public transport there is still not running. School children should continue their normal activities and arrangements will be made for them to go home.

Many Intercity trains are terminating outside London and so travellers should check although nobody should travel to Central London unless absolutely essential.

Mobile phone networks are under strain within Central London.

5.15pm Update
Emergency Hotline: 0870 1566 344

All coach services in and out of Central London are suspended as are all London Underground. Some bus services in Central London have resumed. Most mainline train stations are open again and services resumed but King's Cross is still closed. A number of roads in Central London are closed. Journeys home are going to be very slow and difficult. More information on London Transport.

Thames Clipper river boats are providing free travel for all today.

The current figures for fatalities are 21 dead at King's Cross, 7 at Liverpool Street and 5 at Edgware Road. No numbers have been given for fatalities on the bus although it is believed that people did die.

The flag on Buckingham Palace is now flying at half mast.

The Muslim Council of Great Britain have issued a statement utterly condemning today's acts of terrorism. It says: "The Muslim Council of Britain utterly condemns today's indiscriminate acts of terror in London. These evil deeds make victims of us all. It is our humanity that must bring us shoulder to shoulder to condemn, to oppose and to overcome those who would spread fear, hatred and death.

"Our sympathies and our prayers are with the victims, their families and friends.We extend our support and gratitude to the emergency services, the police and all the frontline services charged with our collective security.

"The evil people who planned and carried out these series of explosions in London this morning want to demoralize us as a nation and divide us as a people. All of us must unite in helping the police to capture these murderers. Yesterday we celebrated as Londoners, euphoric that our great city had secured the Olympic Games. Today we watch aghast as we witness a series of brutal attacks upon our capital city. We were together in our celebration, we must remain together in our time of crisis," said Sir Iqbal Sacranie, Secretary General of the MCB.

"We must and will be united in common determination that terror cannot succeed. It is now the duty of all us Britons to be vigilant and actively support efforts to bring those responsible to justice."

Copyright © 2005 - Carol Fisher