Thursday, July 7, where at least two people died when six explosions rocked the capital’s underground rail stations and tore open a packed double-decker bus. Thursday’s blasts, which also injured scores of others, were part of "a series of barbaric terrorist attacks," Blair told reporters.
Blair said it’s clear the attacks were designed to coincide with the opening of the G-8 summit, the Reuters news agency reported. He left the G8-summit of industrialized nations to deal with the crisis.
His comments suggested that London had become the target of a major terrorist attack by the al-Qaeda network of Osama bin Laden, who also claimed responsibility for the September 11 attacks against the United States, analysts said.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility.
CHRISTIANS PRAY
These latest developments were also expected to add to a sense of mission among evangelical Christians in the area who had been involved in a major "prayer initiative" for London, known as Hope for the City, amid insecurity among people in the post-September 11 world, BosNewsLife News Center monitored.
The initiative, which involves several prayer events, is supported by the Evangelical Alliance UK, an umbrella group representing over one million evangelical Christians, which has been praying for London and its leaders. In the UK it is made up of member churches, organizations and individuals.
TWO DEATHS CONFIRMED
In a statement, London Police said there had been two deaths at Aldgate. United Kingdom Home Secretary Charles Clarke, Britain’s top law enforcement officer, said: "There have been a number of dreadful incidents across London today."
Sir Ian Blair urged people to stay where they were and not to call emergency services unless it was a life-threatening situation. He stressed there had been "many casualties" but said it was too early to put a figure to those killed or injured and he reassured the public that an emergency plan was in place and the situation was "steadily coming under control", the BBC reported.
Oil prices around the world dropped sharply following the news amid "profit tacking," the Reuters news agency said.
"TERRIBLE INJURIES"
Clarke told reporters outside Downing Street: "The health services are in support to deal with the terrible injuries that there have been." Scotland Yard reportedly said it received information that explosions have happened at Edgware Road, King’s Cross, Liverpool Street, Russell Square, Aldgate East and Moorgate.
Meanwhile eyewitnesses spoke of their experiences. 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. The BBC quoted the Liberal Democrat MP Simon Hughes, near Kings Cross station as saying: "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."
INJURED PEOPLE
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 the BBC Five Live program 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." Prime Minister Blair suggested his heart went out to the victims. "It’s particularly barbaric that this has happened" on a day that people are meeting to deal with world problems at the G8 in Scotland. (With BosNewsLife News Center, BosNewsLife Research and reports from London and Scotland)
