The London bombings
The Associated Press is reporting that the death toll has risen above 50.
FoxNews quotes a Londoner...
"As Brits, we'll carry on — it doesn't scare us at all," said tour guide Michael Cahill, 37. "Look, loads of people are walking down the streets. It's Great Britain — not called 'Great' for nothing."
Bully for you Mike, although I kinda think it did scare quite a few of you, but I understand what you mean.
MSNBC reports Tony Blair's speech...
“I think we all know what they are trying to do — they are trying to use the slaughter of innocent people to cower us, to frighten us out of doing the things that we want to do, of trying to stop us going about our business as normal, as we are entitled to do, and they should not, and they must not, succeed,” Blair said.
The New York Times reports...
A group calling itself the Secret Organization of Al Qaeda in Europe announced on a Web site that it was responsible for the bombings. The announcement also threatened Italy and Denmark, which have provided troops to the American-led coalition fighting in Iraq.
Sounds like a name made up on the spur of the moment by some not-very-bright people, doesn't it?
Reuters reports...
Police had yet to reach one of the bombed underground carriages near Russell Square station in central London as the surrounding tunnel was unsafe.
[London police chief Ian] Blair said no survivors were trapped underground and the task now was to retrieve bodies. Andy Trotter of the British Transport Police said the number of bodies still trapped was not known, but one police source said it could be more than 10.
While the UK Guardian reports...
Commuters should consider whether their journey to work today is necessary, as work continues to restore London's tube network.
The plea came from the Metropolitan police after people struggled to get home from work last night after the disruption yesterday.
Reuters quotes a London woman voicing just the opposite...
"My granddad called me last night and told me I had to go to work today," said Sally Higson, 36. "He's 89. He lived through the war and said it was important to carry on as normal."
...and Sky News reports...
Thousands of people, including many who were unable to get home, have boarded trains and buses to get to work, demonstrating their resilience.
The Times Online reports...
MUSLIM leaders voiced fears yesterday that racist right-wing groups are already seeking to stir up hatred against their community after the bomb attacks.
Talks were being held with police and local authorities to ensure the security of mosques and areas where there are large Islamic populations.
Yeah, they said that about the US after 9/11, and there were a reported ZERO cases of violence against Moslems. My general impression of Brits is that they are about as level headed as us Yanks. I think it would serve the Moslems in the UK better were they to spend their time denouncing the violence their fellow Moslems have already done, rather than accusing non-Moslems of imaginary, potential violence.
An interesting thing about terrorism...it's purpose is to make people afraid, so they'll change their behavior and do what the terrorists want. But in the case of the US after 9/11 it produced resolve, and backfired on the terrorists. In Madrid, however, it did produce the exact effect the terrorists wanted. So far it looks as if the Brits are responding, not with terror, but with resolve. That's the best way to defeat the terrorists.
Coverage: Captain's Quarters, Volokh (also here), Michelle Malkin (also here) (sorry Michelle, but “The 7/7 Attacks” just doesn't have the same ring to it as “9/11”. I'm sure a better name will eventually emerge; it always does.), Outside the Beltway (also here), WizBang (also here, here and here), Blogs for Bush, Winds of Change, Patterico, Professor Bainbridge, Right Wing News, HyScience, Ace of Spades, Jawa Report (also here, here and here), GM's Corner
Posted by Danny Carlton at July 8, 2005 08:11 AM