Explosions in London - Local Reactions?

Update [2005-7-7 20:52:21 by kpaul]:: U.S. State Dept. Call Center for Americans with friends or relatives in London, whether residents or vacationing:
1-888-407-4747

Update [2005-7-7 20:28:36 by kpaul]:: ABC News has learned British officials told U.S. Law Enforcement they recovered two unexploded bombs in London.

Yes, I know you can get this info elsewhere. However, instead of just printing the latest AP story here, I want to take a look at several different sources and point you to some good information on the events happening today in London. At this time at least 33 are dead, with hundreds wounded. Tony Blair has left the G8 summit to travel back to London. An info graphic at the BBC lays down a timeline with a map.

Finally, if you have any personal connections with London, we'd love to hear from you.From Voice of America: One passenger described her ordeal. “All of the windows came in and none of us knew what happened, and everywhere there was mayhem. And then the driver came out of the carriage, which was quite scary, because he shone a red light, and we all thought... well, I thought I was dead."
Here's a statement by Tony Blair at, 1730 BST (Source: BBC:

This is a terrible and tragic atrocity that has cost many innocent lives.

I have just attended a meeting of the Government's emergency committee. I received a full report from the ministers and officials responsible.

There will be an announcement made in respect of the various services, in particular we hope the Underground as far as is possible and rail and bus services are up and running as soon as possible.

I would like again to express my profound condolences to the families of the victims and to those who are casualties of this terrorist act.

I would also like to thank the emergency services that have been magnificent today in every respect.

There, of course, will now be the most intense police and security service action to make sure we bring those responsible to justice.

I would also pay tribute to the stoicism and resilience of the people of London who have responded in a way typical of them.

In addition, I welcome the statement put out by the Muslim Council who know that those people acted in the name of Islam but who also know that the vast and overwhelming majority of Muslims, here and abroad, are decent and law-abiding people who abhor this act of terrorism every bit as much as we do.

It's through terrorism that the people that have committed this terrible act express their values and it's right at this moment that we demonstrate ours.

I think we all know what they are trying to do, they are trying to use the slaughter of innocent people to cow us, to frighten us out of doing the things 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 must not succeed.

When they try to intimidate us, we will not be intimidated, when they seek to change our country, our way of life by these methods, we will not be changed.

When they try to divide our people or weaken our resolve, we will not be divided and our resolve will hold firm.

We will show by our spirit and dignity and by a quiet and true strength that there is in the British people, that our values will long outlast theirs.

The purpose of terrorism is just that, it is to terrorise people and we will not be terrorised.

I would like once again to express my sympathy and sorrow for those families that will be grieving so unexpectedly and tragically tonight.

This is a very sad day for the British people but we will hold true to the British way of life.

Here's the statement of Bush: STATEMENT BY PRESIDENT BUSH ON THE BOMBINGS IN LONDON

Gleneagles Hotel Auchterarder, Scotland

1:30 P.M. (Local)

PRESIDENT BUSH: I spent some time recently with the Prime Minister, Tony Blair, and had an opportunity to express our heartfelt condolences to the people of London, people who lost lives. I appreciate Prime Minister Blair's steadfast determination and his strength. He's on his way now to London here from the G8 to speak directly to the people of London. He'll carry a message of solidarity with him.

This morning I have been in contact with our Homeland Security folks. I instructed them to be in touch with local and state officials about the facts of what took place here and in London, and to be extra vigilant, as our folks start heading to work.

The contrast between what we've seen on the TV screens here, what's taken place in London and what's taking place here is incredibly vivid to me. On the one hand, we have people here who are working to alleviate poverty, to help rid the world of the pandemic of AIDS, working on ways to have a clean environment. And on the other hand, you've got people killing innocent people. And the contract couldn't be clearer between the intentions and the hearts of those of us who care deeply about human rights and human liberty, and those who kill -- those who have got such evil in their heart that they will take the lives of innocent folks.

The war on terror goes on. I was most impressed by the resolve of all the leaders in the room. Their resolve is as strong as my resolve. And that is 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.

Thank you very much.

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