News like this sends me exploring into the vast web of cyberspace. I want to hear the news on the ground, from the people living it, not the sanitized, produced, media product. Here's what people are saying in London:
The most intriguing comment to me ironically was from an American named Steph on this post at Wibbler:
I am a U.S. citizen in California reading this blog (and Europhobia) and I must say that even though I detest George Bush and consider him unfit as a leader, I suspended all of that opinion just to listen to the man and what he had to say today. I became aware that I finally understood where he might be coming from in terms of his policies. Prior to today, I just couldn't fathom his reasoning..........For reasons unknown to me, I have been more affected by the terrorist attacks today in London, than I was by 9/11 in my own country.
Maybe Steph was more affected by this outrage becuse on 9/11 she had already been conditioned to feel America "had it coming". I don't know. Maybe one more person today understands that we are at war with an enemy who has no compunction about killing the innocent in an effort to impose their twisted brand of religious opression on the planet. It just struck me as odd that today she finally decided to listen to the words and see if they made sense.
Another link from that Wibbler post:
British police told the Israeli Embassy in London minutes before Thursday's explosions that they had received warnings of possible terror attacks in the city, a senior Israeli official said.
You just know this is going to be twisted into another legend of anti-semitic conspiracy theory. First, we don't know if it's true. Second we don't know if it was the same threat they were warned about. Finally, even if it is the same threat, if the intelligence they had pointed to Israeli or Jewish targets, they were right to warn them.
Here's a picture from the London Underground during the attacks. Sometimes the speed of the new media is chilling. I'm afraid I'm going to turn on my laptop one day and watch a murder live. Or maybe we'll just get to Minority Report mode and preview the news. (It would be way too Big Brother, but on the other hand who wouldn't choose to have prevented this given the opportunity?)
The Guardin Newsblog is collecting and posting eyewitness accounts. Like this story from Jo:
I truly thought I was going to die and was just hoping it would be from smoke inhalation and not fire. I felt genuine fear but kept calm (and quite proud of myself for that).
Eventually people smashed through the windows and we were lifted out all walked up the tunnel to the station. There was chaos outside and I started to walk down Euston Road (my face and clothes were black) towards work and all of a sudden there was another huge bang and people started running up the road in the opposite direction to where I was walking and screaming and crying. I now realise this must have been one of the buses exploding.
Godspeed Jo. Robin Grant of Perfect has been liveblogging:
I just checked in with the office, and thankfully everyone seems to have made it through. 1 person was caught in the Edgware Road blast and has had surgery on his leg this afternoon, which is tragic, but it could have been a lot worse. It sounds like they’ve had quite a crazy day up there, being so close to events. Most people are now trying to make their way home.
Which led me to another great liveblog at Europhobia, including this:
I'm off for some lunch (and a soothing pint) - back shortly.
14:05 - I tell you what, if this is an "Islamic" terrorist attack, they're doing a piss-poor job. The pubs are all packed out, people sipping their pints happily, all a tad pissed off, but basically fine with it. Nice one, Al Quaeda - you profess to be from a teetotal religion, and you've given the pub trade a massive mid-week boost. Result.
Read the whole thing, including the links to Surviving a Terrorist Attack:
Travelling just past Edgware Road Station the train entered a tunnel. We shook like any usual tube train as it rattled down the tracks. It was then I heard a loud bang.
The train left the tracks and started to rumble down the tunnel. It was incapable of stopping and just rolled on. A series of explosions followed as if tube electric motor after motor was exploding. Each explosion shook the train in the air and seems to make it land at a lower point.
I fell to the ground like most people, scrunched up in a ball in minimize injury. At this point I wondered if the train would ever stop, I thought "please make it stop", but it kept going. In the end I just wished that it didn't hit something and crush. It didn't.
When the train came to a standstill people were screaming, but mainly due to panic as the carriage was rapidly filling with smoke and the smell of burning motors was giving clear clues of fire.
As little as 5 seconds later we were unable to see and had all hit the ground for the precious air that remaining. We were all literally choking to death.
And the reaction of his friend Andrew, who was on a train behind one that was hit. (language warning.)
I think it was Robin's site that linked to A Letter to the Terrorists, From London.
I'm glad to see that Adrian Warnock, keeper of the Blogdom of God is OK.
More from Samizdata. and Dodgeblogium including this message to the Islamist Scum. Many links at AboutThis Boy. A near miss story from bnathyuw. Random Acts of Reality received a mobile message from an EMT at the bus bomb site. It doesn't sound good.
Finally, our thoughts and prayers are with all our brothers and sisters in the U.K. I don't know if you have any idea what it's meant to us to have you firmly at our side since 09/11. There is nothing like a great friend in times of trouble. We stand resolutely in friendship next to you as you regroup, mourn, and go on. I know that prayers are being said for you all across America. All our love from the states.
Update: Chris from Day by Day weighs in.
