Bad day in London could have been much worse
db: It seems that one of the would-be killers at the Oval today in London attempted to explode his bomb by firing at it with a handgun. There are also reports that the devices were of similar construction to those used two weeks ago. Through good fortune all the bombs failed to detonate. The BBC details the following:
The attacks took place almost simultaneously, at about 1230 BST.
London's transport system was quickly thrown into chaos, with a number of Tube lines closed and roads shut off as cordons were established.
* At Warren Street Tube station witnesses reported hearing a bang at the front of a train, creating some panic among passengers.
* Armed officers were twice deployed to nearby University College Hospital, following reports that someone had run away from Warren Street. Three unoccupied rooms in the hospital remained cordoned off on Thursday evening. Police later said they believed two people who had been arrested in the area were unconnected to the blasts and had been released.
* At Oval Tube station about 20 or 30 passengers were evacuated from a train after seeing "white smoke". The RMT union's security meeting was told the suspect used a handgun to try and detonate explosives contained in a backpack, BBC London Transport correspondent Andrew Winstanley said. There were reports that bystanders tried to tackle a man as he fled the station.
* At Shepherd's Bush a man was reported to have fled after the attack, on the Hammersmith and City Line.
* On a Number 26 bus on the Hackney Road there was an explosion on the top deck. The windows of the bus, which was travelling from Waterloo to Hackney, were blown out, although there was no structural damage.
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Police say there is one casualty in hospital who may or may not be connected to the bombings. Earlier it was suggested that this person was wounded when his backpack failed to fully explode. There is still no clear picture of what exactly happened today. It does seem though we have four would-be bombers, who have proved their desire to kill en masse, loose on the streets of the capital. It could have been much worse.
The attacks took place almost simultaneously, at about 1230 BST.
London's transport system was quickly thrown into chaos, with a number of Tube lines closed and roads shut off as cordons were established.
* At Warren Street Tube station witnesses reported hearing a bang at the front of a train, creating some panic among passengers.
* Armed officers were twice deployed to nearby University College Hospital, following reports that someone had run away from Warren Street. Three unoccupied rooms in the hospital remained cordoned off on Thursday evening. Police later said they believed two people who had been arrested in the area were unconnected to the blasts and had been released.
* At Oval Tube station about 20 or 30 passengers were evacuated from a train after seeing "white smoke". The RMT union's security meeting was told the suspect used a handgun to try and detonate explosives contained in a backpack, BBC London Transport correspondent Andrew Winstanley said. There were reports that bystanders tried to tackle a man as he fled the station.
* At Shepherd's Bush a man was reported to have fled after the attack, on the Hammersmith and City Line.
* On a Number 26 bus on the Hackney Road there was an explosion on the top deck. The windows of the bus, which was travelling from Waterloo to Hackney, were blown out, although there was no structural damage.
>>
Police say there is one casualty in hospital who may or may not be connected to the bombings. Earlier it was suggested that this person was wounded when his backpack failed to fully explode. There is still no clear picture of what exactly happened today. It does seem though we have four would-be bombers, who have proved their desire to kill en masse, loose on the streets of the capital. It could have been much worse.
posted by exoplanet at 12:01 AM
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