APRIL 8th PREDICTION

[rollinTHUNDER]

Bomb blasts rock London

07.07.2005 - 15:06 CET | By Andrew Rettman

EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - MEPs held a minute's silence at their plenary session in Strasbourg on Thursday (7 July) in reaction to news that a series of bomb blasts ripped through the London transport system between 09:49 and 11:14 CET this morning.

At least two have been confirmed dead so far with scores injured, but the casualty numbers are expected to climb as European leaders and EU staff await official reports from the UK authorities.

Meanwhile, some commuters are still being pulled from trains that have been stranded underground for hours in the dark, the BBC reports.

A group calling itself "The Secret Organization of al-Qaida in Europe" has claimed responsibility for the explosions according to Spiegel Online, warning the "Danish and Italian government and all other crusaders" to withdraw troops from Afghanistan and Iraq in an unconfirmed message.

British prime minister Tony Blair left the G8 summit in Gleneagles, Scotland to travel to London but said the meeting on poverty relief and climate change will continue without him.

"It's reasonably clear that there have been a series of terrorist attacks in London. There are obviously casualties. There are people that have died and people that have been seriously injured", he said in an emotional TV address.

"It is our determination that they will never succeed in destroying what we hold dear in this country and other civilised countries around the world", he stated, adding that the "particularly barbaric" attack was probably designed to break up the G8 meeting.

An attack on all Europe

France, Italy and the US have placed themselves on high states of alert while Budapest evacuated two trade centres following the attacks, according to newswire sources.

EU justice commissioner Franco Frattini indicated that "This attack is not an attack on the United Kingdom or its citizens only, but an attack on the whole of Europe and on all of us, all EU citizens".

And EU foreign affairs chief Javier Solana called for global and Europe-wide condemnation of the "hideous attack on innocent civilians".

Their words echoed a statement from Dutch leader Jan Peter Balkenende who stated that "Terrorism is an evil that threatens all the countries in Europe. Vigorous cooperation in the European Union and worldwide is crucial in order to meet this evil head on".

And European Parliament chief Josep Borrell remarked that "as a citizen of a country which experienced only last year the horror of this kind of multiple attack, I want to send, on behalf of the parliament, a message of solidarity to the British people".

The Italian, Polish, Portuguese, French, German, Irish, Israeli and Spanish governments as well as the Vatican also sent in messages of support.

Seven explosions

Most media speak of seven explosions - six on north London underground stations and one on a double decker bus - with eyewitnesses reporting defeaning bangs and rows of charred, wounded, bodies being treated on the pavement while others stood around in shock.

London hospitals have reportedly stopped accepting non-emergency cases and London Underground has suspended all services indefinitely.

Bus operators also shut down central London routes and mainline intercity train operators diverted their services away from the capital.

Most city of London banks suspended trading and left staff to walk home while the British home office urged people to remain in their local areas and let the emergency services get on with the job.

But Eurostar services and flights from major London airports are going on as normal.

http://euobserver.com/?sid=9&aid=19518

[rollinTHUNDER]

World leaders react to the London explosions

July 07 2005 at 02:06PM

London - Explosions rocked London on Thursday, killing several people and wounding scores in what Prime Minister Tony Blair called an apparent terror attack coinciding with a meeting of Group of Eight leaders in Scotland.

Following are some reactions from world leaders:

BRITISH PRIME MINISTER TONY BLAIR:

"It's reasonably clear there have been a series of terrorist attacks.

"It is particularly barbaric that this has happened on a day when people are meeting to try to help the problems of poverty in Africa, the long-term problems of climate change and the environment. Whatever they do, it is our determination that they will never succeed in destroying what we hold dear in this country."

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

IRISH PRIME MINISTER BERTIE AHERN

"This is terrorism and violence perpetrated against ordinary people ... it's just a black mark on society, a devastating blow against people... This is a huge emergency. A terrible, sad day."

DUTCH PRIME MINISTER JAN PETER BALKENENDE

"Terrorism is an evil that threatens all the countries in Europe. Vigorous cooperation in the European Union and worldwide is crucial in order to meet this evil head on."

HUNGARIAN PRIME MINISTER FERENC GYURCSANY:

"Violence of any sort is unacceptable, any action outside the framework of democratic institutions is unacceptable. It's not acceptable that innocent people, children or adults, should suffer in London, or anywhere else in the world, because of the unacceptable terror of a few."

JAVIER SOLANA, EU FOREIGN POLICY CHIEF

"A terrible event can happen at any time. We cannot let down our guard. We are working every day, and in a coordinated way in all the EU countries."

"Unfortunately there are times when one cannot prevent one (an attack of this sort) happening."

FRANCO FRATTINI EU COMMISSIONER FOR JUSTICE AND SECURITY

"We have the tragic confirmation that terrorism has once again hit the heart of Europe and hit a country that holds the presidency of the (European) Union and the G8."

http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&cl...20738321643B226

[rollinTHUNDER]

Blair condemns 'barbaric' London attacks

July 07 2005 at 01:39PM

Gleneagles, Scotland - British Prime Minister Tony Blair condemned on Thursday a "barbaric" series of attacks in London and said it was "reasonably clear" that terrorists were behind the wave of explosions.

Blair said he planned to leave a G8 summit of world leaders in Scotland in "the next couple of hours" and return to London, but he added that he would fly back to Gleneagles later in the day to re-join the talks.

"It's reasonably clear there have been a series of terrorist attacks," a sombre-looking Blair said in his first comment on a series of blasts that rocked London earlier on Thursday.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"It is particularly barbaric that this has happened on a day when people are meeting to try to help the problems of poverty in Africa, the long-term problems of climate change and the environment," he said in a televised statement.

"Whatever they do, it is our determination that they will never succeed in destroying what we hold dear in this country," he told reporters, referring to those behind the attacks.

Explosions rocked London, killing several people and wounding scores, just as leaders of the eight most industrialised nations in the world were due to start the first formal session of their annual summit.

"Just as it is reasonably clear that this is a terrorist attack - or a series of terrorist attacks - it's also reasonably clear that this is designed, aimed to coincide with the opening of the G8," Blair said.

http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&cl...20735620684B226

[rollinTHUNDER]

Londoners 'dazed and confused' after blasts

July 07 2005 at 12:45PM

By Trevor Datson

London - "I was on the bus. I looked round and the seats behind me were gone."

More than that the middle-aged victim of the bus blast in central London could or would not say.

Shocked, disorientated, and with oil and pieces of debris in her hair and clothes, she asked for directions to Holborn but refused all offers of help.

The scene around Russell Square in the city's heart was one of bewilderment, with little reliable information available on what had actually happened.

Traffic wardens, police support officers and private security guards were all drafted in to man the cordons.

Police officers spoke of "a bomb" or "bombs," and of "explosions". The slowly expanding police cordon pushed before it droves of confused office workers, evacuated from the surrounding streets.

The cellphone networks quickly became jammed with callers trying to reassure loved ones of their safety, and shops filled with people begging the use of a telephone. Some young women in a hairdressers' shop were in tears.

http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&cl...20732920604B216

[rollinTHUNDER]

London in chaos after railway explosions

July 07 2005 at 12:25PM

London - A number of people were killed in a series of explosions on London's transport system at rush hour on Thursday morning, causing chaos in the British capital, police and transport officials said.

Several blasts hit the underground network and police said there had been at least three explosions on buses in the city.

A source at the Metronet consortium that runs part of the capital's underground network said "there were three explosions and there have been some fatalities".

Home Secretary Charles Clarke said the blasts had caused "terrible injuries".

'There are shards of glass there, it is chaos'

The causes of the incidents, a day after London was awarded the 2012 Olympics and as leaders of the Group of Eight rich nations met in Scotland, were unknown but police said many of the city's underground stations were affected.

"It is too too early to state what has happened," a London police spokesperson said. "I cannot comment on reports of bombs, but we have had multi-reports of explosions around London."

People were seen streaming out of one underground station covered in blood and soot. Passengers were evacuated from stations across the capital, many in shock and with their clothes ripped to shreds, witnesses said.

The entire system was shut down and major thoroughfares were blocked off by police and ambulance services.

One bus was blown up in Tavistock Square in central London, a policeman told Reuters.

'All train services are suspended'

"There have been some casualties and this has been declared as a major incident," said a spokesperson for London's Metropolitan Police.

Emergency services rushed to the Aldgate East underground station where police reported the first incident at 8.59am local time.

"There were people streaming out of Algate station covered in blood," said Kate Heywood, 27, on her way to work.

"There are shards of glass there, it is chaos," she added.

A Reuters corresondent at Oxford Circus station, at the heart of the underground system, heard an announcement over the public-address system saying: "A power outage has occurred London-wide. All train services are suspended."

A station official said: "All the power has gone down. I don't know when it'll come back."

Police sealed off large areas around other underground and mainline rail stations. Firemen donned chemical protection suits before rushing into stations.

Half a dozen people dishevelled and with soot-blackened faces sat on the floor at Russell Square underground station or stood in shock as police cordoned off the area and ambulances crews raced in, one witness said.

The Great Eastern Hotel, which was hosting a conference on the Israeli economy, was evacuated. Israeli Finance Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was due to attend the conference but had not arrived.

Stocks dived and demand for government bonds and safe-haven currencies soared on Thursday after the reports of the incidents.

http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&cl...20730400954B216

[rollinTHUNDER]

Medics treating 90 people at Aldgate station

July 07 2005 at 12:19PM

London - At least 90 casualties were being treated near the Aldgate Underground station in London after a large explosion, a doctor treating the injured said.

"We have been helping with the walking wounded, there are three whole bus loads full of them," said Doctor Diane Keith, who estimated that there were around 30 people on each bus.

Keith was working in the area when she heard the blasts.

"They were walking out of the tube station and being carried out," she said.

"Some people were quite badly hurt, there were people lying all over the place."

Injuries ranged from perforated ear drums to heavy lacerations to the face and body, while other people were being carried out covered in blood, she added.

http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&cl...20731664119B216

[rollinTHUNDER]

Explosions prompt epic emergency response

July 07 2005 at 11:37AM

London - A huge emergency operation swung into action in London on Thursday following a series of explosions at several railway stations that caused a "large number of casualties", police said.

Reports said people with their faces covered in blood and soot emerged from Underground stations in central and north London.

Scotland Yard said the "major incident" was caused by a power surge in the Tube network during the morning rush hour.

The entire network was closed down.

Reports that two trains had collided at Edgware Road station were not immediately confirmed.

It was too early to speculate about a possible terrorist attack, police said.

Thousands of people had been evacuated in the morning rush hour from underground trains in a "calm manner", police said.

At Liverpool Street station, scores of walking wounded with blackened faces were wondering through the streets.

Transport police said two trains were stuck in a tunnel near Edgware Road. - Sapa-dpa

http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&cl...20728960242B216

[rollinTHUNDER]

Explosion brings London Underground to a stop

July 07 2005 at 10:51AM

London - London's entire Underground railway network was suspended on Thursday after a blast and another "incident" shook the system, leaving several people wounded, officials and rescue workers said.

The chaos came a day after the British capital was chosen to host the 2012 Olympics.

Police evacuated a number of mainline railway and underground stations following a blast near Liverpool Street Station, which serves London's financial district, and a separate incident in the west of the capital.

http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&cl...20726440407B635

[rollinTHUNDER]

Central London sealed off after bus blast

July 07 2005 at 11:28AM

London - An explosion blew up a bus in central London on Thursday, police told Reuters after witnesses said they had heard a big boom.

Police closed off the area around Tavistock Square.

A policeman, who declined to be identified, said there had been an explosion on a bus.

"We heard a big boom and we were all told to evacuate the building," an officer worker said.

There was no word on casualties.

http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&cl...12072860026B216

[rollinTHUNDER]

EU says Israeli barrier is illegal

12.07.2005 - 09:53 CET | By Elitsa Vucheva

The EU is against Israel building a separation barrier around Jerusalem, as it believes the move is illegal, the EU's foreign policy chief Javier Solana has said.

"We think that Israel has the right to defend itself but we think that the fence which will stand outside the territory of Israel is not legally proper and it also creates humanitarian problems", he was reported as saying after meeting with Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom.

The barrier will separate east Jerusalem and the largest West Bank settlement from the rest of the West Bank, and will also divide Bethlehem. It is due to be completed by the end of the year.

Israel is saying the wall is meant to keep out Palestinian attackers and suicide bombers, but Palestinians view it as another land grab.

The International Court of Justice in The Hague declared the barrier illegal in July 2004, but Israel has ignored the judgment.

On Sunday (10 July), Israel's cabinet decided to build another segment of the fence around Jerusalem, with Israeli officials admitting it would effectively separate 55,000 Palestinian residents from the rest of the holy city.

The route will make Jerusalem "more Jewish", Haim Ramon, Israel's minister for Jerusalem affairs said, adding "the safer and more Jewish Jerusalem is, the more it can serve as a true capital of the state of Israel".

Supporting Israel's withdrawal from Gaza

Meanwhile, Mr Solana reiterated EU backing of the Israeli decision to withdraw from Gaza, saying the bloc wants to play its role to ensure the success of the operation.

"We would like to be of help, if possible...help economically, help politically and help from a security point of view", he said.

Javier Solana, who is to finish his four-day visit in the Middle East on Thursday (14 July), called the Israeli initiative a "courageous decision", and stressed that the EU wanted the move to contribute to reviving the bilateral peace process.

Israel is due to start withdrawing form Gaza in August.