OT: Explosions in London

[bmattock]

I sincerely hope that all of our UK-based RFF'ers and their families and loved ones are well, and I offer my condolences and prayers for those injured and killed in the apparent terrorist attacks there.

We know you have other things to attend to right now, but please check in when you can and let us know you're alright.

With Sympathy,

Bill Mattocks

 

[oftheherd]

Amen to those thoughts!

 

[Andy K]

Thanks folks. It isn't as bad as being reported on the US News networks. Current figures stand at possibly 10 fatalities, 185 injured, a dozen seriously.

Here's a link to a reliable news source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/default.stm

 

[wierdcollector]

I can't say it any better than Bill did. Hope you're all ok and join you in condolences to the families. A sad day.

 

[denishr]

Let me join Bill's words above - I hope all our members and their families are OK, and my condolences to those wounded and killed. A real horror - I've been watching the news for the past hour or so....
Really frightening.

Denis

 

[Andy K]

Latest reports: Mobile phone sevices shut down in central London (possibly because that is the suspected detonation method).

Traffic Congestion Charge has been suspended. So there is a small silver lining to this cloud.

 

[berci]

Hey Everyone,

I'm here in London near SOHO, and it isn't that bat from here through the office window, however I'm sure it can't have been that easy for those unfortunate who endured, vitnessed the explosions.

It wont be easy to get home though, because there is no public transport here at the moment, no metro, no buses and there is no train service in the northern parts of London.

Berci, live from London

 

[Andy K]

All train ad bus services into London have been suspended too.

 

[berci]

I have heard this mobile phone shut down thing on my mobile phone and I'm in central London. It's just jammed, everyone is trying to call someone on their mobiles.

 

[cp_ste.croix]

I am filled with sadness at these events and sincerely hope that everyone is well both physically and mentally. My thoughts are with you all.

chris

 

[zuikologist]

Update: Transport is getting back to some normality, with one or two stations and all of the Underground still closed, but roads are freeing up. Up to 50 fatalities and 200 injuries so far. The bombs seem to have been planned to cause maximum chaos at rush hour as well as loss of life. The area around the bus which suffered a bomb blast looks like a war zone. Good wishes to all in London today and safe journeys home.

 

[Honu-Hugger]

I join in the sentiments expressed so well by Bill and others; my best wishes to our friends in the U. K. -- so sorry to hear of this tragedy.

 

[Azinko]

There's good and bad news about this really,......

Everyones really impressed with the emergency plan,.......it gives a lot of confidence that a large amount of really professional thought has gone into preparations for something like this and it so obviouisly paid off today.

Secondly, although bad, it could have been much worse and in terms of sheer damage it will be soon tidied up....people have been very laid back about it really....casualties are 35 dead but will rise and 400 injured including 40 serious.

There was no panic on the streets contrary to what foreign news gatherers stated....some tourists got a bit tearful.

This was bad but did not feel like the Irish bomb outrages,....and at aleast we can be reasonably sure that it was NOT funded by US citizens now, unlike the Irish bombs when 'Noraid' was in full swing...so we don't feel that our allies are against us!

 

[popitz]

I join you in prayer for the victims of the bombings and hope that no RFF members were hurt in this apparent terrorist attack.

So sad for the people of London that this has to happen in the morn after the celebration for the city's having been chosen as the host for the 2012 Olympics.

 

[TraceyG]

Godspeed

Godspeed

London will survive this act of cowardice. The actions of a few barbarians will not bring down one of the world's greatest cities or its people. As said by one of the giants of the twentieth century, Winston Churchill:

"Never give in - never, never, never, never, in nothing great or small, large or petty, never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense. Never yield to force; never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy."

Godbless and Godspeed.

 

[Harvey Platter]

Luckily I refused an early appointment for my meeting today or I might have been on one of those trains. As it was, I got to Swindon only to be told that all trains into London had been cancelled. Two minutes after I left Swindon station it was closed down due to a bomb alert - probably some idiot left his suitcase alone. My son-in-law was in the affected zone but safe in an office - with both of us apperently in the troubled area my daughter was just a little worried.

The key thing is not to let them get to us. If we do that, they've won in their twisted little minds

 

[Andy K]

No need to worry about Londoners giving in. As a born Londoner (now an ex-pat Londoner living in Southend) I spoke to some of my relatives today. After living through WW2 and two decades of IRA attrocities their attitude toward the terrorists is one of 'Is that the best you can do? That's pathetic!'

😉

 

[Paul T.]

A friend of mine heads PR at a major London hospital - they've been rehearsing for this kind fo thing regularly for a couple of years now. Hopefully that helped minimise the severity of the casualties. Throughout I've had phone calls checking that I and my loved ones are OK, which at least is a welcome reminder of how many people there are who care about us, and those around us.

The back of my house is replaced, where it was blown out by a V1 bomb. Hopefully we will all match up to the stoicism of our forbears (and of those throughout Europe) who endured violence - violence which, in the end, solves nothing.

 

[Socke]

Don't know what to say. Except that my best wishes got to the injured and their next of kin.

 

[TPPhotog]

As Andy says we have been here before and are well used to terrorism with it's bombs. It will not change us, it will not change our direction or resolve to continue with life. We will simply rebuild and get on with life as we have in the past and will continue to do in the future 😉

Our sympathies are as always with the innocent who have suffered for a meaningless act that will have no success.