London Events

Good morning all.

I just wanted to start a thread and check that any members we have in and around the London area, or work in town are all right.

I wasn't in London today, and when I do I use Euston - currently the BBC are saying there's a 'incident' there.
I have also spoken to Nic, one of the people who help’s with the CESD and he was not far up the road from the Aldgate one. He's all right.

It's all a stark contrast to the revelry of yesterday, and clearly aimed as a message to the G8.
I do hope that for whatever has happened this morning, that the message of the Live8 events isn't lost in a spiral of paranoid ramblings from some at these G8 meetings.
I also hope that this puts the idiocity of the violent protestors in Scotland from yesterday into perspective, and they have the decency to back off.

Thankfully it seems that this was designed to paralyse and not specifically to maximise casualties, at least based on preliminary reports fatalities seem small.

It's the only thing on the news here in Michigan...rightly so. Just watched an interview with a barrister who was in the subway...very articulate, very graphic.

Our neighbors simply cannot fathom why people behave as they do. As my wife and I have lived throughout the world in many countries in our lifetime, we have no difficulty in accepting the differences in philosophy and beliefs in the value of human life by those of other nationalities.

The irony is that every time some group perpetuates disaster, it only strengthens the resolve of those to oppose them.

Glad you weren't involved directly.

Rich

"It's all a stark contract to the revelry of yesterday, and clearly aimed as a message to the G8."


Hello C:Amie.

May I ask, what makes you so sure that today's bloody attacks where aimed at G8 meeting and not on yesterday's announcement that London is to organise the 2012 Olympic Games?

Personally I hope you are right though. I would not like London to have more policemen than tourists and athletes during the Games...

Alex,
I think it is safe for us to assume that this hs nothing to do with something that wont happen for 7 years and in the great scheme of things is pretty meaningless.

Rich, I'm with you there. Differences behind the views on life are stark in certain cultures, and yet you do arguably have to move into the realm of the distorted few to find the real darkness in their view of their fellow man.

I think that if we assume for a moment that this has been perpetuated by those associated with the September 11 atrocities, then this isn't designed to demoralise or force the public into their way of seeing things.

This is simply about provoking a retaliation to try and reinforce the extreamists belief that this is as black and white as "them vs us".
What better way to do it than infront of the G8 + 5 leaders

My thoughts and prayers are with everyone over there.

oh this is all horrible!
it is really unbelievable..... at a loss now

Bloody hell.. If all they wanted was to send a message and inconvenience everybody, they could have done that without killing civilians. That they deliberately chose to kill civilians shows in part their psychology and philosophy, whoever they are.

How long before Oz gets a similar 'message'?

Thanks for your thoughts, It'll mean a lot to those who are injured or perished and their families.

The current confirmed death toll is 38.

The sad thing, was that this was inevitable really, as bleak as it is to say, people have been expecting, but that expectation has been a source of strength for many, and helped them deal with it. Just as with the inevitability that throughout WWII the German Luftwaffe would be back the next night.

Heh, we do like going on about WWII over here don't we.

As to Australia. The plain and simple truth of it is that these are folks without remorse, without an idea of what democratic ideals such as give and take, concessions and collaboration are.
If a time comes when the Australian government refuses to do what they're told and is seen to endorse a way not of their mind, then it's entirely possible.
Bali was a testament to that.

Dear friends,

As one of the few Muslims on the community here, I'd like to say that I am extremely glad that no one in the community was harmed in the bombings. This might sound macabre, but I also believe that Londoners specifically and the British in general are amongst the best people to go up against such tribulations.

Some of you have wondered what drove these people to do what they do. Some of you have blamed on them not beng brought up in a non-democratic system. That is certainly part to blame, but a lack of education, a world view distorted irreperably are the main reasons to blame. Add to the mix the issues of their Arab and Moslem 'brothers' in Palestine and Iraq along with the images of arab civilians killed by Israeli and Coaition forces just skews their worldview further, and adds resolve and justification to their 'cause'. The conflct that we now have is just another case of violence begets violence, as animosities grow, the middle road to compromise and acceptance shrinks. Yet, it is up to moderates like myself, and I believe so do most people out there whether they are muslim or not, to voice their opinions and stop being the silent majority, to bridge the gaps that are becoming chasms to bridge the divide. Not 3 days ago, the world united and said in one voice that they support the fight against poverty and unfair economic practices, surely the world can stand united against violence, such as that which occurred today in London, and in the past in Bali, Palestine, Gaza,, Madrid and Iraq.

hear, hear.

I'm not a Muslim, but I'd like to reiterate here with you that this is not Islam prompting this, it is a disjointed group of people using Islam as an excuse to vent their frustrations.
The wrong sort of state of mind can make the wrong sort of person believe they can use and faith as a detonator for the weapon they hold in their hand. An attribute that can be applied to beliefs of religion and non-religion alike.

As the G8 'stop poverty' campaign intones, it is the people of the world armed with facts, and not propaganda or calculated sound bites that can force change.

I think that United we stand, divided we fall is a sensible thing to say to sum that up.

I just saw the news on msn.com

I am very sad to hear this tragic news.

I'm very sorry for what has happened in London today and i hope that there will be a time when we all can be tolerant with each other and the world can be a fair place.

i'm really sorry that this happened, but i hope that it will prompt the world to seek a true solution for this mess. other than using violence against violence.

msafi,