Political reactions: Tim Ireland: "If Charles Clarke dares to speak the words ‘ID Cards’ today, I will be enraged". Tim Worstall: "If Charlie the Safety Elephant dares to use this as a justification for his bloody ID cards I’ll swim back to London and hang him from a lamp post myself."
Tim W’s post also contains a useful roundup (especially when you check the trackbacks – ha! take that, Chris!) of blogworld reaction to today’s bombs. Perfect and Nosemonkey also have good livebloggage. The Wikipedia article is worthwhile, as is the Guardian Newsblog.
Sounds like there’ve not been any blasts beyond the Tube ones and the Russell Square bus. A suicide bomber hasn’t been shot at Canary Wharf – this was just as bollocks as the rumours about buses exploding at South Ken and Leicester Square (thanks to whichever wankers started those – terribly big and clever of you). It all (am touching a great deal of wood) seems to be over bar the rescues and clearups.
Death toll so far is more than 10, fewer than 100 – police at KX say "double digit", Aldgate still quoted at 2, bus only 1 (which has to be too low, having seen the photos), and no numbers for Edgware Road but since two trains collided they’re unlikely to be low. And some Al Qaeda sympathisers have claimed responsibility.
And Ken rocks:
"London has been the target of a cowardly terrorist attack. Londoners have responded calmly and courageously.
"I commend the professionalism, courage of the Metropolitan Police, Transport for London staff, the Ambulance, Fire and other emergency services.
"Innocent people going from all of London’s communities have been targeted by this indiscriminate attack. I urge Londoners from all of this city’s diverse communities and faiths to support one another and stand together against terrorism."
This man is a truly appalling cunt (although the term "dune coons" does deserve a modicum of respect for novelty value). This man is worse, given that he’s a professional magazine columnist rather than merely a dickhead on a website.
Canary Wharf suicide bomber rumour appears indeed to be bullshit. And hope this guy survived despite the utter futility of his Paranoid Plans.
Apparently there are some fatalaties at Edgeware Road according to ITV and eyewitnesses. Apparently a circle train tube was bombed and then hit by an oncoming train, very nasty….
Not sure what Cliff May said that’s any less sensitive than your Daily Mail post – although that’s not to say it isn’t sensitive. But it’s a legitimate question: some of those protestors, by their rhetoric, seem to think President Bush more evil than Islamic terrorists. This is an opportunity for them to prove those of us who suspect this that our worries are unfounded.
(By the way, "dune coon" is used in the film "Three Kings," set during the first Gulf War. The cunt wins not for novelty, only for his range of racial slurs.)
Hi John,
You seem outspoken. Do you think you can curb your effusive expleetives to come on radio tomorrow morning to talk about the bombing.
I work on a programme with Ryan Tubridy presenting at RTE (National Irish Radio).
You can email me at amanda.brown@rte.ie or phone on 00353 1 208 3995
All the best
Amanda Brown
Well, you referred to me as a tinfoil hat wearer. Paranoid to think the Tube wouldn’t get hit?
What a tosser.
No, more the point that 2 out of the 4 bombs were on the Circle line, which was a bit of a blow to your strategy…
I’ve believed and been predicting that London would be attacked ever since 9/11 (TBH, barring any horrible surprises, I’m relieved at how low casualties seem to be this time round, even assuming 20 more Tube victims die and the bus casualties work out at 10-30).
I just haven’t let it affect my behaviour, because 80/8,000,000 really is fuck all…
More comments here.
Also, if there were four suicide bombers (which I don’t believe there were because the bombs weren’t big by Israeli standards), 4/30 is a really shit kill ratio.
dsquared, I humbly suggest that the ‘cricket style’ of "4/30" is inappropriate in this situation and the ‘counterstrike style’ of "30/4" is the correct one to use.