Yesterday at around 9am a number of bombings ripped through the heart of London, barely 24 hours after recieving the good news of winning the Olympic bid. This act was to coincide with the G8 meeting that has been planned to take place in Edinburgh.
I woke up at just before midday, saw my mum sitting on the couch watching the news and I heard the mention of bombs. My heart sunk. Part of me was curious as to what had happened, but another part of me was desperate to not find out. However things turned out to be worse than even I expected.
My capital has been the target of terrorist attacks. People died. People suffered. As always it was the innocent who were prayed upon, their lives viciously and unessecarily torn away from them. It makes me sick to my stomach to think of those who would do something so heartless as this, cause so much pain to those involved directly or through being a relative or friend.
Kill one person and all those who know the individual will suffer. They will have to live on knowing that the death of their friend/family member was pointless, trapped in a cycle of politics and violence that should never have existed.
The underground trains were always feared to be the number one area to hit, them being the most well used transport and most crowded. At the times the bombs exploded many people would have been on them going to work or college or school. They didn't know anything would happen, everyone was so happy about the Olympics that all thoughts of such events were wiped from their minds. It finally seemed as if London was going to change for the better...oh how wrong we were.
As I sit here writing this I see that the death toll has risen to above fifty. What is this world coming to? Why must people feel that they need to commit the most disgusting, cowardly crimes just to get some attention? Yesterday the death toll was at 33 then it rose to 37...it seems that whilst I slept things have only gotten worse.
The news reporters are saying these people didn't do this to kill people, they did it to get London where it hurts...their transport. Well I say ******** them, fifty people - and the number will surely rise - have died, that is fifty too many already!! I feel so helpless and I feel a terrible grief even though my friends and family are all okay. I can just imagine the pain and anguish that are causing many others to suffer. I may have slept okay last night...but many others didn't.
I can't help but imagine the sheer terror that the people must have felt, the darkness so deep that it was almost impossible to see, the heat so fierce that it burned them, the smoke so thick and choking that many thought they would suffocate. The screams, echoing in the tunnels as many realised or believed they were about to die.
Then we come to those who survive, over 700 injured by this event. 700!!! That number....it's too high, way too high. Now the police fear there may be even more attacks, everyone who is okay is now terrified that it could be them next....afraid that they might not live to see another day.
Yet out of the darkness of this situation there arises courage and hope, people continuing to go to work, do their daily things despite the hell that has risen up around them. I admire those people who are willing to carry on with their lives, push onwards to show that they won't and will not be beaten.
I'm telling you one thing though.
I won't be heading into the heart of London any time soon.
Cowardly? Yes...I'm afraid so, but I always knew one day this was going to happen, and now that it's here I don't want to throw away my life by taking risks. I can live without going into the capital and so I shall do just that.
Any news updates I hear shall now be replaced beneath this account, along with more technical information.
Kim~
::Updates::
- Officials are saying that the bombs were detonated with the use of timers and not suicide bombers. Police recieved no warning of these attacks, and the reason they have come to the conclusion is that police discovered key parts of timing devices. However no fragments have been discovered in the bus that exploded as of yet...
- 13 people confirmed dead in bus explosion...suggestion points to suicide bomber? A device as large as a rucksack with a detonator?
- People still trapped underground near Russell Square...the death toll will surely rise once the way has been opened.
- 3rd day since the attack - Police have made no arrests but officials have started to release more details about the bombings, saying each of the bombs was believed to have contained up to 10 lbs of explosives and could have been carried around in something like a backpack.
- 49 confirmed dead, but bodies still being removed...this number will rise.
- Bombs appear to be military, this is obviously not a very good sign at all. No one knows how they got hold of them or whereabouts they came from.
- The mayor of London opened a book of condolence so that those who wish to give their repsects to the dead may do so, a rather nice thing to do - or so I thought.
- A woman of 53 years named Susan Levy is the first of the dead to be named, I don't know how anyone else feels but seeing names instead of numbers makes it even more painful. She came from hertfordshire which is so close to me...
- four men were seen on camera just before the bombings, they have all been suspected of being the bombers, atleast three of them came from west yorkshire.
- They were all british bombers, how could they do this? To their own country! I just don't understand this at all.
- The men gave no indication they were into politics and those who know them have been shocked by the prospect that they would do such a thing.
- 52 victims in all.
- A week on from the attack ( July 14th ) at 12pm London fell silent for 2 minutes to remember those killed and affected in the Bombings, buses pulled over to pay their respects and everyone grouped together, a great sign of cummunity if I do say so myself.
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