London Update
A few things here; trying to catch up over the last few days.
Firstly, the official investigation into the bombings has discovered the identities of the four bombers (three known to have died in the blasts and one presumed dead). They were British nationals. This has come as a shock to most people, as with the strong suspicion of suicide bombers and the general idea that Al-Qaeda would have to ship people into this country to attack it people weren't expecting them to have been 'home-grown', so to speak. I mean, the IRA blew themselves up sometimes but that was because the bombs would go off prematurely. The idea of British people blowing themselves up for a fanatical terrorist cause is difficult for us to grasp - the other side of the 'stoicism' of the British people, I suppose; we find it difficult to imagine that people would go to such extremes.
Anyway, the police investigation seems to be going great guns there, with cars and houses being searched, and quantities of explosives being recovered, and they're now focussing on trying to find the 'masterminds' behind this plan, and hopefully clear out any 'cell' of terrorists we have in the country.
Of course, we're now starting to get a backlash from some corners...
The BNP, of course, are milking this for all it's worth, the bastards. They had statements up on their website on the day of the attacks, crying about how "they had warned us that the war in Iraq would lead to this" and trying to pin the blame on asylum seekers and the like. (As they try to do with just about every problem which pops up. NHS delays? Asylum seekers. Taxes? Asylum seekers. Prominent politician caught with his pants down on Hampstead Heath? Asylum seekers - probably, since that actually hasn't happened for a while.) You'd have thought, however, that the announcement that the bombers were British would have thrown a spanner in their works, though.
Unfortunately not. Now they're being more vague with statements like "there is a huge sea of potential terrorists out there", "Islamic extremists", and shifting the rest of the blame to the Labour party. And they're using an image of the bombed bus on their campaign leaflets. Not even a week after the attacks - I swear these people are ghouls.
Also, some sod has created a virus purporting to be footage of the terror attacks.
Finally, there's also been the reactions of the rest of the world, and in particular America. Overall, people have been giving messages of support and the like, but apparently the reactions of Londoners was a little confusing for certain news outlets in the States *cough*Faux News*cough*. In particular, the stubborn, calm attitudes of Londoners, both those caught up in the blasts and the 'man on the Clapham ommnibus' has seemingly gotten them all in a tizzy.
So much so, in fact, that some newspapers have even decided that Britain, and in particular London (or 'Londonistan') is "a global hub for Islamic fundamentalism and terrorist cells." Mainly because we haven't and aren't too willing to enact Patriot Act-esque laws and still give rights to British Muslims.
Wow. Truly an "if you aren't with us, you're against us" moment.
Firstly, the official investigation into the bombings has discovered the identities of the four bombers (three known to have died in the blasts and one presumed dead). They were British nationals. This has come as a shock to most people, as with the strong suspicion of suicide bombers and the general idea that Al-Qaeda would have to ship people into this country to attack it people weren't expecting them to have been 'home-grown', so to speak. I mean, the IRA blew themselves up sometimes but that was because the bombs would go off prematurely. The idea of British people blowing themselves up for a fanatical terrorist cause is difficult for us to grasp - the other side of the 'stoicism' of the British people, I suppose; we find it difficult to imagine that people would go to such extremes.
Anyway, the police investigation seems to be going great guns there, with cars and houses being searched, and quantities of explosives being recovered, and they're now focussing on trying to find the 'masterminds' behind this plan, and hopefully clear out any 'cell' of terrorists we have in the country.
Of course, we're now starting to get a backlash from some corners...
The BNP, of course, are milking this for all it's worth, the bastards. They had statements up on their website on the day of the attacks, crying about how "they had warned us that the war in Iraq would lead to this" and trying to pin the blame on asylum seekers and the like. (As they try to do with just about every problem which pops up. NHS delays? Asylum seekers. Taxes? Asylum seekers. Prominent politician caught with his pants down on Hampstead Heath? Asylum seekers - probably, since that actually hasn't happened for a while.) You'd have thought, however, that the announcement that the bombers were British would have thrown a spanner in their works, though.
Unfortunately not. Now they're being more vague with statements like "there is a huge sea of potential terrorists out there", "Islamic extremists", and shifting the rest of the blame to the Labour party. And they're using an image of the bombed bus on their campaign leaflets. Not even a week after the attacks - I swear these people are ghouls.
Also, some sod has created a virus purporting to be footage of the terror attacks.
Finally, there's also been the reactions of the rest of the world, and in particular America. Overall, people have been giving messages of support and the like, but apparently the reactions of Londoners was a little confusing for certain news outlets in the States *cough*Faux News*cough*. In particular, the stubborn, calm attitudes of Londoners, both those caught up in the blasts and the 'man on the Clapham ommnibus' has seemingly gotten them all in a tizzy.
So much so, in fact, that some newspapers have even decided that Britain, and in particular London (or 'Londonistan') is "a global hub for Islamic fundamentalism and terrorist cells." Mainly because we haven't and aren't too willing to enact Patriot Act-esque laws and still give rights to British Muslims.
Wow. Truly an "if you aren't with us, you're against us" moment.