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London under attack again
1:46pm Thursday 21st July 2005
Comments (1)Updated 2.10am: FOUR bombs were planted and at least two exploded on London transport early this afternoon.
One person may have been injured in the attacks that were described by Met police chief Sir Ian Blair as "smaller than before", but still a "very serious incident".
“Clearly the intention must have been to kill. I mean, you don’t do this with any other intention.”
Met police chief Sir Ian Blair
At around 12.45pm a device exploded on a Tube train at Warren Street, where eye witnesses reported seeing a young Asian man dump a rucksack and run from the scene.
There are also unconfirmed reports that a bomber was cornered and arrested after fleeing into University College Hospital, less than 100 yards away.
Eyewitnesses said at least one man was cornered by armed police inside the hospital and another may have been hiding in a cupboard.
About 45 minutes later a second bomb went off on the top deck of the No.26 bus in Hackney Road, Bethnal Green, blowing out the windows.
At the same time bombs were also planted at Oval and above ground at one of the Shepherd's Bush stations.
All three stations, along with Euston, have been evacuated and cordoned off.
"Clearly the intention must have been to kill," Sir Ian said at a press conference late afternoon. "I mean, you don't do this with any other intention."
The commissioner added: "The important point is that the intention of the terrorists has not been fulfilled."
Like the bombings of July 7, which killed 56 people, the attacks took place at around the same time - first on three Tube trains and then on a bus. As before, all three Tube lines run through King's Cross.
Sir Ian said the latest attacks had "some resonance" with the terror of two weeks ago. Yet it would take "just a little bit longer" to say whether the same group of people were behind it.
Two men of Asian appearance were arrested in Whitehall, one near Downing Street, but police have not confirmed their involvement.
The man detained at Whitehall was later released.
Near Warren Street three armed officers in flak jackets and two sniffer dogs were seen going into University College Hospital.
A short while later a marked Shogun 4x4, escorted by police motorcycles, left the scene. Detainees are often transported in this way.
According to unconfirmed reports, a man with wires protruding from his jacket was sought and arrested.
Early witness reports maintained that shots were fired at Warren Street, though the possibility is being investigated that these were exploding detonators that failed to set off their bombs.
Eye witnesses at the central London station reported that the bomb went off in a train just as it was approaching the platform.
As the train continued running, commuters poured along the train to get away from the carriage in which the bomb had gone off.
One passenger pulled the emergency cord, stopping the train and opening the doors.
People then flooded the platform. Panic broke out.
Some witnesses reported seeing the explosion itself, others that a young Asian man was pursued out of the station.
Witnesses at Shepherds Bush reported a man had threatened to blow himself up before fleeing the scene.
In Hackney Road the bomb-hit route 26 bus stood at a bus stop with its hazards still flickering. The explosion shattered some of the windows, but no-one was injured.
London Amublance Service (LAS) reported sending four ambulances to The Oval at 12.38pm, and five to Warren Street at 12.45pm. They took no casualties from the scenes.
Sir Ian said one casualty was reported at one hospital. It "may have been self reporting and may or may not be connected to this", he added.
Prime Minister Tony Blair cancelled his afternoon engagements and convened a meeting of the government's COBRA emergency group.
In a press conference Mr Blair said the prupose of the attackers was "precisely to make people worried and frightened". He urged people to stay clam and keep reacting in the way they do.
London mayor Ken Livingstone stressed the need for "continued vigilance" by all Londoners.
"Our safety rests on all Londoners and all London's communities standing and acting together against this common threat."
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rob, says...
4:43am Fri 22 Jul 05
I am sure you have already read this link from the bbc news site.
I am amazed to read such an article about terrorist funding and
money laundering and how complicated it is for the organizations that have
been set up to tackle it. More "poppycock".
I am holding evidence showing that Sir John Bond and Alan Ramsay were
told in advance, of millions of Euros that were going to be moved from their
CCF and SMC banks in France and Laundered through an Israeli organization. This
Organization would clearly not do this service for free and would skim off a
significant portion of the 4 to 6 million euros. The HSBC or the NCIS or
TracFin, if they investigated, would be able to very easily confirm the
money held in accounts by the launderer.
In the same vaults of the CCF bank was a value of gems and jewelry estimated
between 2 and 4 million euros. Of course there could have been more and the
cash sum may have been less we may never know now because it has been moved.
This money was held in various accounts in the HSBC's SMC and CCF banks and
others.
I advised Alan Ramsay Head of Non compliance at the HSBC and a list of organizations including NCIS, FATF and
UK local police forces to name a few as far back as 2003 that these funds
were going to be moved.
In 2004 and early 2005 those funds and jewels were moved. Out of the HSBC's
Banks and into various locations. I even had the contact name of the man who
was setting up the transfer through Israel so that his activities could be
traced.
The now "empty" accounts have been confirmed from bank statements.
This article in the BBC news talks of not knowing where to start when it
comes to tracking funds through these apparent charitable organizations in
Saudi and the far-east. Why would anyone look there in this case when the
money was clearly going through banks owned by one of Britain's Largest:
"THE HSBC" with the blessing of Sir John Bond and his Non compliance department.
This is not all, because the HSBC has stalled and lost evidence (This is
admitted in writing from the CCF director) this case is being kept quiet which means of course these groups like the NCIS and TRACFIN are kept out of the investigation. It is very easy to see how so many apparently "charitable
organizations" are obtaining funding when there are so many wealthy people
allowed to use the legitimate banking systems of Europe to launder funds.
Especially when they have the backing of the corporate banking leaders.
Do you think the people who have been killed and injured and those who are
being affected by these terrorist acts have a right to know how the banking
giants allow money laundering to be covered up at the highest levels of
their organizations. What would the public think to three accounts being
opened using someone else's identity when they knew the bank representative
that opened them was still in his Job in one of the HSBC's banks (SMC).And
that the same representative transferred funds (to empty one of these
illegally opened accounts and cover the thread) into the HSBC's Gorleston,
UK branch against the written instruction of Alan Ramsay.(I have the email
from Mr Ramsay. And what about a fraudulent
procuration document which was used by the same money launderer to manipulate another 100k euros through a different HSBC account that was authenticated by another bank official stating he witnessed the signing in
the CCF of Cannes, when the account holder was in the United states living
for 6 years.
What about regular cheques written out and cashed by the launderer for
consistent amounts between 8,000 and 10,000 euros, obvious suspicious
activities according to the Wolfsberg Anti Money Laundering Principles. When
the reality of the thefts was clear to the bank manager he wrote a letter to
the launderer asking him to return the cheque book but forgot to write out
(I think they call them) an SAR, let alone stopping the criminal from
emptying his own accounts that were filled with illegally obtained funds.
Why are these articles allowed to be freely written yet no articles written (that can be backed up with evidence) that would cause the
corporate institution's to admit their part in Terrorist funding.
I am sorry to appear so judgmental but as with the rest of the nation I am more than a little disturbed by these atrocity's and who knows, if the HSBC had been challenged sooner maybe the money that funded these
bombings could have been stopped by other institutions realizing how easy it
is for an individual to abuse the system.
It is so clear to see how banking staff have been manipulated with this
launderers tactics by his apparent importance for the bank managers to not
want to upset such an important client. It is so transparent when
researched without a motive to cover up as the banks have done.
I will try not to give up until Sir John himself has answered for
his incompetent staff and a cover up. The HSBC acquired these French banks,
which includes their Governance. Sir John is accountable because I made him
accountable when I brought to his attention that a money launderer was going
to continue laundering money through his HSBC banks.
And as I write this, this man continues to launder and people will continue
to die if people like him are not stopped.He is not a terrorist but he is
using organizations who may fund terrorism to move his fortunes. The story
here is how the banks allow the covering up of serious non compliance. How
far does this go?