EMS Wire Service

Terrorists Strike Again as Bombs Rip Subways, Bus in London

As an important summit of political leaders opened in Scotland on July 7, a series of four bombs rocked London’s transportation system in the midst of the morning rush hour, killing more than 50 and injuring at least 700. A group calling itself the Secret Organization of al Qaeda in Europe claimed responsibility.

Bombs exploded in three subway stations and on a double-decker bus. Prime Minister Tony Blair speculated that the attacks were timed to coincide with the opening of the Group of 8 (G8) Summit in Gleneagles, Scotland. They also came a day after London was announced as the site of the 2012 Olympic Games.

“Whatever they do,” Blair said, “it is our determination that they will never succeed in destroying what we hold dear in this country and in other civilized nations throughout the world.”

In a statement posted on the Internet, the previously unknown Secret Organization of al Qaeda in Europe said the bombings were in retaliation for Britain’s military involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan, and warned of further attacks in Italy and Denmark. Transportation security was ramped up across Europe, but the summit continued.

In the U.S., the Department of Homeland Security raised its color-coded alert level to Orange (high) for the nation’s mass-transit systems. Secretary Michael Chertoff said he had no specific credible information about imminent attacks Stateside, but noted that “The intent of al Qaeda and affiliated organizations to attack in Europe and the United States has been well documented and continues to be reflected in intelligence reporting.” Bomb-sniffing dogs were utilized on buses and subways in Washington, and rifle-toting police were riding some trains. Other major cities hiked their security as well. President George W. Bush warned Americans to be extra vigilant.

The International Association of Fire Chiefs issued a quick call for fire and EMS leaders to review their preparations for such incidents and to consult with their counterparts in law enforcement.

Casualties among Londoners included large numbers of burns, breaks, cuts, head and orthopedic injuries and those with smoke inhalation.

“Based on conversations I’ve had with people in England, it sounds like the London Ambulance Service did a tremendous job,” says Paul Maniscalco, retired deputy chief of the Fire Department of New York’s EMS Command and a member of the Congressional Advisory Panel to Assess Domestic Response Capabilities for Terrorism Involving Weapons of Mass Destruction (aka the Gilmore Commission). “It demonstrates that if you’ve revisited your plans and exercised on a regular basis, and your EMS personnel have the proper protective equipment and operational awareness, things are going to be a heck of a lot better than they could have been.”

While the authenticity of the Secret Organization of al Qaeda in Europe’s claim of responsibility was not yet confirmed at press time, terrorism experts said the attacks had all the hallmarks of al Qaeda, which is also believed responsible for the attacks of September 11, 2001, and the March 2004 Madrid train bombings.