Terror Bombings
The 2005 London bombings
The July 7th, 2005 bomb attacks in London alternatively referred to as 7/7, were coordinated suicidal bombings which targeted the public system of transport in London during the early morning rush hours. The attacks were conducted by four Islamic extremists claiming to retaliate against the British government for participating in the war against terror in Iraq, Afghanistan, Chechnya and Palestine. According to recorded video tapes, some of the bombers claimed to have targeted British civilians because they were the electorate that voted in the government that was committing atrocities on their people. All the suicide bombers were British-three of Pakistani origin and one of Jamaican descent. In that fateful morning at around 08:50 three explosions occurred in an interval of fifty seconds aboard three underground trains that serve London, and a fourth one after an hour later. The fourth blast occurred at around 09: 47 in Tavistock Square aboard a double Decker-bus.
The bomb explosions caused fifty two deaths and approximately seven hundred injuries. According to investigations conducted later, the explosions may have been caused by organic peroxide devices that were filled into rucksacks, and later detonated by the suicide bombers. The second incidence of what would have been potential bombings occurred on July 21st, 2005; whereby four attempted attacks caused disruptions on a section of the public transport system of London (McBrewster, Vandome, Miller & Frederic, 2009). This occurred barely two weeks after the July 7th, 2005 bomb attacks.
The four midday explosions at Warren Street, Shepherd’s Bush, London Underground Oval Stations, and on a Shoreditch bound bus caused great panic within London. In unknown circumstances a fifth suicide bomber dumped the bomb devices without detonating them. The panic resulted in the closure and evacuations in all stations and connecting lines of the underground systems. Fortunately, there were no deaths or fatal injuries except for one minor reported injury. According to Metropolitan Police investigation report, the suicide bombers’ fled from the scenes after their bomb devices failed to detonate. The reported blast sounds were a result of the detonators explosion. Later, two key suspects Yassin Hassan Omar and Muktar Said Ibrahim were identified on CCTV footages released on Friday, July the 22nd. The police positively identified the two as Muktar and Yasin by Monday 25th July, 2005. Sir Ian Blair the Metropolitan Police commissioner launched a manhunt for the two suspects. On 29th July, 2005 the police presented all the arrested suspects and many other suspects netted in the manhunt. The arrest of Yasin occurred on 27th July 2005, in Birmingham, whereas the two other suspects’ arrest occurred two days after in London. Osman Hussein, the fourth suspected suicide bomber was apprehended in Rome (Italy). Later, Hussein was extradited to the United Kingdom. A court hearing conducted on the case found four suspects guilty of a murder conspiracy. The four-Yassin Omar, Muktar Ibrahim, Hussein Osman and Ramzi Mohammed were sentenced to a forty years jail term (McBrewster, Vandome, Miller & Frederic, 2009).
Abstract
It is very evident from the turn out of events in these London bombing incidents that there was a great deal of security lapse. This is indicated by the fact that both the intelligence and Police did not have a hint whatsoever, about whatever was going to happen. Additionally, the second attempted bombings were not detected until after a failure of the detonators which were meant to explode bombs failed. This is a great failure by the police and intelligence to protect the British citizens, considering the fact that the earlier bombings had barely occurred within the same month. A review of these reports indicates that it should have been expected that there would be more threats and attacks as presented by video footages aired on Al Jazeera containing speeches from the first lot of suicide bombers. Therefore, extra precautionary measures should have been undertaken to avoid any further attacks. The fact that the four suicide bombers were able to board various means of transport and attempt to detonate the bombs, indicate that there were no proper security measures in place to guard all public transport travelers after the issuance of the threats and the occurrence of the initial attacks.
The response to the London bombings
The bomb attacks elicited numerous responses from different quotas both within the United Kingdom as well as international responses as far as the United States of America. Securities responses in most European countries as well as the U.S were raised to indicate the high likelihood of terror attacks. The U.S homeland security raised the level of threat from yellow to orange (elevated to high), the level applied to all systems of mass transit. The European countries tightened security in the major networks of transport. Dominique de Villepin, the Prime minister of France raised the terror alert level to code red, whereas the Berlin officials of transport raised the alert yellow- this applied to all Berlin’s main transport systems. In the United Kingdom the cabinet’s briefing office room A was active within a few minutes after the first report of the explosions, and it was kept open for over one week on twenty four hour basis. Government security alerts were issued at Swindon, Luton, Brighton, and Birmingham and within other localities (Frost, 2008). Controlled explosions and evacuations were done in various areas where suspicious packages were found. These areas included the Brighton station telephone booth, the Victoria station, the East Corydon station and on a bus at Birmingham. A number of stations such as Poole train station and the train station at PortsmouthHarbor were closed due to discovery of suspicious packages.
The metropolitan police launched a manhunt for the suspects and searches in the public transport systems. The whole of the London bus system was brought to a halt as all buses underwent checks. London underground was also closed till 8th July when it was reopened. London ambulance services were reserved for calls from patients with life threatening conditions or illnesses. Due to fear of possible attacks, the police urged people to avoid entering London as well as the use of the public transport system. Major buildings within the city such as embassies and parliament were sealed off and most landmarks such as the London eye were set under closure (Frost, 2008). Public gathering places such as theatres and concerts were closed. The media also responded to the emergency by dedicating much of its time to airing the happenings and news from the bombing incidents. Major U.K television networks such as ITV1 and BBC1 dropped their programs in order to cover the news. There was extensive coverage by all media houses on the bombings and the events surrounding the bombings. A number of scheduled programs, shows and movies featuring any aspect on terrorism were scrapped across all channels and replaced. Other reactions to this attack included the introduction of the anti-terror bill by Charles Clarke, the Home Secretary. The law to be enacted was meant to make criminal all terrorism preparatory acts (Frost, 2008).
The 1995 Oklahoma City, bombing and the 1996 Olympics bombing.
The bombing on AlfredP.MurrahFederalBuilding occurred on 19th April, in 1995 in Oklahoma City. The bombing was carried out by Timothy McVeigh. McVeigh was a militia movement sympathizer who was driven by hatred for the federal government resulting from issues about the handling of the Ruby Ridge (1992) incidence and the Waco siege (1993). McVeigh loaded a truck full of explosive materials mainly containing ammonium nitrate fertilizer which is explosive (Wright, 2007). McVeigh is known to have conspired with Terry Nichols in hatching the skim and preparing the bomb materials. The resultant blast from the bombing caused 168 deaths and 680 injuries. 324 buildings were damaged within a radius of sixteen blocks, and windows were shattered from 258 buildings that were nearby. The estimated total value of damage caused hit a high of 652 million U.S dollars-this includes 86 cars that burned within the vicinity of the blast. After further investigations other accomplices were arrested, and these included Michael and Lori Fortier. After an extensive investigation dubbed “OKBOMB” the suspects were declared guilty-McVeigh was sentenced to death by lethal injection, Nichols got a life imprisonment sentence, and Michael got a 12 year term for failing to warn the government, whereas Lori Fortier obtained immunity on a plea bargain in exchange for her incriminating testimony. The bombing elicited the enactment of legislation that would increase protection on and around federal buildings. These preventive measures have been able to prevent over 60 domestic terror attacks since 1995 (Wright, 2007).
The bomb explosion at Centennial Olympic Park on 27th July, 1996 caused two deaths and 111 injuries. The incident occurred at Atlanta, Georgia as the Summer Olympics were ongoing. The perpetrator was unknown till after he had committed three more similar offenses. The bomber Eric Robert Rudolph used pipe bombs laid in a field pack (ALICE pack). The bomb was made more lethal by placing nails round it, and thereafter he laid the bomb underneath a bench at the concert area. The bomb would have done greater damage had it not been tipped over. The bomb used was the biggest in the history of the nation of America (Kushner, 2003). The bomb’s propulsion material was identified as nitroglycerin dynamite, and it was detonated by means of an alarm clock. The bomber-Rudolph-cited the sanctioning of abortion as the main reason why he had decided to carry out the bombings. Rudolph wanted to cause panic and fear that would necessitate the Olympic Games to be closed so that he would spite the government. After being arraigned in court on 22nd august, 2005 the bomber was sentenced to three life sentences based on the three other counts of bombing charges. Earlier on, a guard that had discovered one of the bombs planted by Rudolph had been erroneously accused of being the bomber. However, after extensive investigations he was exonerated (Kushner, 2003).
Similarities and differences between the London bombings with the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing and the 1996 Olympics bombing.
These three different incidences of bombings have differences and similarities based on various aspects. The three bombings were similar in some aspects such as, all three bombings were used as a means to vent anger by the bombers on authorities they felt were oppressive, yet would not be punishable. All three bombings targeted civilians and were as a result of anger against actions carried out by the respective governments. It’s also notable that two of the bombings elicited legislative action meant to enact laws that would deter any future bomb attacks. This is exemplified by the anti-terror bill by Charles Clarke, the Home Secretary of U.K and the federal legislation meant to protect federal buildings housing federal activities.
On the other hand, the three bombings also differed on various aspects such as the kind of materials used to design the bombs. Similarly, the size of the bombs and destructive abilities were different is scale, and as such the three bombing incidences claimed a different number casualties. The motivations behind bombings were also different even though the anger was all directed towards the government.
Conclusion
The measures carried immediately after the three bombings can be said to have been sufficient in handling the situation at hand. However, in the London bombings there was a lapse in the maintenance of security in the days following the first bombings. Otherwise, there would have been no repeat attempt within such a short period of time as experienced. But, for the failed detonators there would have been more deaths shortly after the first bombings. The law and security enforcing agents should have implemented extra precautionary measures such as setting mandatory check ups before any passengers would board any public transport vehicle or train. Measures would have been implemented to track down all people affiliated to the concerned religions, extremist groups and people with origins in nations where the concerned extremist groups exist. If these measures were well implemented earlier detection of such attempts of bombing would have been detected in time to save many lives.
References
Frost, M. (2008). Response to the 2005 London Bombings. Retrieved from http://www.martinfrost.ws/htmlfiles/bombing_response1.html on 21st August, 2010.
Kushner, W. H. (2003). Encyclopedia of Terrorism. Sage Publishers.
McBrewster, J., Vandome, F. A. and Miller, P. Frederic. (2009). 7 July 2005 London Bombings: 21 July 2005 London Bombings, Response to the 2005 London Bombings, Attacks on the London Underground, 7 July 2005 London Bombings Memorials and Services. Alphascript Publishing.
Wright, A. S. (2007). Patriots, Politics, and the Oklahoma City Bombing. CambridgeUniversity Press.
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