| Terrorist Attacks in London |
| Thursday, 07 July 2005 15:04 |
|
Today has been a complete contrast to
yesterday. Whereas yesterday was a day to rejoice and celebrate, today has been
a stark contrast. This morning was one of the worst mornings of many Londoners'
lives. I, like many others, spent frantic moments ringing family and friends to
make sure that none of them were near or at one of the areas where the
explosions occurred. Thankfully, everyone in our office and all of our friends
and family are safe and well.
My thoughts and prayers are with all victims of these attacks and their families and friends. Innocent people, carrying out their daily routine, have been targeted. The attacks appear to be coordinated, but we do not know at this stage who is responsible. Whoever is behind these cowardly attacks has behaved in an outrageous and savage manner, and should be condemned unequivocally. It is astonishing how calmly Londoners have responded. The way that the emergency services have been dealing with the aftermath has been extremely reassuring and brave. It is important that none of our citizens are victims of a backlash or reprisal for these acts. My advice to the community is to be vigilant regarding suspect packages, and to be vigilant of reprisals. The Police are working hard to reassure the community that there is high visibility policing around all mosques. I am meeting with Chief Superintendent Joe Royle, the Borough Commander in Wandsworth tonight to disuss the security implications for our local community. In Wandsworth, the Council is responding to the London Emergency Planning arrangements, and the Wandsworth Borough Emergency Control Centre has been set up to deal with any demands. The Mayor for London, Ken Livingstone, and his office have responded magnificently to these attacks and are coordinating the emergency services to ensure that the rescue operation is carried out in an effective manner. The Home Secretary, Charles Clarke MP, made an emergency statement to the Commons around lunchtime today which was widely reported in the media. Tony Blair has also spoken from Gleneagles and has returned to London now. The next few days are going to be crucial and I am confident that all Londoners will play their part in showing these terrorists that we stand together and will support each other to ensure that terrorism never wins. |
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