Video: '7 July London Terrorist Bombings'
(Thursday, July 7, 2005, 8:49-9:47 a.m. British Summer Time) — Suicide terrorist bombings in three Underground stations and a double-decker bus killed 52 victims and four bombers today in the deadliest terrorist attack on British soil since the 1988 Lockerbie bombing.
The explosions began shortly before 9 a.m. BST during the morning rush hour, when three bombs detonated within minutes aboard packed London Underground trains. The blasts occurred on the Circle Line near Aldgate and Edgware Road, and on the Piccadilly Line between King’s Cross and Russell Square.
About an hour later, a fourth bomb exploded aboard a double-decker bus in Tavistock Square, ripping the roof off the vehicle and scattering debris across the street.
Authorities said the attacks were carried out by Islamist suicide bombers using homemade explosives hidden in backpacks. The bombs were crafted from concentrated hydrogen peroxide and pepper, officials said.
The victims came from 18 different nationalities, reflecting London’s diverse population. Prime Minister Tony Blair condemned the attacks as “barbaric” and vowed to bring those responsible to justice.
Video: '7/7 What Did They Know? (77 London Bombings Documentary)'
“This was an attack on innocent people going about their daily lives,” Blair said in a televised statement. “We will not be intimidated. We will not be defeated.”
The attacks brought much of London to a standstill, shutting down the entire Underground system and flooding hospitals with casualties. Emergency responders described chaotic scenes as they pulled victims from mangled train cars and bus wreckage.
Investigators believe the bombers acted as part of a coordinated plot — the first suicide attacks carried out by Islamist extremists on British soil. Security services raised the terror threat level and launched a nationwide manhunt for potential accomplices.
The attacks came one day after London was awarded the 2012 Olympic Games and just as world leaders were gathering in Scotland for the G8 summit.
In a message of resilience, Londoners returned to work the following day, filling trains and buses despite heightened security and a city still in mourning.
