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MSNBC News Services
Updated: 1:44 p.m. ET July 7, 2005
LONDON - Four blasts rocked the London subway and tore open a packed double-decker bus during the morning rush hour Thursday, sending bloodied victims fleeing in the worst attack on London since World War II.
Thirty-seven people were confirmed killed, and more than 700 were wounded in the terror attacks, which a shaken Prime Minister Tony Blair called “barbaric” and blamed on Islamic militants.
“We know that these people act in the name of Islam, but we also know that the vast and overwhelming majority of Muslims both here and abroad are decent and law abiding people who abhor this kind of terrorism every bit as much as we do,” Blair said.
Witnesses described horrific scenes. “It was chaos,” said Gary Lewis, who was evacuated from a subway train at King’s Cross station. “The one haunting image was someone whose face was totally black and pouring with blood.”
The blasts coincided with the Group of Eight summit in Scotland and came a day after London won the bid to host the 2012 Olympics.
A group calling itself The Secret Organization of al-Qaida in Europe claimed responsibility but officials could not verify the claim and no arrests have been made.
'Remain vigilant'
The four explosions went off within an hour, beginning at 8:51 a.m. local time, and hit three subway stations and the double-decker bus. Authorities immediately shut down the subway and bus lines that log 8.4 million passenger trips every weekday.
The bus explosion seemed to go off at the back, said bystander Raj Mattoo. “The roof flew off and went up about 10 meters (30 feet). It then floated back down,” he said. “There were obviously people badly injured. A parking attendant said he thought a piece of human flesh had landed on his arm.”
As the city’s transportation system ground to a near-halt, buses were used as ambulances and an emergency medical station was set up at a hotel. Rescue workers, police and ordinary citizens streamed into the streets to help.
Doctors from the nearby British Medical Association rushed into the street to treat the wounded from the bus. “The front of BMA house was completely splattered with blood and not much of the bus was left,” said Dr. Laurence Buckman.
Some central London streets emptied of traffic. Groups of commuters who had been on their way to work gathered around corner shops with televisions, watching in silence. The mood was somber and subdued.
"The public need to remain vigilant," Andy Trotter of the Transport Police said. "This is an incredibly challenging time for London. We don't know if this is over yet."
At the request of Queen Elizabeth II, the Union Jack flag flying over Buckingham Palace was lowered to half staff.
