There have been a few minor pops in London - one on a bus and on a couple of Tube trains - with no one hurt. Let's hope a sense of proportion is maintained.
In the interests of that, I'm sharing a small piece from this week's Private Eye.
My bet is that this is a pretty amateurish effort to cause panic. The sensible thing is to ensure it doesn't.
I was planning to go to the library but have put it off, just because the traffic is bound to be bedlam all afternoon. That's the level of importance I'd put on this - minor inconvenience.
Article comments
1 - Aaman
Looks like at least one person was injured.
2 - Natalie Bennett
The early indications are that it was one of the perpetrators - in which case it doesn't really count!
3 - Andrew Ian Dodge
A nail bomb does not equal "minor pops". Yeesh.
4 - Natalie Bennett
I don't know where the "nail bombs" comes from, but eyewitnesses from the affected Tube trains are saying they didn't hear anything, and the driver of the bus went to check what the noise was - all of which seems to support my original description.
5 - smitty
Sounds like the detonators went off without exploding the main charge.
6 - Andy
I had heard something along those lines...that the pop came...followed by something along the lines of...shit...as if the explosives misfired...heard it on the radio...so...no links
7 - Greg Smyth
The link doesn't appear to work.
8 - Stone
Minor Pops?????? I think this might be more serious than you're admitting.
9 - Michael
Sounds like nothing major in the sense that noone got hurt. But come on! The fact is that more people are not just wanting, but actually going out, creating, and attempting to harm the lives of Britons. If it's a trend then I pity Londoner's and Tony Blair, who will likely take the fall for being Bush's sheep and attracting the attention of extremists.
10 - Natalie Bennett
Your risk of dying in London today, as opposed to last month or last year is, at most, a tiny, tiny, tiny fraction of a percent age point higher.
I live 250m from Waren Street Tube, where one of the most recent events occurred, and go about my business in central London every day without feeling in the slightest bit endangered.
I'm reporting what happened, and trying to keep it all in proportion, which mainstream media won't (and I know because I work for it.) Playing terrorism up as a major danger sells newspapers, but also plays into the hands of people who want a less free society (which means people of all political stripes from Osama bin Laden to George Bush).
I repeat - there were a few minor pops in London and some nasty traffic jams: that's what happened. (A few people who made this happen may have intended fto cause more damage, but they failed.)
11 - Smitty
Osoma said he is upset with the Muslim defeat by the French at the Battle of Tours in 732 AD. Give Western Europe back to the Muslims and maybe he will leave us alone.
12 - Victor Plenty
Nobody cares if Osama bin Laden is upset. The only thing we really need to know about him is where he is.
Unfortunately that seems to be the only thing about him we remain unable to find out.
13 - Andrew Ian Dodge
Natalie I agree with your, stuff the bastards spirit, I went out to dinner tonight. I just think you are underestimating the importance and effect of these attacks. Will be interesting to see what comes out tomorrow.
The nail bomb thing comes from the reports on Sky and Reuters.
14 - Anthony Grande
Victor, I think Osama is long time dead. The U.S. capturing his top aids hopefully caused him a sad depressing death and a enternety pass to hell.
That is a good idea to give them back Spain and France. But it might make them more powerful and confident.