J7 London Bombings Dossier
Index 27 - Other Bus Explosions
Official version of events
There was only one bus explosion. The other explosions around buses were controlled ones carried out by police explosive officers.
Query
Were bombs detonated aboard buses other than the number 30 in Tavistock Place?
Exhibits (OB1a - OB10)
OB2 OB3 OB4 & OB5. Are all extracts from the local Hampstead and Highgate Express which refer in precise terms to additional explosions. OB9 from the same paper contains a quote from a named bus driver Colin Bates which demonstrates knowledge of more than one of his colleagues being injured or even killed.
OB5 (supra) and OB6 independently have references to an explosion taking place on a bus at 9,20am! The latter, which is a Financial Times on line report, also has a named witness Mick O’Cruthers.
OB7 and OB8 both contain references to a bus exploding in Aldgate.
Related Information
Summary
It seems certain that other bus explosions took place. The fact was widely reported on the morning of 7th July. Although Sir Ian Blair at a subsequent press conference said they were controlled ones no further details were ever given. The number of explosions and the extent of casualties are unclear.
References
OB1
Two other blasts also went off in other buses, reports said. There were reports of casualties, says the AP.
The explosion near Russell Square occurred not long after blasts on London subways earlier Thursday, police said. Dow Jones Newswires reported that police confirmed explosions on at least two others buses.Source: News from Russia
OB2
Chaos piled upon chaos when three bombs tore through buses near Russell Square.
Source: Hampstead & Highgate Express
OB3
Kentish Times team reporting from the terror blasted areas
Journalist Neil McKeown says his friend Andrew Northover saw the double decker in Russell Square explode into small pieces.Mr Northover said: "It blew up right by our office, a guy I work with was on the bus behind it. The police have told us to stay in the building. There are bomb squad and police everywhere. I've never seen so many police."
Source (URL required): Hampstead & Highgate Express
OB4
One West Hampstead schoolgirl described a brush with death.
Alexis Mintah, 15, a pupil at St Augustine's School, Kilburn, said: "I was on my way to work experience at a hairdressing salon in Marchmont Street and I realised I had to do something at school.
"So I got off the 168 and transferred to a 31. Two stops later the bus blew up. I am counting my lucky stars today."
David Jones, a social worker, described how a bus behind him was blown apart by a bomb.
He said: "There was a huge thud. I looked around and the bus behind me was on fire. There was lots of smoke and total panic."Source: Hampstead & Highgate Express
OB5
Samantha Jenkins, 28, who was on a bus at 9.20am this morning said: "The bus driver told us that there had been a major incident on a bus and everyone got a bit panicky. I had no idea what was going on."
Source: Hampstead & Highgate Express
OB6
Mick O’Cruthers was near Russell Square when an explosion went off on a bus at around 9.20am. Mr O’Cruthers said he saw people coming off the bus covered in blood and glass and was told a bomb had exploded on the bottom deck. He said the people he spoke to had been upstairs.
Source: Financial Times
OB7
Channel 4 News: Witness reports of London blasts
A police officer at the scene said, "I was first on the scene at the explosion at Aldgate all of which has now been evacuated. I was pulling people out of the bus. There are definitely some dead."He added, "Four bombs have gone off in London already, we are advising people to get off the streets. You are better off in a basement today, anywhere off the street.
Source (removed): Channel 4 News (copy)
OB8
Scotland Yard have confirmed 3 bus explosions (one of which my colleague witnessed at Aldgate). Metronet (who run parts of the tube) confirm at least 3 explosions on the underground network. All London hospitals are on major incident alert and the entire tube and central bus network has been suspended. Reports of multiple fatalities. Finally, an eyewitness on Sky News has just reported a second explosion at Russell Square.
posted by tomafro at 2:45 AM PST on July 7Source: MetaFilter
OB9
Reporter Patrick Clift talked bus driver Colin Bates. He said: "Our sympathies go out to all our colleagues who have been badly injured or killed even by these blasts.
"Buses are always vulnerable to these sort of attacks. Around 15 years ago a similar explosion happened on a bus in Lewisham. It's terrible what has happened today. Many drivers I know will be terrified now because of what has happened to their colleagues."
Source (URL required): Hampstead & Highgate Express
OB10
Scotland Yard said one packed double decker bus was ripped apart in one explosion in central London - there were two other explosions on buses and several blasts throughout the tube network.
As well as a reported blast at Moorgate tube in the City. There were also possible bus explosions at Marylebone and South Kensington.
Source: Channel 4 News
