J7 London Bombings Dossier
Index 31 - Miscellaneous
Official version of events
This final folder consists of various items that appear to support the main themes suggested in the previous folders
Query
Were there more than four explosions and if so what was the exact number?
Exhibits (Misc1 – Misc10)
Misc1 relates the finding of the London Assembly report that about 3000 people were directly affected by the bombings and that the majority of these are still not known to the authorities.
Misc2 Misc3 Misc4 Misc5 and Misc6 demonstrate how different areas of the capital some distance away from the declared sites of the blasts were subject to extraordinary crisis measurers.
Misc6 is a (deliberately?) ambiguous piece from The Guardian. Is it referring to the Tavistock Square bus explosion or something that more directly involved the people in the park that “Sam Elliot” mentions? (See also RSP7)
Misc7a&b these extracts are from the blog of a medical student who was on duty at one of the hospitals that dealt with casualties. Note the early estimate of deaths.
Misc8 highlights another of the findings of the London Assembly report; that there was “a general failure to maintain records of the emergency services’ response to the bombings”
Misc9 draws attention to the fact that the driver of the Kings Cross to Russell Square train never received any public acknowledgement of his exemplary conduct. Furthermore the police originally said they were unaware of his involvement.
Misc10 This item is a follow up, on the first anniversary of the bombings, by the ambulance service dispatcher who was the author of the “diary” featured in both the Aldgate East (AE4) and Liverpool Street (LS5) folders. Note there is now no reference to those stations!!
Misc4 Misc5 Misc7a & Misc10 all contain references to Canary Wharf. (See also EM6 & EM7)
Related Information
Various.
Summary
There are many persuasive indications that the attacks on the 7th July were more widespread than has been admitted and that there has been a deliberate policy of misinformation by the authorities.
References
MISC1
As many as 6,000 people were likely to have been severely psychologically affected, about half of them through direct experience. But the majority were still not known to the authorities or support networks.
Source: BBC News
MISC2
My friend has just sent me a text message. She has just been evacuated from her office in the Strand. She was told to get out of London.
Brian Mason, Surbiton, SurreySource: BBC News
MISC3
I work in High St Kensington and we've been told by police not to leave the building until 3pm. There isn't a single person in the office not on the phone to family or loved ones.
Source (removed): stuff.co.nz
MISC4
This is still unconfirmed, but when I came past Canary Wharf this evening on my way home the place was completely sealed off. There was police all over the place and ambulances and rescue teams there - though there has been nothing reported on the news.
Source: Stories from Sue blog
MISC5
* POLICE were yesterday probing reports a man had been "neutralised" outside Canary Wharf.
Is is believed the man was shot dead by police marksmen outside the Credit Suisse First Boston bank.
Source: IC South London
MISC6
Inside the Tavistock, the hotel receptionist Sam Elliott explained that a "couple of hundred" had been in the park that morning, both tourists and business people on their way to work.
Mr Elliott said four injured had been brought into the hotel. One with a head wound, one who was carried in off the street and two others who had "hearing impairment".
He said he had seen smoke but didn't see the bus.
Simon Poluck, a 37-year-old partner at accounting firm BSG Valentine, said he was on the far side of Lynton House, which also faces on to the square. "It was a bonfire sort of smell. Some of the girls were crying and were really upset; they were just coming into work at the time. Everyone just wants to get away from the area."
His colleague David Lee, also a partner at the firm, added: "I was at my desk when I heard the bomb and got a terrible whiff of cordite. Instead of going into the basement, I turned right and saw bodies being taken into our office.
"There were people coming up to me, pleading for help, and I didn't know what to do. I saw injured people being brought in and people wandering around with their clothes torn. It was horrific, gruesome. Their clothes were torn and hanging off," said Mr Lee, who put the time of the blast at around 9.50am.
Source: The Guardian
MISC7a
I'll admit that I'm not feeling too good right now. I've seen things that I didn't expect to see today. I've heard things that I didn't really want to know. The fire service people were saying that they were having to step over bodies to rescue injured at both Kings Cross and Aldgate East. Their estimate is at least 300 dead.
....
Have just spoken to my best mate who's working at Canary Wharf. Apparently a suicide bomber there was shot before he could do any harm.
Source: Everything2.com
MISC7b
I (and all those who worked hard today in dealing with the hundreds of patients who needed medical attention) have now been debriefed at the hospital, and while I, of course, cannot disclose what was said in the meeting, you'll be pleased to know that the majority of people brought to the hospital were able to return home after being checked over by the doctors. My thoughts are with those who are still being cared for in hospital.
Source: Everything2.com
MISC8
There had been a "general failure" to maintain records of the emergency services' response to the bombings.
Source: BBC News
MISC9
(From original on Rachel North blog): "Not wishing to denigrate any of the actions of police on the day, not ONE WORD has been said about the driver of Train 311, Tom Nairn. I joined Tom's train at Kings Cross, travelling in the cab with him on my way to work as a fellow driver, based at Acton Town.
I took the first couple of batches of walking wounded to Russell Square and was probably the first member of staff to meet any collegue at the station. Tom stayed behind in the first car, doing what we as drivers are paid to do, looking after his train and his passengers on it. He helped some by applying tourniques and reassurring others. He saw things that even trained police officers found themselves unable to cope with, but most importantly had to face it on his own before help arrived probably 40 minutes later, a scene of utter devastation in almost total darkness.
He has never been mentioned or praised, he has remained dignified and quiet, and has never returned to drive a train. Recently he applied for some compensation through his union. The response from the Met Police was "We have no knowledge of this person having been involved in this incident and therefore will not be processing his claim further." Rather odd because Tom and I were interviewed by police for around three hours after the incident. The press coverage of the other 'heroes' has left him feeling completely empty and devalued. Pity when the the reaction of Police and certain members of station staff are lauded he has been completely forgotten."
Ray Wright
Train Operator
Acton Town DepotSource: Comment on Rachel North blog
MISC10
It was me who took the first call about the London Bombs, exactly one year ago today. The first call wasn’t as significant as you might think: it wasn’t like someone shouted “Oh my god, bombs!” and we all leapt into action. The call I took was simply the Fire Brigade saying “We’ve had a report of some kind of explosion - we’d like one ambulance on standby, please”. From then on, it was like a mexican wave - calls about explosions went around the room amongst the usual trickle of Thursday morning calls. A station supervisor from Aldgate was in tears, describing a stream of people with debris in their hair and blood trickling down their faces leaving the station. Paddington Police rang to report a possible train crash at Edgware Road, and recoiled in horror as I told them that we’d been called to two other such incidents. The phones rang hot with hospitals wanting to know whether we would be bombarding them with bomb casualties. Victims rang from the scenes demanding more ambulances; ambulances that had to be sent from every station in London. The resource centre frantically rang everyone who was off work that day and asked them to come in. People in fluorescent coats shouted things about death tolls and numbers of casualties. And behind it all, real life went on. Elderly people with pneumonia had no way of getting to hospital. People called 999 for a broken leg and were turned away. Patients with suspected heart attacks refused help, saying that the ambulances needed to be saved for those in real need. Rumours and speculation abounded. Were there two separate bombs at Russell Square and Kings Cross? Had the trains at Edgware Road collided? Had another bomb been found at Victoria? Had people been killed at Canary Wharf? Had a bus exploded near Euston?
Source: NeeNaw Ambulance blog
