7 July 2005 London bombings
Emergency vehicles at Russell Square following the bombings.
Location	London, United Kingdom
Target(s)	Transport in London
Date	7 July 2005 8:50 am – 9:47 am (UTC+1)
Attack type	Suicide bombings
Deaths	52
Injured	≈700
Perpetrator(s)	Hasib Hussain, Mohammad Sidique Khan, Germaine Lindsay, and Shehzad Tanweer

The 7 July 2005 London bombings (also called the 7/7 bombings) were a series of coordinated terrorist bomb blasts that hit London's public transport system during the morning rush hour. At 8:50 a.m., three bombs exploded within fifty seconds of each other on three London Underground trains. A fourth bomb exploded on a bus nearly an hour later at 9:47 a.m. in Tavistock Square. The bombings killed 52 commuters and the four radical Islamic suicide bombers, injured 700, and caused disruption of the city's transport system (severely for the first day) and the country's mobile telecommunications infrastructure. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1600x1200, 767 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): User:Francis Tyers/Gallery London Underground terrorism Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... is the 188th day of the year (189th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... ... A suicide attack is an attack on a military or civilian target, in which an attacker intends to kill others, and knows that they will either certainly or most likely die in the process (see suicide). ... Hasib Mir Hussain (September 16, 1986 – July 7, 2005) was one of four terrorists who detonated bombs on three trains on the London Underground and one bus in central London during the 7 July 2005 London bombings. ... Mohammad Sidique Khan (October 20, 1974 – July 7, 2005) was the oldest of the four suicide bombers responsible for the 7 July 2005 London bombings, in which bombs were detonated on three London Underground trains and one bus in central London suicide attacks that killed 52 people and injured over... Germaine Maurice Lindsay, also known as Abdullah Shaheed Jamal, (September 23, 1985 – July 7, 2005) was one of the four terrorists who detonated bombs on three trains on the London Underground and one bus in central London during the 7 July 2005 London bombings, killing 56 (including themselves) and injuring... Shehzad Tanweer (December 15, 1982 – July 7, 2005) was one of four men who blew up three trains on the London Underground and one bus in central London during the 7 July 2005 London bombing. ... is the 188th day of the year (189th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... Transport For London (TfL) is a local government body responsible for most aspects of the transport system throughout Greater London in England. ... For other uses, see Rush hour (disambiguation). ... The London Underground is an underground railway system - also known as a rapid transit system - that serves a large part of Greater London, United Kingdom and some neighbouring areas. ... An Enviro 400 bus, a modern interpretation of the famous London red double-decker. ... Tavistock Square Tavistock Square is a square in Bloomsbury, London. ... 56 people, including the 4 bombers, were killed in the 7 July 2005 London bombings. ... Copy of the original phone of Alexander Graham Bell at the Musée des Arts et Métiers in Paris Telecommunication is the assisted transmission of signals over a distance for the purpose of communication. ...

Incidents

Attacks on the Underground

Locations of the bombings, overlaid onto a "real-path" map of the London Underground

08:50 — Three bombs on the London Underground exploded within fifty seconds of each other: Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1280x730, 100 KB) Locations of the London bombings on the 7st of July 2005. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1280x730, 100 KB) Locations of the London bombings on the 7st of July 2005. ... The London Underground is an underground railway system - also known as a rapid transit system - that serves a large part of Greater London, United Kingdom and some neighbouring areas. ...

• The first bomb exploded on an eastbound Circle Line sub-surface Underground train, number 204, travelling between Liverpool Street and Aldgate. The train had left King's Cross St. Pancras about eight minutes earlier. At the time of the explosion, the third carriage of the train was approximately 100 yards (90 m) down the tunnel from Liverpool Street. The parallel track of the Hammersmith and City Line from Liverpool Street to Aldgate East was also damaged.
• The second bomb exploded on the second carriage of a westbound Circle Line sub-surface Underground train, number 216. The train had just left platform 4 at Edgware Road and was heading for Paddington. The train had left King's Cross St. Pancras about eight minutes earlier. There were several other trains nearby at the time of the explosion. An eastbound Circle Line train (arriving at platform 3 at Edgware Road from Paddington) was passing next to the train and was damaged,^[1] along with a wall that later collapsed. There were two other trains at Edgware Road: an unidentified train on platform 2, and an eastbound Hammersmith & City Line train that had just arrived at platform 1.
• The third bomb exploded on a southbound Piccadilly Line deep-level Underground train, number 311, travelling between King's Cross St. Pancras and Russell Square. The bomb exploded about one minute after the train left King's Cross, by which time it had travelled about 500 yards (450 m). The explosion took place at the rear of the first carriage of the train, causing severe damage to the rear of that carriage, as well as the front of the second one.^[2] The surrounding tunnel also sustained damage.

It was originally thought that there had been six, rather than three, explosions on the Underground. The bus bombing brought the reported total to seven; however, this error was corrected later that day. This was because the blasts occurred on trains that were between stations, causing the wounded to emerge from both stations, giving the impression that there was an incident at each station. Police also revised the timings of the tube blasts: initial reports had indicated that they occurred over a period of almost half an hour. This was due to initial confusion at London Underground, where the explosions were initially thought to be due to a power surge. One initial report, in the minutes after the explosions, involved a person under a train, while another concerned a derailment (both of which did actually occur, but only as a result of the explosions). A Code Amber Alert was declared at 09:19, and London Underground began to shut down the network, bringing trains into stations and suspending all services.^[3] The effects of the bombs are thought to have varied due to the differing characteristics of the tunnels. For other uses, see Circle Line (disambiguation). ... Liverpool Street station, also called London Liverpool Street, is a mainline railway station and connected London Underground station in the north eastern corner of the City of London, the main financial district, with entrances on Bishopsgate and Liverpool Street itself. ... Trains at Aldgate tube station Entrance to Aldgate tube station Aldgate tube station is a London Underground station located at Aldgate in the City of London. ... Kings Cross St Pancras tube station is the London Underground station serving both Kings Cross and St Pancras main line stations in the London Borough of Camden. ... The Hammersmith and City Line is a line of the London Underground, coloured salmon pink on the Tube map. ... Liverpool Street station, also called London Liverpool Street, is a mainline railway station and connected London Underground station in the north eastern corner of the City of London, the main financial district, with entrances on Bishopsgate and Liverpool Street itself. ... Aldgate East is a London Underground station in Aldgate. ... For other uses, see Circle Line (disambiguation). ... Edgware Road tube station is a name shared by two separate stations on the London Underground. ... Paddington Station, March 2005 during rush hour Paddington station or London Paddington station is a major National Rail and London Underground station complex in the Paddington area of London. ... Kings Cross St Pancras tube station is the London Underground station serving both Kings Cross and St Pancras main line stations in the London Borough of Camden. ... For other uses, see Circle Line (disambiguation). ... The Hammersmith and City Line is a line of the London Underground, coloured salmon pink on the Tube map, running between Hammersmith and Aldgate East, extending to Barking in the rush hours. ... London Transport Portal The Piccadilly Line is a line of the London Underground, coloured blue on the Tube map. ... Kings Cross St. ... Russell Square is a London Underground station on Bernard Street, Bloomsbury, not far from the British Museum and Russell Square Gardens. ... Voltage spikes are fast, short duration surges in the electric potential in a given circuit. ...

1. The Circle Line is a "cut and cover" sub-surface tunnel, about 7 m (21 ft) deep. Because the tunnel contains two parallel tracks, it is relatively wide. The two explosions on this line were probably able to vent their force into the tunnel, reducing their destructive force.
2. The Piccadilly Line is a deep tunnel, up to 30 m (100 ft) underground, with narrow (3.5 m, or 11 ft) single-track tubes and just 15 cm (6 in) clearances. This narrow space reflected the blast force, concentrating its effect.

An underground pedestrian tunnel between buildings at MIT. Note the utility pipes running along the ceiling. ...

Attack on a double-decker bus

• 09:47 — An explosion occurred in Tavistock Square on a No. 30 Dennis Trident 2 double-decker bus, registration LX03BUF, two years in service at the time, operated by Stagecoach London travelling its route from Marble Arch to Hackney Wick.

Earlier, the bus had passed through the King's Cross area as it travelled from Hackney Wick to Marble Arch. At Marble Arch, the bus turned around and started the return route from Marble Arch to Hackney Wick. It left Marble Arch at 09:00 a.m. and arrived at Euston bus station at 09:35 a.m., where crowds of people had been evacuated from the tube and were boarding buses. The bus was diverted from its normal route by police, allegedly because of road closures in the King's Cross area.^{[citation needed]}. People who had been evacuated from the Underground were continuing to board the bus.^{[citation needed]} At the time of the explosion the bus was travelling through Tavistock Square at the point where it joins Upper Woburn Place. Tavistock Square Tavistock Square is a square in Bloomsbury, London. ... London Buses route 30 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. ... A Dennis Trident 2 owned by Stagecoach, UK. For 3-axle, longitudinal-engine Dennis Trident built for export, see Dennis Trident 3/Dennis Trident E500. ... A London AEC Routemaster, RML 2473 (JJD 473D), on route 7 approaching Ladbroke Grove tube station in April 2002. ... Stagecoach London is a subsidiary of the Stagecoach Group. ... Marble Arch was originally erected on The Mall, as a gateway to the newly rebuilt Buckingham Palace. ... Hackney Wick is an area in the London Borough of Hackney in East London. ... Kings Cross is an place in the London Borough of Camden. ... Hackney Wick is an area in the London Borough of Hackney in East London. ... Marble Arch was originally erected on The Mall, as a gateway to the newly rebuilt Buckingham Palace. ... Facade of Euston Station, London Euston Arch: the original Euston Station, as enlarged, ca 1851 Euston station concourse Euston station (also known as London Euston), is a large railway station in Central London. ... Look up Underground in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

The explosion ripped the roof off the top deck of the vehicle and destroyed the back of the bus. Witnesses reported seeing "half a bus flying through the air".

The detonation took place close to the British Medical Association building on Upper Woburn Place, and a number of doctors in or near the building were able to provide immediate emergency medical assistance. BBC Radio 5 and The Sun newspaper later reported that two injured bus passengers said that they saw a man exploding in the bus. News reports have identified Hasib Hussain as the person with the bomb on the bus.^[4] The logo of the association. ... BBC Radio Five Live is the BBCs radio service providing live BBC News, phone-ins, and sports commentaries. ... This article is about a British tabloid. ... Hasib Mir Hussain (September 16, 1986 – July 7, 2005) was one of four terrorists who detonated bombs on three trains on the London Underground and one bus in central London during the 7 July 2005 London bombings. ...

The bus bomb exploded towards the rear of the vehicle's top deck, totally destroying that portion of it but leaving the front of the bus intact. Most of the passengers at the front of the top deck are believed to have survived, as did those on the front of the lower deck including the driver, but those at the top and lower rear of the bus took the brunt of the explosion. The extreme physical damage caused to the victims' bodies resulted in a lengthy delay in announcing the death toll from the bombing while the police determined how many bodies were present and whether the bomber was one of them. A number of passers-by were also injured by the explosion and surrounding buildings were damaged by fragments.

Two more suspicious packages were found on underground trains and were destroyed using controlled explosions. Police later said they were not bombs. A controlled explosion is used as a method for detonating or disabling a suspected device. ...

Context

The bombings came while the UK was hosting the first full day of the 31st G8 summit, a day after London was chosen to host the 2012 Summer Olympics, two days after the beginning of the trial of fundamentalist cleric Abu Hamza al-Masri, five days after the Live 8 concert, and shortly after the UK had assumed the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union. The bombings were on the fourth anniversary of the racially-motivated Bradford Riot. Official G8 2005 Portrait. ... “London 2012” redirects here. ... Look up fundamentalism in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... A cleric is a member of the clergy of a religion, especially one that has trained or ordained priests, preachers, or other religious professionals. ... Abu Hamza al-Masri (أبو حمزة المصري) (born 15 April 1958) is a Sunni Muslim leader in the United Kingdom, currently serving a seven-year prison sentence for soliciting murder and inciting racial hatred. ... Official Live8 DVD, released in November 2005 Live 8 was a series of concurrent benefit concerts that took place on 2 July 2005, in the G8 states and in South Africa. ... Presidency of the Council of the European Union refers to the responsibility of presiding over all aspects of the Council of the European Union, when exercised collectively by a government, on a pre-established rota of the member states, of the European Union. ... Established 1952 Presiding Country Portugal President Luís Amado President in Office José Sócrates Members 27 (at one time) Political parties 7, including: European Peoples Party Party of European Socialists Meeting place Justus Lipsius, Brussels, Belgium, European Union Web site http://www. ... The Upper Globe pub was attacked during the riot & has since lain derelict. ...

Initial reports

The first reports suggested that a power surge in the Underground power grid had caused explosions in power circuits. This was later ruled out by the National Grid, the power suppliers. Commentators suggested that the explanation had arisen because of bomb damage to power lines along the tracks; the rapid series of power failures caused by the explosions (or power being cut off by means of switches at the locations to permit evacuation) looked similar, from the point of view of a control room operator, to a cascading series of circuit breaker operations that would result from a major power surge. Voltage spikes are fast, short duration surges in the electric potential in a given circuit. ... The National Grid is the high-voltage electric power transmission network in Great Britain, connecting power stations and major substations and ensuring that electricity generated anywhere in Great Britain can be used to satisfy demand elsewhere. ...

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Ian Blair stated within a couple of hours of the explosions that he believed that they were "probably a major terrorist attack". He also indicated that police had found indications of explosives at one of the blast sites, though he would not speculate on who might have carried out the attack. The investigation thus concentrated on possible terrorist suspects. The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis (usually just referred to as the Metropolitan Police Commissioner or, more colloquially, as the Met Commissioner) is the head of the Metropolitan Police Service in London. ... Sir Ian Warwick Blair, QPM (born 19 March 1953) is Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police (head of the Metropolitan Police Service). ...

A couple of hours after the bombings, the then Home Secretary Charles Clarke told the House of Commons of the incidents as terrorist attacks [1] The Secretary of State for the Home Department, commonly known as the Home Secretary, is the minister in charge of the United Kingdom Home Office and is responsible for internal affairs in England and Wales, and for immigration and citizenship for the whole United Kingdom (including Scotland and Northern Ireland). ... The Rt Hon. ... Type Lower House Speaker of the House of Commons Leader of the House of Commons Michael Martin, (Non-affiliated) since October 23, 2000 Harriet Harman, QC, (Labour) since June 28, 2007 Shadow Leader of the House of Commons Theresa May, PC, (Conservative) since December 6, 2005 Members 646 Political groups...

Incidents of 21st July

Main article: 21 July 2005 London bombings

On 21 July 2005, a second series of four explosions took place on the London Underground and a London bus. The detonators of all four bombs exploded, but none of the main explosive charges detonated, and there were no casualties: the single injury reported at the time was later revealed to be an asthma sufferer. All suspected bombers from this failed attack escaped from the scenes but were later arrested. Wikinews has news related to: Four small explosions strike Londons transport system On 21 July 2005, four attempted bomb attacks disrupted part of Londons public transport system two weeks after the 7 July 2005 London bombings. ... is the 202nd day of the year (203rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Wikinews has news related to: Four small explosions strike Londons transport system On 21 July 2005, four attempted bomb attacks disrupted part of Londons public transport system two weeks after the 7 July 2005 London bombings. ...

Casualties

Main article: Casualties of the 7 July 2005 London bombings

The bombings killed 52 people in addition to the four bombers. 56 people, including the 4 bombers, were killed in the 7 July 2005 London bombings. ...

Memorial event

On 7 July 2006, the country held a two-minute silence at midday to remember those who died in the bombings a year before. Plaques were unveiled at the tube stations where the bombs exploded and memorial services were held at each scene to pay tribute to the lives lost. is the 188th day of the year (189th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

is the 188th day of the year (189th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The 7 July 2005 London bombings were a series of four terrorist bombs which exploded on the London Underground and a bus during the morning rush hour, killing more than 50 people. ... Londoners in Trafalgar Square on the evening of 14th of July Following the events of the 7 July 2005 London bombings, the United Kingdom and other nations have devised many ways to honor the dead and missing. ... Liverpool Street station, also called London Liverpool Street, is a mainline railway station and connected London Underground station in the north eastern corner of the City of London, the main financial district, with entrances on Bishopsgate and Liverpool Street itself. ... Trains at Aldgate tube station Entrance to Aldgate tube station Aldgate tube station is a London Underground station located at Aldgate in the City of London. ... For other uses, see Circle Line (disambiguation). ... Kings Cross St Pancras tube station is the London Underground station serving both Kings Cross and St Pancras main line stations in the London Borough of Camden. ... Russell Square is a London Underground station on Bernard Street, Bloomsbury, not far from the British Museum and Russell Square Gardens. ... London Transport Portal The Piccadilly Line is a line of the London Underground, coloured blue on the Tube map. ... Edgware Road tube station is a name shared by two separate stations on the London Underground. ... For other uses, see Circle Line (disambiguation). ... Tavistock Square Tavistock Square is a square in Bloomsbury, London. ... London Buses route 30 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. ... is the 202nd day of the year (203rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Wikinews has news related to: Four small explosions strike Londons transport system On 21 July 2005, four attempted bomb attacks disrupted part of Londons public transport system two weeks after the 7 July 2005 London bombings. ... Shepherds Bush is a London Underground station. ... The Hammersmith and City Line is a line of the London Underground, coloured salmon pink on the Tube map. ... Warren Street Warren Street tube station is a London Underground station. ... London Transport Portal The Victoria Line is a line of the London Underground, coloured light blue on the Tube map. ... Oval tube station Interior of Oval tube station Oval tube station in Kennington is a station on the Northern Line of the London Underground between Stockwell and Kennington stations. ... For other uses, see Northern Line (disambiguation). ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... London Buses route 26 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. ...

Investigation

Initial results

There was initially a great deal of confused information from police sources as to the origin, method, and even timings of the explosions. Forensic examiners had initially thought that military grade plastic explosives were used, and, as the blasts were thought to have been simultaneous, that synchronised timed detonators were employed. This all changed as further information became available. Home-made organic peroxide-based devices were used, according to a May 2006 report from the British government's Intelligence and Security Committee^[5] Plastic explosive (or plastique) is a specialised form of explosive material. ... The general structure of an organic peroxide. ... The Intelligence and Security Committee is a unique committee, as it is not a committee of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. ...

Fifty-six people, including the four perpetrators, were killed in the attacks^[6] and about 700 were injured, of whom about 100 required overnight hospital treatment or more. The incident was the deadliest single act of terrorism in the United Kingdom since Lockerbie (the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 which killed 270), and the deadliest bombing in London since the Second World War. More people were killed in the bombings than in any single Provisional IRA attack (in Great Britain or Ireland) during the Troubles. Terrorist redirects here. ... Lockerbie Town Hall, 2006. ... PA 103 redirects here. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... The Provisional Irish Republican Army (PIRA) is a paramilitary group which aimed, through the use of violence, to achieve three goals: (i) British withdrawal from Ireland, (ii) the political unification of Ireland through the merger of Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland , and (iii) the creation of an all... The Troubles is a term used to describe two periods of violence in Ireland during the twentieth century. ...

Police examined about 2,500 items of CCTV footage and forensic evidence from the scenes of the attacks. The bombs were probably placed on the floors of the trains and bus. This article refers to a surveillance system. ... This article or section should be merged with Forensic science Forensic evidence consists of anything that can be used in a court of law to convict a person of a crime. ...

Police investigators identified four men whom they alleged had in fact been suicide bombers. This would make the 7 July incident the first suicide bombings in Western Europe.^[7] French Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy caused consternation at the British Home Office when he briefed the press that one of the names had been described the previous year at an Anglo-French security meeting as an asset of British Intelligence. This was denied by then Home Secretary Charles Clarke, or at any rate he described this as "not his recollection, to say the least". A suicide bombing is an attack using a bomb in which the individual(s) carrying the explosive materials composing the bomb intend(s) and expect(s) to die upon detonation (see suicide). ... is the 188th day of the year (189th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... A current understanding of Western Europe. ... Nicolas Sarkozy (IPA: —  ), born Nicolas Paul Stéphane Sarközy de Nagy-Bocsa on 28 January 1955 in Paris, is the current President of France, elected on 6 May 2007 after defeating Socialist Party contender Ségolène Royal during the second round of the 2007 election. ... The modern concept of Small Office and Home Office or SoHo , or Small or Home Office deals with the category of business which can be from 1 to 10 workers. ... The Secretary of State for the Home Department, commonly known as the Home Secretary, is the minister in charge of the United Kingdom Home Office and is responsible for internal affairs in England and Wales, and for immigration and citizenship for the whole United Kingdom (including Scotland and Northern Ireland). ... The Rt Hon. ...

Vincent Cannistraro, former head of the CIA's anti-terrorism centre, told The Guardian that "two unexploded bombs" were recovered as well as "mechanical timing devices", although this claim was explicitly rejected by the Metropolitan Police.^[8] Vincent Cannistraro was Director of NSC Intelligence from November 1984 to January 1987 [1]. He was Special Assistant for Intelligence in the office of the Secretary of Defense (January 1987-October 1988). ... The CIA Seal The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is an American intelligence agency, responsible for obtaining and analyzing information about foreign governments, corporations, and individuals, and reporting such information to the various branches of the U.S. Government. ... The Guardian is a British newspaper owned by the Guardian Media Group. ...

It has been reported that the intention was to have four explosions on the Underground forming a cross of fire with arms in the four cardinal directions, possibly centered symbolically at King's Cross. It was said that one bomber was turned away from the Underground as the explosions had already started, and took a bus instead. It is also possible that the fourth bomber meant to take the Northern Line, which was suspended that day due to technical difficulties.

The Underground bombs exploded when trains were crossing, thus affecting two trains with each explosion. This is one of the features which led rapidly to the suspicion of a terrorist attack by suicide bombers as the cause of the explosions.

Suicide bombings

The four explosions were widely reported as suicide bombings, but at the time the police would only confirm that they believed the bombers died in the bombings. However in the aftermath of the subsequent 21 July 2005 London bombings and the shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes, Sir Ian Blair publicly confirmed that they did believe they were dealing with suicide bombers.^[9] A suicide bombing is an attack using a bomb in which the individual(s) carrying the explosive materials composing the bomb intend(s) and expect(s) to die upon detonation (see suicide). ... Wikinews has news related to: Four small explosions strike Londons transport system On 21 July 2005, four attempted bomb attacks disrupted part of Londons public transport system two weeks after the 7 July 2005 London bombings. ... Jean Charles de Menezes (7 January 1978–22 July 2005) was a Brazilian national living in the Tulse Hill area of south London. ...

It is not clear why the bombers carried identifying items, which led to the discovery of the bomb factory in Leeds. The bomb factory appears to have been intended for future use and a number of other explosive devices are said to have been found in the bombers' car at Luton station. In addition, the bombers bought return tickets to London from Luton, implying that they meant to return the way they had come.^[10] This has led to speculation that the bombers may have expected to survive the attacks, perhaps having been misled about the time that they had to escape or the nature of the devices that they were carrying.^[10]

The first three bombs exploded within 50 seconds of each other, suggesting that a timing device or remote activation was used.^[11] It is believed that mobile phones were used to remotely detonate the Madrid train bombs, either by using the phones' alarm function or by calling the phone.^[12] The former method would work in the London Underground, but the bombs could not have been detonated by calling the phones as mobile phone signals are not available. As of 19 July 2005, no forensic evidence of either of these mechanisms had been made public, making a manual detonation likely.^[13] The 2004 Madrid train bombings (also known as 11-M, 3/11, 11/3 and M-11) were a series of coordinated bombings against the commuter train system of Madrid, Spain on the morning of 11 March 2004, which killed 191 people and wounded over 1700. ... is the 200th day of the year (201st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

No public inquiry

The government has not held an public inquiry, stating that... "it would be a drain on resources and tie up key officials and police officers". Former Prime Minister Tony Blair said an independent inquiry would undermine support for the security service^[14] A group of survivors and relatives of those killed are now pursuing legal action in the High Court and European Courts for a full Public Inquiry to clear up conflicting accounts of this day. The Shadow Home Secretary, David Davis said "It is becoming more and more clear that the story presented to the public and parliament is at odds with the facts." For other people of the same name, see Tony Blair (disambiguation) Anthony Charles Lynton Blair (born May 6, 1953)[1] is the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service, Leader of the Labour Party, and Member of Parliament for the constituency... Security Service can mean: The British internal security service, MI5 A secret service or secret police agency ... Home secretary The shadow home secretary is the MP within the shadow cabinet of the opposition who concerns themselves mainly with issues surrounding the home office and if the opposition is elected then the shadow home secretary then takes the secretariet of the home office job to become the Home... David Davis, the name of several people, may refer to: David Davis (Australian politician) (born 1962), Liberal member of the Victorian Legislative Council David Davis (British politician) (born 1948), Conservative MP in British Parliament and Conservative leadership candidate in 2001 and 2005 David Davis (broadcaster) was the stage name of... A parliament is a legislature, especially in those countries whose system of government is based on the Westminster system modelled after that of the United Kingdom. ...

Rumours and conspiracy theories about the July 2005 London bombings

See Rumours and conspiracy theories about the July 2005 London bombings Many questions, rumors and theories about the July 2005 London bombings have been raised. ...

The bombers

Identification of bombers

A police press conference on 12 July provided further details on the progress of the investigation. Investigators focused on a group of four men, three of whom were from Leeds, West Yorkshire, and were reported as being primarily cleanskins, meaning previously unknown to authorities. On 7 July 2005, all four travelled to Luton in Bedfordshire by car, then to London by train. They were recorded on CCTV arriving at King's Cross station at about 08:30 a.m. Property associated with the men was found at the site of the explosions. On 12 July the BBC reported that Deputy Assistant Commissioner Peter Clarke, Metropolitan Police counter-terrorism chief, had said that the property of one of the bombers had been found at both the Aldgate and Edgware Road blasts. is the 193rd day of the year (194th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see Leeds (disambiguation). ... Coat of Arms of South Yorkshire West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England, that has a population of 2. ... Within the vernacular of counter-terrorism agents and police officers, a cleanskin is an undercover operative whose identity is not known to the forces he or she is tasked to infiltrate. ... is the 188th day of the year (189th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... It has been suggested that Culture in Luton be merged into this article or section. ... Bedfordshire (abbreviated Beds) is a county in England that forms part of the East of England region. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... This GNER train serving Kings Cross is named White Rose after the traditional symbol of Yorkshire. ... is the 193rd day of the year (194th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Raids

Police raided six properties in the Leeds area on 12 July: two houses in Beeston, two houses in Thornhill, one house in Holbeck and one house in 18 Alexandra Grove, Hyde Park. One man was arrested. is the 193rd day of the year (194th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Beeston is an area of inner-city south Leeds, West Yorkshire, England with a population of about 16,000[1]. It is a mixed but largely working-class area, with - unusually for south Leeds - a sizable south Asian population. ... Thornhill is a former village, now suburb of Dewsbury in West Yorkshire, England. ... Holbeck is a district of Leeds, West Yorkshire, through which passes the Leeds and Liverpool Canal. ... Brudenell Road, one of the main roads through Hyde Park Hyde Park is an inner-city area of north-west Leeds, West Yorkshire, England, situated between Leeds University and Headingley. ...

According to West Yorkshire police, a significant amount of explosive material was found in the raids in Leeds and a controlled explosion was carried out at one of the properties. Explosives were also found in the vehicle associated with one of the suspects at Luton railway station and subjected to controlled explosions.^{[15][16][17][18]}

The police also raided a residential property on Northern Road in the Buckinghamshire town of Aylesbury on 13 July. Buckinghamshire (abbreviated Bucks) is one of the home counties in South East England. ... Aylesbury is the county town of Buckinghamshire in south east England. ... is the 194th day of the year (195th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Bombers' profiles

The following men carried out the attacks:

The bombers caught on CCTV at Luton railway station at 07:21 a.m. on 7 July. From left to right, Hasib Hussain, Germaine Lindsay, Mohammad Sidique Khan, and Shehzad Tanweer.^[19] (Image: Crown copyright)

• Mohammed Sidique Khan (30) - Edgware Road Tube 8.50 a.m. Lived in Dewsbury with his heavily pregnant wife and young child. (Hasina Patel miscarried August 2005).
• Shehzad Tanweer (22) - Aldgate Tube 8.50 a.m. Lived in Leeds with his mother and father working in a fish and chip shop.
• Germaine Lindsay (19) - Russell Square 8.50 a.m. Lived in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire with his pregnant wife.
• Hasib Hussain (18) - Tavistock Square 9.47 a.m. Lived in Leeds with his brother Imran and sister-in-law Shazia.

Image File history File links This image is protected by British Crown copyright. ... Image File history File links This image is protected by British Crown copyright. ... It has been suggested that Culture in Luton be merged into this article or section. ... Hasib Mir Hussain (September 16, 1986 – July 7, 2005) was one of four terrorists who detonated bombs on three trains on the London Underground and one bus in central London during the 7 July 2005 London bombings. ... Jamal Lindsay (c. ... Mohammad Sidique Khan (October 20, 1974 – July 7, 2005) was the oldest of the four suicide bombers responsible for the 7 July 2005 London bombings, in which bombs were detonated on three London Underground trains and one bus in central London suicide attacks that killed 52 people and injured over... Shehzad Tanweer (December 15, 1982 – July 7, 2005) was one of four men who blew up three trains on the London Underground and one bus in central London during the 7 July 2005 London bombing. ... Crown copyright is a form of copyright claim used by the governments of a number of Commonwealth realms. ... Mohammad Sidique Khan at Hillside Primary School in 2002. ... Shehzad Tanweer (December 15, 1982 – July 7, 2005) was one of four men who blew up three trains on the London Underground and one bus in central London during the 7 July 2005 London bombing. ... Germaine Maurice Lindsay, also known as Abdullah Shaheed Jamal, (September 23, 1985 – July 7, 2005) was one of the four terrorists who detonated bombs on three trains on the London Underground and one bus in central London during the 7 July 2005 London bombings, killing 56 (including themselves) and injuring... Hasib Mir Hussain (September 16, 1986 – July 7, 2005) was one of four terrorists who detonated bombs on three trains on the London Underground and one bus in central London during the 7 July 2005 London bombings. ...

Luton cell

There has been speculation regarding links between the bombers and another alleged al-Qaeda cell in Luton, which was broken up in August 2004. That group was uncovered after al-Qaeda operative Muhammad Naeem Noor Khan was arrested in Lahore, Pakistan. His laptop computer was said to contain plans for tube attacks in London, as well as attacks on financial buildings in New York and Washington. The group was placed under surveillance, but on 2 August 2004 the New York Times published his name, citing Pakistani sources. The leak caused police in Britain and Canada to make arrests before their investigations were complete. The U.S. government later said they had given the name to some journalists as background, for which Tom Ridge, the U.S. homeland security secretary, apologised. Muhammad Naeem Noor Khan (Urdu: محمد نايم نور خان) is an alleged Al-Qaeda operative and computer expert. ...   (Urdu: لاہور, Punjabi: لہور, pronounced ) is the capital of the province of Punjab and is the second largest city in Pakistan after Karachi. ... New York, New York and NYC redirect here. ... For other uses, see Washington, D.C. (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Surveillance (disambiguation). ... is the 214th day of the year (215th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The New York Times is an internationally known daily newspaper published in New York City and distributed in the United States and many other nations worldwide. ... In journalism, background is a term used by some journalists to describe a communication between a source and a journalist, where the journalist does not identify the source, but repeats the information the source has provided. ... Thomas Joseph Ridge (born August 27, 1945 near Pittsburgh, USA) is an American politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives (1983–1995), Governor of Pennsylvania (1995–2001), Assistant to the President for Homeland Security (2001–2003), and the first United States Secretary of Homeland... For the NBC TV Movie starring Tom Skeritt, see Homeland Security (film). ...

When the Luton cell was broken up, one of the London bombers, Mohammad Sidique Khan (no known relation), was briefly scrutinised by MI5 who determined that he was not a likely threat and he was not put under surveillance.^[20]

March 2007 arrests

On 22 March 2007, three men were arrested in connection with the 7/7 bombings. Two men were arrested at 1 pm at Manchester Airport, attempting to board a plane due to depart for Pakistan at around 4.30 pm that afternoon. They were apprehended by undercover officers who had been following the men as part of a surveillance operation. They had not intended to arrest the men that day, but felt they could not risk letting the suspects leave Britain. The other man was arrested in the Beeston area of Leeds, West Yorkshire, at an address on the street where one of the suicide bombers had lived before the attacks.^[21] is the 81st day of the year (82nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... For City Airport Manchester, UK, see City Airport Manchester. ...

May 2007 arrests

On 9 May 2007 police made four further arrests, three in Yorkshire and one in Selly Oak, Birmingham. Hasina Patel, widow of the presumed ringleader Mohammed Sidique Khan, was among those arrested for "commissioning, preparing or instigating acts of terrorism". ^[22]. is the 129th day of the year (130th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... Selly Oak constituency shown within Birmingham Selly Oak is an area in south Birmingham, England. ... Mohammad Sidique Khan at Hillside Primary School in 2002. ...

Three of those arrested, including Patel, were released on 15 May 2007.^[23] The fourth, Khalid Khaliq, an unemployed single father of three, was charged with possessing an al-Qaeda training manual on 17 July 2005, but this charge was not related to the 7 July bombing. The possession of a document containing information likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism carries a maximum 10-year jail sentence.^[24] is the 135th day of the year (136th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ...

Deportation of Sheikh Abdullah al-Faisal

Sheikh Abdullah el-Faisal was deported to his country of origin, Jamaica, from Britain on Friday May 25, 2006 after reaching the parole date in his prison sentence. He was found guilty of three charges of soliciting the murder of Jews, Americans and Hindus and two charges of using threatening words to stir up racial hatred in 2003 and after his appeal was sentenced to seven years in prison. In 2006 John Reid told MP's that al-Faisal had influenced Jamaican-born Briton Germaine Lindsay. ^[25][26] Abdullah el-Faisal was born in Jamaica as Trevor William Forest to a Salvation Army family of practising Christians. ... is the 145th day of the year (146th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... John Reid PC (born 8 May 1947) is a British politician who is Home Secretary and Member of Parliament (MP) for the Scottish constituency of Airdrie and Shotts in the United Kingdom. ...

Claims of responsibility

At around 12:10 p.m. on 7 July, BBC News reported that a website known to be operated by associates of al-Qaeda had been located with a 200-word statement claiming responsibility for the attacks. The news magazine Der Spiegel in Germany and BBC Monitoring both reported that a group named "Secret Organisation — al-Qaeda in Europe" had posted an announcement claiming responsibility on the al-Qal3ah ("The Castle") Internet forum.^[27] The announcement claims the attacks are a response due to the British involvement in the 2003 invasion of Iraq and the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan. The letter also warned other governments involved in Iraq (mentioning specifically Denmark and Italy) to withdraw troops from Iraq and Afghanistan. A Saudi commentator in London noted that the statement was grammatically poor, and that a Qur'anic quotation was incorrect. This has been disputed.^[28] is the 188th day of the year (189th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... BBC News is the department within the BBC responsible for the corporations news-gathering and production of news programmes on BBC television, radio and online. ... Al-Qaeda (Arabic: القاعدة, the foundation or the base) is the name given to a worldwide network of militant Islamist organizations under the leadership of Osama bin Laden. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The BBC Monitoring divisions logo BBC Monitoring is a division of the British Broadcasting Corporation that monitors the mass media worldwide and acts as the British Governments provider of open source intelligence (OSINT). ... The announcement on Qal3ati taking responsibility for the 7 July 2005 London bombings. ... A typical Internet forum discussion, with common elements such as quotes and spoiler brackets A page from a forum showcasing emoticons and Internet slang An Internet forum is a web application for holding discussions and posting user generated content. ... This article is about the 2003 invasion of Iraq. ... Combatants Taliban al-Qaeda IMU Hezbi Islami United States ISAF Afghanistan Northern Alliance Commanders Mohammed Omar Obaidullah Akhund # Mullah Dadullah  Jalaluddin Haqqani Osama bin Laden Ayman al-Zawahiri Mohammad Atef  Juma Namangani  Tohir Yo‘ldosh Gulbuddin Hekmatyar Bismillah Khan Mohammed Fahim Abdul Rashid Dostum Dan McNeill Guy Laroche Ton van... The Qur’ān [1] (Arabic: , literally the recitation; also sometimes transliterated as Quran, Koran, or Al-Quran) is the central religious text of Islam. ...

The attacks bear similarities to the 11 March 2004 Madrid train bombings and suggest an attack in the style of al-Qaeda. Budapest-based security analyst Sebestyén Gorka told the Reuters wire service that "the first thing that's very obvious is the synchronised nature of the attacks, and that's pretty classic for Al-Qaeda or organisations related to al-Qaeda". The 2004 Madrid train bombings (also known as 11-M, 3/11, 11/3 and M-11) were a series of coordinated bombings against the commuter train system of Madrid, Spain on the morning of 11 March 2004, which killed 191 people and wounded over 1700. ... Al-Qaeda (Arabic: القاعدة, the foundation or the base) is the name given to a worldwide network of militant Islamist organizations under the leadership of Osama bin Laden. ... For other uses, see Budapest (disambiguation). ... Al-Qaeda (Arabic: القاعدة, the foundation or the base) is the name given to a worldwide network of militant Islamist organizations under the leadership of Osama bin Laden. ...

In the opinion of former Metropolitan Police Commissioner Lord Stevens of Kirkwhelpington, before the identity of the bombers became known, the bombers were almost certainly born or based in Britain.^[29] The attacks would have required extensive preparation and prior reconnaissance efforts, and a familiarity with bomb-making and the London transport network as well as access to significant amounts of bomb-making equipment and chemicals. The most likely suspects were said to be individuals who had been to the al-Qaeda training camps in Afghanistan prior to 2001.^{[citation needed]} As many as 3,000 British born or based people are thought to have been trained in the camps and may since have trained others.^{[citation needed]} John Arthur Stevens, Baron Stevens of Kirkwhelpington, QPM, DL, FRSA (born 21 October 1942) was Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis (head of the Metropolitan Police Service) from 2000 until 2005. ...

Some newspaper editorials in Iran, however, have blamed the bombing on British or American authorities seeking to further justify their War on Terrorism, and have claimed that the plan that included the bombings also involved increasing harassment of Muslims in Europe.^[30] This article is about U.S. actions, and those of other states, after September 11, 2001. ... Estimates of the largest Muslim populations in Western Europe as a percentage of total country population: 9. ...

On 13 August 2005 The Independent newspaper reported, quoting police and MI5 sources, that the 7 July bombers acted independently of an al-Qaeda terror mastermind someplace abroad.^[31] is the 225th day of the year (226th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... MI5 Logo. ... is the 188th day of the year (189th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

On 1 September 2005, al-Qaeda officially claimed responsibility for the attacks in a videotape aired on the Arab television network al Jazeera. is the 244th day of the year (245th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Al Jazeera logo Al Jazeera (الجزيرة), meaning The Island or The (Arabian) Peninsula (whence also Algiers) is an Arabic television channel based in Qatar. ...

Translated statement

Ayman al-Zawahiri claims of responsibility

Within hours after the attack, someone using the name "Nur al-Iman" and identified as a "new guest", posted a statement on the Al-Qal3ah website which claimed responsibility on behalf of "The Secret Organisation Group of Al-Qaeda of Jihad Organisation in Europe". The following is a translation of the statement: Image File history File links Screenshot from Qal3ah [1] in which a contributor claiming to speak for Al Qaeda takes responsibility for the 7 July 2005 London bombings. ... Image File history File links Screenshot from Qal3ah [1] in which a contributor claiming to speak for Al Qaeda takes responsibility for the 7 July 2005 London bombings. ... Ayman Muhammad Rabaie al-Zawahiri (Arabic: ) or closer to the original Arabic pronunciation al-Zawahri (born June 19, 1951) is an extremist Muslim leader and prominent member of al-Qaeda, and was the second and last emir of Egyptian Islamic Jihad, having succeeded Abbud al-Zummar in the latter role... The announcement on Qal3ati taking responsibility for the 7 July 2005 London bombings. ... Al-Qaeda (Arabic: القاعدة, the foundation or the base) is the name given to a worldwide network of militant Islamist organizations under the leadership of Osama bin Laden. ... For other uses, see Jihad (disambiguation). ...

In the name of God, the merciful, the compassionate, may peace be upon the cheerful one and undaunted fighter, Prophet Muhammad, Allah's peace be upon him.

Nations of Islam and Arab nations: Rejoice, for it is time to take revenge against the British Zionist crusader government in retaliation for the massacres Britain is committing in Iraq and Afghanistan. The heroic Mujahideen [holy warriors] have carried out a blessed raid [ghazw] in London. Britain is now burning with fear, terror and panic in its northern, southern, eastern, and western quarters.

We have repeatedly warned the British government and people. We have fulfilled our promise and carried out our blessed military raid in Britain after our Mujahideen exerted strenuous efforts over a long period of time to ensure the success of the raid.

We continue to warn the governments of Denmark and Italy and all the crusader governments that they will be punished in the same way if they do not withdraw their troops from Iraq and Afghanistan. He who warns is excused.

Allah says: "If ye will aid (the cause of) Allah, He will aid you, an