What to call Bloody Thursday and why

Seven near-simultaneous bomb attacks in London is a formidable feat for Al-Qaeda and its partners-in-murder. 

Letters are now flowing to the BBC, challenging them to characterize the carnage as anything but terrorism, seeing that the news organization tends to soft-pedal terrorism that happens to others.  So far, they've avoided using the term in anything but attributed quotes, e.g., Blair's.  They also write that the victims "died."  We'll see if the British public notices.

A scan of the British press finds the following:

• The Telegraph characterizes it as terror bombs... that "killed" people.
• The Financial Times writes of a "series of terrorist attacks" that "killed"
• The Guardian headlines "terror blasts" that "killed"
• The Times (of London) noted that the "blasts" "brought" terror to London, "killing" people.
• The Scotsman is most unvarnished: "More than 33 killed in ... terror attacks"

Meanwhile, there are lots of heavily armed security troops visible at Grand Central (where I had my lunch today), and I suspect Penn Station will be fortified as well. 

Most newspapers believe that the attacks were intended to coincide with the G8 summit in Scotland, but I find it curious that nobody sees the connection with the announcement of the venue for the 2012 Olympic Games.

That would seem a plausible explanation, since it would create the impression in the public mind that Al Qaeda has the capability to launch a large-scale attack in any one of several cities on a day's notice.

Comments

[Simon Enefer]

The issue in London today is fear! It must be faced.

Each citizen of London must face their personal fear and try and carry on as normally as possible.

The Government must face its fear of unpopularity and admit its failure. It must commit itself to measures that should have been taken in the aftermath of 9/11. It must remove those preachers who have abused the hospitality of this country and so recruited the terrorists who carried out this attack. No legal barrier must prevent this. Our borders must be controlled and the right of entry treated as the privilege it is. Mosques and those who teach in them must be regulated and if necessary closed. Trained border personnel and intelligence on the ground, not ID cards, will be our best defence.

The Islamic community must acknowledge that some of its members committed these terrible acts. Its leaders must face this fear. The community must demand and support stricter security measures and controls. They must accept the burden of inconvenience and suspicion that will be the price of defending the country whose protection and hospitality they enjoy. They must bear it without compliant and accept that it is their duty as citizens to expose those who have trained in Al-Queda’s Afghan camps or hold extremist Islamic views.

The media, Judiciary and liberal elite must accept the true nature of the threat we face. Reporters, Judges and Commentators must face their fear and accept that their Politically correct attitudes have directly contributed to the circumstance that allowed yesterdays attack to take place. They should consider today those whose lives who will never be the same as a result of bereavement and mutilation and accept their portion of blame and resolve to demand resolute and immediate action from the government.

Fear is the issue today. It is our battleground and only by facing it will we gain victory.