London Explosions - coverage on DenmocracyNow!
Bill Posters | 07.07.2005 15:57 | Analysis | London
Independent coverage of the attacks on London Transport on DemocracyNow!
Longest running independent news in the U.S. hosted by Amy Goodman
Live audio/video streaming here:
www.democracynow.org
Longest running independent news in the U.S. hosted by Amy Goodman
Live audio/video streaming here:
www.democracynow.org
Loyita Worly, victim of subway blast
"There was just a big bang, and all the lights went and the ash started falling in. The smell of burning and everything in the carriage. Some people panicked. Most people kept calm. We couldn't move anywhere because it was a rush hour and everybody was standing on the train. We heard people shouting for help."
Question: How did you feel?
"I'm quite a calm kind of person so i was ok. My main fear was - I didn't know what it was. I was wondering it was a fire. And I did think if it was a fire it was going to be it, really. But there was nothing we could do about it. We couldn't move we were just stuck. They called for medics. And they said some people on the other carriages were pretty badly hurt."
Q: Did you see anyone?
"Not at that point but we had to walk down the track pass the wreckage."
Q: What kind of wreckage?
"At that point I assumed it was a bomb because it looked like it was blown from the inside out."
Q: How bad was the damage?
"It was extensive. There was wreckage on the track. Whether the rescuers have pulled the side off - I don't know. The whole one side of the tube (carriage) was on the track. Large panel of the side of the carriage... And they were bringing people out, they were naked, they were black but alive. Cloths have all been blown off and they were just black."
Q: How quickly were the emergency services there?
"I think 10 minutes or so. Everyone was trying to pull the alarm cords but they have already been triggered. I assume the communication lines with the driver have gone. We just didn't know what has happened or what was happening. The people were really good actually. The people stationed themselves at the doors to stop stampedes. And one man went from the very back carriage. Well, the carriage where it happened. And he made his way to the driver to try and get help as soon possible because there were some badly injured people over there."
Q: Could you guess how many people were hurt in this?
"I Don't know. Some of them must have been taken off the train before we walked pass by the carriage. But I saw at least one body lying on the floor of the carriage."
Q: Were there injured?
"I don't know. They were not trying to shift them so I don't know whether they were injured or dead."
Q: What happened after that?
"Eventually we managed to get through to the front - the driver's carriage, and they got us down onto the track. But than we had to walk up the track past the damage up top Aldgate where they siphoned us off. They were brilliant than. They took us over to the area by the bus garage and they had some double-decker buses and they treated the seriously wounded in the buses. They took everyone's names."
Q: Where were you when it happened? "Between Liverpool street and Aldgate, in the tunnel."
Q: How far did you have to walk?
"When you got out of the train you could actually see the light of the Aldgate tube station. People were in shock. Walking along the tunnel and seeing the devastation, and knowing that by the grace of God it was not you was a trauma by itself, really. So I was just saying: keep going, keep looking, we are ok."
We go live to London to speak with:
Tony Benn, former British Labor MP, speaking from London
Omar Waraich, independent journalist and student in London
Listen/Watch
www.democracynow.org
"There was just a big bang, and all the lights went and the ash started falling in. The smell of burning and everything in the carriage. Some people panicked. Most people kept calm. We couldn't move anywhere because it was a rush hour and everybody was standing on the train. We heard people shouting for help."
Question: How did you feel?
"I'm quite a calm kind of person so i was ok. My main fear was - I didn't know what it was. I was wondering it was a fire. And I did think if it was a fire it was going to be it, really. But there was nothing we could do about it. We couldn't move we were just stuck. They called for medics. And they said some people on the other carriages were pretty badly hurt."
Q: Did you see anyone?
"Not at that point but we had to walk down the track pass the wreckage."
Q: What kind of wreckage?
"At that point I assumed it was a bomb because it looked like it was blown from the inside out."
Q: How bad was the damage?
"It was extensive. There was wreckage on the track. Whether the rescuers have pulled the side off - I don't know. The whole one side of the tube (carriage) was on the track. Large panel of the side of the carriage... And they were bringing people out, they were naked, they were black but alive. Cloths have all been blown off and they were just black."
Q: How quickly were the emergency services there?
"I think 10 minutes or so. Everyone was trying to pull the alarm cords but they have already been triggered. I assume the communication lines with the driver have gone. We just didn't know what has happened or what was happening. The people were really good actually. The people stationed themselves at the doors to stop stampedes. And one man went from the very back carriage. Well, the carriage where it happened. And he made his way to the driver to try and get help as soon possible because there were some badly injured people over there."
Q: Could you guess how many people were hurt in this?
"I Don't know. Some of them must have been taken off the train before we walked pass by the carriage. But I saw at least one body lying on the floor of the carriage."
Q: Were there injured?
"I don't know. They were not trying to shift them so I don't know whether they were injured or dead."
Q: What happened after that?
"Eventually we managed to get through to the front - the driver's carriage, and they got us down onto the track. But than we had to walk up the track past the damage up top Aldgate where they siphoned us off. They were brilliant than. They took us over to the area by the bus garage and they had some double-decker buses and they treated the seriously wounded in the buses. They took everyone's names."
Q: Where were you when it happened? "Between Liverpool street and Aldgate, in the tunnel."
Q: How far did you have to walk?
"When you got out of the train you could actually see the light of the Aldgate tube station. People were in shock. Walking along the tunnel and seeing the devastation, and knowing that by the grace of God it was not you was a trauma by itself, really. So I was just saying: keep going, keep looking, we are ok."
We go live to London to speak with:
Tony Benn, former British Labor MP, speaking from London
Omar Waraich, independent journalist and student in London
Listen/Watch
www.democracynow.org
Bill Posters
Comments
Hide the following 3 comments
Jumping to conclusions
07.07.2005 17:24
That momentary hope was dashed seconds later when he launched into rhetoric over the "reasonably clear" conclusions that he used to make an emotional appeal to support his own work and political positions at the G8 and on the Terrorist War.
Perhaps he should have listened to the opinion of one of the victims, Angelo Power, the barrister who stated that he would wait for evidence and an investigation before jumping to conclusions. Instead this was turned by Blaire and Bush into just another political tool to further their own ends.
Kelly Logan
e-mail:
kellylogan4peace@yahoo.com
if this is alternative media, what is the mainstream?
07.07.2005 18:13
Volunteer G (Indymedia Japan)
Angelo Power on DemocracyNow
08.07.2005 00:52
ANGELO POWER: Well, as a barrister, all I can say is, you know, I wait for the evidence before I can make any or jump to any conclusions as to who it may be. But all I can say is, you know, whoever’s responsible for it, I take pity on them.
REPORTER: Pity?
ANGELO POWER: Yeah, pity, because whoever has perpetrated such a wicked act, you know, needs pity, right?
comment:
I thoought it was a good point too, and was impressed that somebody who thought he was done for and others very badly injured would say that.
And I did not hear that interview on any mainstream report.
...to indyjapan
If you want to know the difference between independent journalism and mainstream media I suggest you take note of the difference. Any day of the week.
www.democracynow.org
Chris Brave
e-mail:
chrisdenbrave@unite.com.au