LONDON, 5 August 2005 — On a day when police in London were on high alert exactly two weeks after the failed 7/21 attacks and four weeks after the 7/7 suicide bombings which claimed 57 lives, Osama Bin Laden’s deputy, Ayman Al-Zawahiri, threatened London with more attacks.
Some 6,000 police patrolled London’s transport system. It was a symbolic day for London Transport because once again a full service was maintained for the first time since the 7/7 bombings. London commuters were determined to show “that life goes on”, but London Underground officials admitted that passenger numbers are down.
Some three million people use the transport system daily. While weekday journeys are only slightly down, there has been a 30 percent drop in weekend journeys especially on the underground, with both Londoners and tourists coy about going to the West End as readily as before.
The timing of a message by Zawahiri, read out on tape yesterday sent to Al-Jazeera television, was not missed by British authorities and the media.
In the message, Zawahiri warned that “Tony Blair has brought destruction on the people of London” and warned that there will be more attacks in London. He renewed his calls on the US to remove its troops from Iraq and other Muslim lands.
“Blair’s policies brought you destruction in central London and will bring you more destruction,” said Zawahiri.
“What you have seen in New York, Washington and Afghanistan, are only the initial losses,” Zawahiri said, referring to the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States for which Al-Qaeda claimed responsibility.
“Our message to you is clear, strong and final: There will be no salvation until you withdraw from our land and stop stealing our oil and resources,” he added.
“If you continue the same hostile policies you will see something that will make you forget the horrors you have seen in Vietnam,” he added.
Zawahiri said the United States was lying about its losses in Iraq as it had in Vietnam and called on Washington to immediately withdraw its troops.
“There is no way out for Washington except by immediate withdrawal. Any delay in this decision means more killing and losses. If you don’t withdraw today you will inevitably withdraw tomorrow, but only after tens of thousands are killed and injured.”
The tape has refocused attention on whether Al-Qaeda indeed had any hand in the London bombings. Thus far, police have not come up with any concrete and direct links between the bombers and Al-Qaeda operatives. But British officials are concerned of the impact of such messages on the extremists, and have warned the public to remain vigilant and not to be complacent.
London commuters yesterday braved subway trains and buses to travel home. Police, some with guns, many in bright, fluorescent jackets and others in plain clothes, however, remained on high alert in a bid to reassure Londoners after the July attacks.
“I try not to think about it and just get on with things,” said Susan Wallace, 45, a businesswoman who was about to board one of the capital’s trademark red, double-decker buses after a day in the office.
Not everyone was so calm, however. “It is the first thing I thought of this morning — it is Thursday, something is bound to happen because it is Thursday,” said Rosemary Gajlmal, 20, a waitress at a bagel restaurant in central London.
“But I have to catch the bus as there is no other way to work. What can I do?” said Gajlmal, who originally comes from Romania.
Despite such fears, plenty of people packed London’s buses and sprawling Underground network.
“I feel a bit scared, but the presence of police does reassure me,” said a young Japanese tourist, who gave her name as Tagaku, as she emerged from the newly opened Russell Square station. The deadliest of the July 7 blasts tore through a tunnel between Russell Square and King’s Cross stations, leaving 27 people dead.
The first train to run along the track yesterday morning stopped at the platform at King’s Cross and Russell Square for one minute, as staff and the few early morning commuters held a silent tribute.
“It’s a very significant day for London Underground this morning,” said London Underground spokesman Stuart Ross. “Our thoughts are with the families of those still recovering from the incident, but it’s a very important day, London Underground returns to normal.”
— Additional input from agencies
