The confirmed number of deaths at this moment is 33, with about 350 wounded. This excludes the number of those killed on the double-decker bus. While rescue operations are the highest priority, it is vital for the government to react immediately to prevent the escape of terrorist who conducted today’s attacks.
Wretchard at Belmont Club speculates on the size and experience of the al Qaeda strike team.
By implication the personnel involved received some degree of training and planned the operation in sufficient secrecy to prevent British security services from getting wind of it. The six attacks probably mean that a minimum of forty persons were involved, if those in support roles are included. The attackers must have an egress plan or access to safe houses where they can weather the inevitable crackdown.
As Britain is an island nation, it is a bit easier to secure the points of exit compared to most nations with land routes to their neighbors. The main points of exit are the airports, the Chunnel and various maritime options including ferries and private boating. If the points of egress are effectively closed down or tightly monitored, the culprits will be forced to go to ground in country (assuming they haven’t already escaped). European countries have raised their level of security, which will include keeping a closer watch on transportation systems. The murderers can hunker down in safe houses, but only for so long.
It has been reported (but not confirmed) that an unexploded bomb was discovered at Baker Street, and a suspicious package was recovered at Stockwell Station. Several backpack bombs were discovered after the 3-11 Madrid bombings, and yielded critical clues (design, components, finger prints) about the origins of the bombs and their creators and wielders. It will be interesting to see if al Qaeda learned from these mistakes and covered their tracks. Video recordings from the train stations may also provide a clue as to the identity of the operatives.
Britain is about to conduct one of the most comprehensive manhunts in its history. Known Islamist usual suspects will be shaken down hard for information leading to the culprits (Human Rights Watch and others permitting, that is). The Home Office is immediately redeploying officers assigned to provide security for the G-8 summit. According to the BBC; “many of the 1,500 Metropolitan Police officers in Scotland would be urgently redeployed to London.” This will reduce the size of the security detail at the summit, which has encountered its own problems with violent protests.
It is difficult to look for silver linings at a time of such grief and loss. Britain can avenge these brutal attacks by ruthlessly pursuing and dismantling the Islamist networks in country. Hopefully the information gained can assist in exposing other dangerous support and execution cells in Europe and beyond. It is small solace for those who have experienced the tragedy of senseless terrorism, but the hard work needs to be done to bring these murderers to justice.
We are at war.
Problem is the American people don't know and are confused because of the LL and MSM are spewing disinformation.
We in the Blogos have the power to bring the objective news/info/analysis directly to the American people without the filtering of the LL and the MSM.
It's time we unite and win this war.
Read further in my comment at Roger L. Simon's:
RLS Link
The rule of thumb for suicide bombings in Isreal is that it takes 10 supporters for every suicide bomber.
The bus and at least one of the tube bombings look to have been suicide bombings, from the images and fragmentary reports I have seen so far.
There is also an internet report of 50 people the British security services were monitoring had "dropped out of sight" immediately prior to this bombing.
My impression is that the British security services are going to roll the domestic end of this bombing up very quickly with the help of the British public.
"Never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never - in nothing, great or small, large or petty - never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense." - Churchill
Just a reminder that the support base usually egresses the area a day or so prior to the action. i mean leaves the country all together.
Remember Kenya and Nairobi, Khobar, etc.
Recall that the explosive, financial and planning experts in these cases departed quite early on prior to the incidents. The only ones left are the actual operatives and immediate cell commanders.
By reports it would seem that the immediate operatives may have exploded themselves so we will need to identify them quickly by their remains and identify their known associates quickly. Cell commanders may still be able to egress from the country in the next few days unless we have already got them on radar and all exit areas are alerted with police on site to review and detain.
PS...disagree with Wretchard on the number of supporters. The problem with 40 is that it's way to many to swim around, even in an open society, without being noted. Odds are that it's 10 or so support, not 40.
Bin Laden can't arrange these attacks not to mention flight school training. He's nothing more than a zombie. That is not the case however with Ali Younesi, Iran's Minister of Intelligence. The reason Iran has not been blamed or attacked is in Hyde Park, London, the site of the London branch office of Bechtel Group. CNN showed the office in 1991 the day after the Gulf War ended and said it was invited to Iran. Bechtel constructs military bases, like the ones that were shown off in Saudi Arabia during the Gulf War. When the bases for Iran are completed Saddam Hussein is then removed. The only way the US/UK can attack Iran is to receive Teheran's permission. The EU is also in a position of weakness since they are Iran's leading trading partner. Russia is preparing to attack terrorists bases in Afghanistan. In the meantime Iran has the initiative completely. Read more on www.crossfirewar.com