"Man was born free, and he is everywhere in chains." - Rousseau

sometimes we idolize the people that make this world a good place, and
sometimes we get warped along the way and our since of loyalty gets
misguided and divided.

When I woke uptoday, this was the first thing I read about:




Over 35 Dead, more then 700 injured, many in critical and serious condition. This on the day that begins the talks for the G8 summit which was supposed to deal with the Foregin aid talks with a strong focus on Africa. Climate change was also supposed to be a key issue. Now with British PM Tony Blair being called back to Britian to recieve reports on the terrorist activities the summit although still going ahead has lost the prespective it had prior to rush hour this morning.

This "terrorist" attack wasn't aimed at any political enitity, it was aimed as cilivian people. Innocent people. Although the timing conincides with that of the G8 summit, they didnt attack embassy's, the didnt attack government offices, they attacked bus's with children, men and women. Thats something thats hard for me to grasp. Terrorism if it ever had an agenda or a goal surly cannot believe that public attacks will win them any sympathy? It's in that stance similar to The Munich Olympics of 1972, and the terrorist organization Black September, who many terrorist organizations felt jepordized the goals and agenda that many of those linked to groups such as Hamas, Fatah and Al-queda. These other organizations became avid against the organization Black september because they took public opinion and altered it for the duration.

Statements from Eyewitnesses:


G8: PROGRESS SO FAR
G8 nations agreed to full debt cancellation for 18 countries, while African countries call for debt relief for all Africa
EU members have pledged to reach a collective aid target of 0.56% of GDP by 2010, and 0.7% by 2015
President Bush proposed doubling US aid to Africa over the next five years to $8.6bn (£4.8bn)
No deal yet made on lifting trade barriers
No progress made on climate change yet - the US has said it won't cut emissions but will look at clean technologies

"There were flashes of light, people were screaming and smoke began to billow into the carriage. People prayed to God … We were trapped like sardines waiting to die. I honestly thought I was going to die."


"I turned round and half the double-decker bus was in the air. It was a massive explosion and there were papers and half a bus flying through the air. I think it was the number 205. There must be a lot of people dead as all the buses were packed; they had been turning people away from the tube stops. We were about 20 metres away, that was all."



"The scene afterwards was horrible: pieces of body on the ground. I saw three bodies on the ground and three just hanging out of the bus. I just mithe only thing that changed on 2001, was that the americans found out, that they are a part of the worldssed it myself. If there are any survivors they will have very serious injuries."



"There was smoke everywhere. There was no fire but the smoke was quite oppressive. Thehttp://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/4659243.stmre were a lot of serious injuries down there as well – a lot of serious head injuries. A guy by me thought he was going to die, I'm hoping he got out OK."



"A big blast, a big bomb," he said. "People were running this way, panicked. They knew it was a bomb. Debris flying all over, mostly glass." He said the top deck of the bus had collapsed, sending people tumbling to the floor.




"Loads of glass showered down over everyone, the glass in the doors in between all the carriages shattered. There was a lot of smoke and a lot of dust, there were some areas of panic, I could hear screams. People were trying to work out what happened.



"A lot of people were covered in blood. I started walking towards Russell Square then I saw the bus. Police were running from the scene and waving people away.



I had to walk to work because I had to try and do something normal. It was all so chaotic. It wasn't till I got to work that I realized I had a cut on my head and my clothes were covered in dust."



Mr Clarke said: "The aim of the terrorists to try and stop us leading our lives as we best can and I think our responsibility is to try and get on and live our lives as we can."
I for one agree with him. Living in fear will not make anything easier, but much worse. And is exactly what terrorists want.


Terrorism afterall is : The unlawful use or threatened use of force or violence by a person or an organized group against people or property with the intention of intimidating or coercing societies or governments, often for ideological or political reasons.

Eyewitness Accounts.
Somedays I wish I were still a kid, where most of this didn't register, at least not at full impact. The G8 summit was supposed to be a good thing, a marker of the push for change in many countries. Now however, it will be associated with the london bombings. A terrorist act. Instead of a group of nations hashing out details and discussing global issues. Although I realize terrorism is a global issue so is proverty, climate change, generic aid drugs. The Doha however is said to not be postponed and is believe that it will be finished by the end of trade talks in 2006.



Olympic celebrations to mark the homecoming from Singapore of the successful London bid team have been cancelled.
Despite the American/British "war on terror" Al-queda if proved to be in connection with the bombings in London has proved that they are alive, well and thriving on the fear that they can instill and the chaos that they can create in simplistic nature. How would one government, a security task force, prepare for attacks that take such little preperation and skill to achieve? That is the question many security councils/the un and country leaders are asking themselves, and the constiunents today. And in the after math of september 11. But still no one has come up with a soild way to fight terrorism, and todays attacks were proof that the "war on terroism" has not done much good in diluting that infaltraion of terrorism in the global community. After the Munich Olympics of 72 security measures changed around the Olympic events, and all other large public events, however it has not been enough to side step, or even stay ahead of those who plan such evil means of recognized and destruction.

I apologize to many american's for what I am about to say, I know many of you do not agree with the "war on terrorism" as it currently stands, and some do not believe at all, and others think its the best thing we could be doing to counteract terrorism, however a friend of mine said something today that truly rings home for me. He said that Britian has been the only other open target for terrorism other then the US post and prior to 9/11. I would like to ask him where he has been. What about Madrid? Bali? Lebanon? Syria? Egypt? They all have suffered from the acts of terrorism in the past 5 years. Hell in the past 2 years.
Another friend said something that rang home and honest and true about many americans -"the only thing that changed on 2001, was that the americans found out, that they are a part of the world." I apologize if this offends some viewers but to me its proven its point in the fact that I have american friends who have said terrorism only affects or surrounds the US. Which of course is untrue. However misguided your political avenues are, you have to realize that it is not isolated to September 11th. It is a global problem with global ramifications.


Other Terrorism attacks.


BBC

The 2002 attack on night clubs in Bali, claiming 202 lives, was blamed on a Indonesian extremist group Jemaah Islamiah, which is allegedly linked to al-Qaeda.


In November 2003, Istanbul was hit by two co-ordinated attacks in 10 days, the first against synagogues and the second targeting UK interests.


Western Europe was struck in March 2004 with the train bombings in Madrid that left 191 dead.


There have also been multiple attacks in Saudi Arabia, Kenya, and Morocco causing extensive casualties and disruption. Pakistan, Yemen and other Indonesian targets have also been hit.
_____________________________

Madrid was the first
big al-Qaeda attack on
mainland Europe-
Terrorism



Attack

in Bali -2003 -Terrorism
Both photos are taken from BBC/American Press