BBC: Nation commemorates 7/7 bombings

Nation commemorates 7/7 bombings
The UK will come to a standstill at midday for a two-minute silence to mark the first anniversary of the London bombings that claimed 52 lives.
The silence is one of a number of events to mark the anniversary of the 7 July attacks, which injured hundreds.

Flowers were laid at the sites where bombs went off on three Tube trains and a bus at the times of the blasts.

Tube worker John Hooke who was at the scene of the bus bomb said: "If life doesn't go on, you let them win."

A public ceremony with readings will be held later in Regent's Park.


PUBLIC EVENTS
0800-1600 : Public invited to add flowers to mosaic in Queen Mary's Gardens, Regent's Park.
1200 : National two-minute silence
1230 : Multi-faith service of remembrance, St Pancras Church, Euston Road
1800-1830 : Commemorative event, Queen Mary's Gardens, Regent's Park


The two-minute silence will be observed across the country, including at the Wimbledon tennis championships and other events.

The commemoration comes as Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Ian Blair gave a firm warning London must expect another attack.

"I know there will be further attacks, but as to whether we will stop those, well we've stopped three already," Sir Ian told BBC News.

And Colin Cramphorn, chief constable of the West Yorkshire force - one of the forces investigating the bombings - said he believed other 7 July-style attacks in the UK were "not just fanciful" but "very possible".

On Thursday, a video of one of the bombers, Shehzad Tanweer, was aired on al-Jazeera television. It showed the 22-year-old, from Leeds, warning of further attacks.

Police said the timing had been designed to cause "maximum hurt" and Downing Street said the attention should "focus on the quiet reflection of the nation".

Private events

Friday's remembrance events have been organised by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and are intended to unite families, survivors and Londoners in remembrance.





Members of the public are invited to lay a purple carnation within a giant floral mosaic in Queen Mary's Gardens, Regent's Park. The flowers are being provided.

Later, survivors and the bereaved will complete the centre of the mosaic with yellow gerberas, and the public can pay their respects over the weekend.

Mr Livingstone was joined by Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell in laying flowers at King's Cross station - which became a main focus for tributes in the aftermath of the attacks - at the exact time of the Underground attacks.

Mr Livingstone told the BBC News website that Friday was a time to remember those individuals whose lives had been ruined by the attack.

It was also and a time to be proud of London's unique character, which had been a source of envy to the bombers, he said.


7 JULY ASSISTANCE CENTRE
Confidential helpline to provide advice and support to anyone affected by events of 7 July or the anniversary
Phones manned 24 hours from 5-10 July
Centre and helpline open seven days a week at all other times - answerphone service at night
Also supports those affected by recent bombings in Doha, Sharm El Sheikh, Turkey, Bali and Dahab, and Bahrain boat disaster
Helpline - 0845 054 7444

Meanwhile, Miss Jowell said the government would not be granting the wishes of many relatives to hold a public inquiry into the events because that would mean an "enormous diversion of security resources which need to be directed to preventing this happening again".

Richard Innishannon - one of the first on the scene at the Tavistock Square bus bombing - was among those gathered at King's Cross.

He said he has been so traumatised by what he saw a year ago that he has only been on a train once since.

"My stomach is in knots but I don't live that far from here and I just felt that I had to be here today."

Memorial plaques

The bells of London's St Paul's Cathedral have been tolling for those who died at the times of the bombings and will also do so after the two-minute silence at midday.

They tolled at 0850 BST to mark a year since the bombs went off on underground trains near Aldgate and Edgware Road stations, and on another travelling between King's Cross and Russell Square.

They also tolled at 0947 BST to mark the fourth blast on the number 30 double-decker bus at the junction of Tavistock Square and Upper Woburn place.

Other events on Friday will be held in private for victims' families and survivors, including the unveiling, at 1130 BST, of memorial plaques at King's Cross, Russell Square, Edgware Road, Aldgate and Tavistock Square.

A Book of Tributes, with a foreword from the Prince of Wales and tributes from the bereaved, will also be unveiled in a private event.

Commuters across the capital have seen a high-visibility police presence on the transport network.

The 7 July Assistance Centre can be contacted on 0845 054 7444.












Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/uk_news/5153678.stm

Published: 2006/07/07 09:48:03 GMT

© BBC MMVI