London: Business As Usual!

Prayers and Smoke to the good people of London during their difficult time of need...

--ryan



Defiant Londoners Go Back to Work
London is getting back to business as usual after the chaos caused by Thursday's bomb blasts.

Many commuters have made their first trip to work since the attacks and London Underground said passenger numbers were at normal levels.

The first victim to be formally identified has been named as Susan Levy, 53, of Herts, who died in the Tube explosion near King's Cross.

Forty-nine people died and 700 people were injured at four blast sites.

Londoners were encouraged to return to their routines by the police and Mayor Ken Livingstone.

Andy Trotter, senior British Transport Police officer, said: "By not coming to work, by London not being open for business, they will win and they are not going to win."

Despite Tube closures around the affected lines and road closures around Tavistock Square, most buses and trains have almost resumed a normal service.

Trisha Webbe, a hospital administrator, has to pass Tavistock Square to get to work.

Returning on Monday, the 34-year-old said: "I have to go through an area where you can see the horrific aftermath.

"I feel nervous all the time. But you can't let it stop life going on. You've got to pay the bills."


Bomb footage

Police have praised the public response to their request for photos and film taken after the attacks.

Tony Blair is expected to reject demands for an inquiry into the London bombings in a statement to MPs.

He will underline his confidence in the intelligence services and reject Tory demands for a probe into the events.

Conservative leader Michael Howard has called for an inquiry into what happened, to see if any lessons could be learned.

But BBC political correspondent Carolyn Quinn said senior government sources thought an inquiry would be "seriously irresponsible" at a time when the hunt for bombers is at full stretch.

Home Secretary Charles Clarke is expected to propose further anti-terrorism measures at a meeting with his European counterparts this week.

These are set to include a proposal for telecommunication firms to make records of phone calls and e-mails available to the police.


'Not a suicide attack'

Scotland Yard has set up a special e-mail address, images@met.police.uk, to which the public can send their footage.

Police believe they could provide vital clues, as the search for bodies and forensic evidence continues.

They say 1,700 people have also contacted the anti-terrorist hotline since the bombings.







Police and security agencies say they are now almost certain that they are not dealing with a suicide bomb attack.


The BBC's David Bamford said investigators were reported to be concentrating on activities at King's Cross, a station all the three trains targeted had passed through.

"Investigators reportedly think the bombers assembled at Kings Cross before going off in separate directions with their bombs," he said.


King's Cross

Meanwhile, security officials have searched the flat of a British man living in Poland, in relation to the attacks.

The man, who lives in the eastern city of Lublin, is said to be of Pakistani origin.

Police say they acted on a tip-off from a member of the public. No arrest has been made.

The process of formally identifying victims has begun, with the first inquest to open on Monday.



Some relatives have already been informed that their loved ones were killed in the bombings.

On Sunday the family of missing Scottish woman Helen Jones, originally from Annan who had been living in Holloway, said they believed she had died in the attack.

Emergency teams have removed all the bodies from the train which was blown up between King's Cross and Russell Square, but are continuing to search the carriages to make sure there are no more.


London Mayor Ken Livingstone has arranged for a book of condolence to be opened at City Hall at 1100 BST.




EMERGENCY NUMBERS
Anti-terrorist hotline: 0800 789 321
Missing relatives: 0870 156 6344



On Sunday, three people were arrested at Heathrow Airport under anti-terror laws, but no link to the attacks was made. They were later released without charge.



Other developments:


* London hospitals are still treating 62 people who were injured in Thursday's bombings.
* A two-minute silence will be held at noon on Thursday to remember the victims
* A national memorial to the victims could be built, Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell has said
* A remembrance site, the London Memorial Garden, in Victoria Embankment Gardens, opens on Monday.
* More than 100 London schools are to reopen on Monday
* Passengers on public transport in London have been warned it is "intolerable" to leave unattended packages or parcels
* A reception centre has been opened at the Queen Mother Sports Centre in Victoria, to help the families of people not seen since the explosions












Blasts occurred:
Between Aldgate and Liverpool Street tube stations
Between King's Cross and Russell Square tube stations
At Edgware Road tube station
On bus at Tavistock Square






Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/uk/4670555.stm

Published: 2005/07/11 07:28:27 GMT

© BBC MMV