Police: London Bombing Might've Been Suicide Attack
One Arrest Confirmed
POSTED: 8:48 am EDT July 12, 2005
UPDATED: 9:19 pm EDT July 12, 2005
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LONDON -- Police in London are focusing on four men who they say traveled to London on the morning of last week's bombing attacks, and trying to confirm whether all four died in the bombings.Officials say new evidence suggests suicide bombers -- including at least three Britons of Pakistani descent -- carried out the attacks.Police have also arrested a man, identified by a British news agency as a relative of one of the suspects.In a related development, the BBC reported late Tuesday that police found explosives in a car they searched north of London in connection with last week's bombing attacks. Police have not confirmed the BBC report.
Peter Clark, head of the Metropolitan Police antiterrorist branch, said Tuesday that surveillance tapes show four men arrived at London's King's Cross station about 20 minutes before the blasts on three subway trains.Investigators found personal documents or property of all four men at blast sites, Clark said. The investigators are trying to determine if all the bombers died in the four blasts. One of the bombers "very likely" died, he said. Police are still awaiting confirmation from a coroner.The investigation is moving with "great speed," Clark said, adding that authorities executed six search warrants Tuesday at locations that included homes of three of the four men in West Yorkshire.News reports said the searches are concentrated on one street in Leeds, 185 miles north of London. The Press Association reported a red Volkswagen, marked off with police tape, apparently attracted special attention.Investigators also blew open a house in Leeds in a search for explosives linked to the bombings. Police said 500 people were evacuated from the area around the controlled explosion.
A police inspector said no one was in the house at the time of the raid. He says detectives haven't yet recovered anything from the house, but are looking for explosives and other items, which might include computers.Police arrested one man and are taking him to London for questioning.Some survivors from the bus blast reported seeing an "agitated" man rummaging through his bag before the blast went off.Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Ian Blair said Tuesday morning's raids were "directly connected" to the massive investigation of Thursday's attacks on three subway trains and a bus. Metropolitan police described the raids as part of an "intelligence-led operation.""We have worked painstakingly to put together every shred of evidence we could to mount what we want to be successful investigation," said Andy Hayman, with specialist operations at Scotland Yard.Sky News reported that all four bombers are dead. The network said investigators believe the attackers carried bombs onto the three subway trains hit on Thursday.A report by The Times said forensic pathologists are concentrating on the remains of two bodies found in the mangled wreckage of the bus that "appear to have been holding the bomb or sitting on top of it."Also Tuesday, British authorities closed a rail station and a nearby parking lot about 30 miles north of London, in Luton.Officials said they were examining a car found in the parking lot at the train station that they think is linked to the bombings.The BBC reported late Tuesday that police found explosives in the car, but police have not confirmed the BBC report.Muslims make up about 15 percent of the population in the community where the car was found. Clerics there have expressed concern about the activities of what they say are a small number of extremists.U.S. Air Force Personnel Allowed Back Into LondonThe U.S. Embassy in London said the Air Force has lifted an order that barred its personnel from visiting London.The U.S. military said it was concerned about the safety of Air Force personnel after Thursday's bombings on three trains and a bus.The order caused some indignation in London after it was reported by a newspaper.The Daily Mail newspaper said in an editorial, "We trust the 4 million Americans who come to London each year are made of sterner stuff than the U.S. Air Force."The order also contrasted with the advice British officials gave to Londoners. The government urged Londoners to get on with their lives and not let themselves be overcome by fear.American Sisters Injured Were Feet From Bomb Two sisters from Knoxville, Tenn., are expected to recover from injuries suffered last week in the London terrorist attacks.Emily Benton, 20, and 21-year-old Kathleen Benton believe they were only 10 feet from a bomb when it exploded at floor level in the subway.Both women are at Duke University Medical Center for reconstructive surgery. Their doctor said they're doing well. They're expected to remain hospitalized for two weeks.The Bentons were among four Americans injured in the attacks. The other two were treated at a London hospital and released.The attending physician for the two injured sisters said the young women are "making slow, steady recovery." Dr. Greg Georgiade said Emily and Katie Benton are in good spirits. The two are expected to remain hospitalized for two weeks.American Confirmed DeadThe U.S. State Department said one American is presumed dead in the bombings. A friend said the victim almost certainly was Michael Matsushita, of New York City. He has not been seen since leaving his London flat to go to work.Two more of the 52 victims of the bombings have been publicly identified. Jamie Gordon and Philip Russell were identified by their families.Officials have also identified two other bodies, but said the family members didn't give permission to name them.Forensic experts have said it could take weeks to put a name to each of the sets of remains collected after the powerful blasts.Curtailed NYC Tunnel Wireless Service CriticizedNew York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is questioning whether disabling cell phone service inside the four tunnels leading into Manhattan "makes the most sense."The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey decided to indefinitely sever power to transmitters providing wireless service in the Holland and Lincoln tunnels after the Thursday's attacks in London's ubway system.The Metropolitan Transportation Authority suspended mobile phone service in the Brooklyn-Battery and Queens Midtown tunnels after the London attack, but reinstated the service Tuesday.Cutting off service means drivers in the tunnels can't dial emergency 911 service, part of a "measure of comfort" cell phones provide, Bloomberg said.
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A police inspector said no one was in the house at the time of the raid. He says detectives haven't yet recovered anything from the house, but are looking for explosives and other items, which might include computers.Police arrested one man and are taking him to London for questioning.Some survivors from the bus blast reported seeing an "agitated" man rummaging through his bag before the blast went off.Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Ian Blair said Tuesday morning's raids were "directly connected" to the massive investigation of Thursday's attacks on three subway trains and a bus. Metropolitan police described the raids as part of an "intelligence-led operation.""We have worked painstakingly to put together every shred of evidence we could to mount what we want to be successful investigation," said Andy Hayman, with specialist operations at Scotland Yard.Sky News reported that all four bombers are dead. The network said investigators believe the attackers carried bombs onto the three subway trains hit on Thursday.A report by The Times said forensic pathologists are concentrating on the remains of two bodies found in the mangled wreckage of the bus that "appear to have been holding the bomb or sitting on top of it."Also Tuesday, British authorities closed a rail station and a nearby parking lot about 30 miles north of London, in Luton.Officials said they were examining a car found in the parking lot at the train station that they think is linked to the bombings.The BBC reported late Tuesday that police found explosives in the car, but police have not confirmed the BBC report.Muslims make up about 15 percent of the population in the community where the car was found. Clerics there have expressed concern about the activities of what they say are a small number of extremists.U.S. Air Force Personnel Allowed Back Into LondonThe U.S. Embassy in London said the Air Force has lifted an order that barred its personnel from visiting London.The U.S. military said it was concerned about the safety of Air Force personnel after Thursday's bombings on three trains and a bus.The order caused some indignation in London after it was reported by a newspaper.The Daily Mail newspaper said in an editorial, "We trust the 4 million Americans who come to London each year are made of sterner stuff than the U.S. Air Force."The order also contrasted with the advice British officials gave to Londoners. The government urged Londoners to get on with their lives and not let themselves be overcome by fear.American Sisters Injured Were Feet From Bomb Two sisters from Knoxville, Tenn., are expected to recover from injuries suffered last week in the London terrorist attacks.Emily Benton, 20, and 21-year-old Kathleen Benton believe they were only 10 feet from a bomb when it exploded at floor level in the subway.Both women are at Duke University Medical Center for reconstructive surgery. Their doctor said they're doing well. They're expected to remain hospitalized for two weeks.The Bentons were among four Americans injured in the attacks. The other two were treated at a London hospital and released.The attending physician for the two injured sisters said the young women are "making slow, steady recovery." Dr. Greg Georgiade said Emily and Katie Benton are in good spirits. The two are expected to remain hospitalized for two weeks.American Confirmed DeadThe U.S. State Department said one American is presumed dead in the bombings. A friend said the victim almost certainly was Michael Matsushita, of New York City. He has not been seen since leaving his London flat to go to work.Two more of the 52 victims of the bombings have been publicly identified. Jamie Gordon and Philip Russell were identified by their families.Officials have also identified two other bodies, but said the family members didn't give permission to name them.Forensic experts have said it could take weeks to put a name to each of the sets of remains collected after the powerful blasts.Curtailed NYC Tunnel Wireless Service CriticizedNew York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is questioning whether disabling cell phone service inside the four tunnels leading into Manhattan "makes the most sense."The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey decided to indefinitely sever power to transmitters providing wireless service in the Holland and Lincoln tunnels after the Thursday's attacks in London's ubway system.The Metropolitan Transportation Authority suspended mobile phone service in the Brooklyn-Battery and Queens Midtown tunnels after the London attack, but reinstated the service Tuesday.Cutting off service means drivers in the tunnels can't dial emergency 911 service, part of a "measure of comfort" cell phones provide, Bloomberg said.
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