London 'car bomb'?

[reachesme]

Why on earth would you get a curtain sided vehicle to pick up the car and then open the side up and invite the press to have a good gander? Why didn't the clear the street properly? How did they get away in London, come on it's like the Trueman show up there? What i think happened. It sounds like four people were on their way to plant a bomb and no one had told the driver it was going to be a suicide bomb, so he panicked,crashed the car and did a runner. There was a gas canister at the back of the car, so someone had got out the back, they would have put the can on the seat next to them but the other person in the back had already dumped his on the back seat. Also the bomb squad didn't even clear the street of sleeping people before defusing the 'bomb', there was nothing to defuse it was going to be set off at it's destination by the bombers. Anyone want a �1 on it?

[NJOK]

If we're agreed that they should have to wear some kind of sign, can we just go the whole hog and make them wear Star of David arm bands?

[Gromit]

As usual when these stories break there seems to be some conflicting reports.

The BBC says report says bPolice avert car bomb 'carnage' and then a couple of paragraphs later says "An ambulance crew saw smoke coming from the green metallic Mercedes". The implication being that their was an attempt to detonate and the 'bomb' didn't blow, so I fail to see how the police averted anything.

The Telegraph reports "car was being driven "erratically" before the minor crash and that the driver then ran off." Yet Deputy Assistant Commissioner Peter Clarke appealed for information about the bomb threat car and it's occupants.

[China Doll]

In old cowboy films the bad guys used to wear black and the good guys used to wear white. And they believed in trigger happy, eye for an eye type stuff too so that could work.

Alternatively bolts in the bad guys neck or possibly fangs and a cloak could help identify them too.

But they might get around all of that with a cunning disguise....

[Supernick]

Why no description of the man seen running away? They appear to have bouncers who witnessed it...

[anotheoldgit]

I cannot understand why some goverment Official has not been wheeled out as always, to make the following announcement.

To date we are not placing blame on any one group of people, but what we do ask is for total calm in these difficult and dangerous times. But what we must once again reiterate, if this is the work of a minority group from the Muslim community, it in no way identifies with the majority of our Muslims, who are honest, loyal and hardworking British citizens. I ask everyone to go about their business as normal, but please be vigilant, thank you.

How many times have we heard similar?

[whiffey]

Why 2am ? Surely so much more damaging during the day.

Still, we shall see.

[IggyB]

there is a big difference between the muslim faith and islamic politics - i am suprised that some see the religion as wicked and evil and i know we don't have time for a two hour presentation joe but could you give me a few bullet points to explain why without reference to politics the religion itself is so bad. Plus i am intrigued why it could be considered more "evil" than say Christianity (which from what little i know seems very blood thirsty indeed - but then again both religions come from the same root i believe so i would expect similar statements in each re killings and infidels etc)

[jno]

to get the clubbers, whiffey (compare the Bali bombs). Reducing the number of godless disco-going youth seems an admirable target. A second car was found nearby, towed to Park Lane, then found to have another device in it.

[maxximus]

new prime minister, two days in. add a little fear mongering and it's business as usual. tighten the screws a little more on citizen's rights and by all means we must send more troops, must stop those terrorist's. it always amazes me how on the one hand they are the height of sophistication, and on the other hand they just can't get it right.