London Underground Security Testing - Round Two

Well, we were supposed to have had one in March at Bank station, but now, possibly in an effort to re-spin Tony Blair's statment that there will be an al Qaeda backlash in response to the UK's involvement with the war, another mock terrorist attack - biological, chemical - on the tube has been announced. It's supposed to be on Sunday 7th September and strikes me as a very good day to avoid Bank Station.

I just find it a bit suspicious that shortly after Tony Blair announces that there is a threat of terrorism from al Qaeda we get this announcement. Is it just going to make everyone think there is a very real threat of terrorism? Is it like the very public coverage of troops patrolling and protecting Heathrow airport as war was announced? (Oh yeah - where were all those weopans of mass destruction again?) As the BBC reported - exactly how real is this threat?

As a long time tube traveller, the London Underground has always been under threat of a terrorist target from a wide variety of groups. Over time there have been loads of bomb scares, evacuations, removal of suspect packages and more. Living in London you can be under threat of "terrorism" all the time. Two pubs both within 10 minutes of where I work have been bombed in the last ten years.

Most Londoners I know are extremely vigilant and the tube also do a pretty good job of responding to unattended packages. Would be interesting to know what others think?


Oh by the way - it is BLOODY HOT on the tube right now - just in case no one had realised.

London Underground; Tube Posted by annie mole Monday, August 11, 2003 Permalink COMMENT HERE
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