Terrorist Escaped from Waterloo Station

Some of the tabloids today are sensationally showing amazement and shock at how one of the bombers from the 21st July managed to leave the country by train at Waterloo on Tuesday.

Today's Sunday Mirror said:
"Unbelievably, it emerged that Osman had been able to slip out of London on a Eurostar train on Tuesday - five days after the abortive London suicide attacks - despite his picture being circulated at every port and airport in a massive security clampdown.........

"Meanwhile an inquiry is under way into how Osman made a mockery of Britain's security clampdown by boarding a train to Paris. He escaped under the noses of a Special Branch police squad based at Waterloo International station. From Paris, he travelled to Milan and then on to Rome. Police were able to track him by tracing calls made from a mobile phone belonging to his brother-in-law."

I use Waterloo station most days. I often walk past one of the entrances to Eurostar from the London Underground (see picture on the above) and have noticed loads of police throughout Waterloo station and I'm sure there's plenty at the Eurostar boarding section too. Like many thousands of commuters I could have easily walked past Hussain Osman, despite his (admittedly rather blurry) image being shown on posters all around the station. (I wonder if he was helpfully still wearing that vest he seems to live in?)

Anyway, while all the investigations and enquiries continue, let's not forget, that in the end the police did manage to track him down, he was caught, and that the other three suspects were arrested in the UK. I'm sure now we will be seeing even more police presence at Waterloo and hopefully even tighter security at all stations.

London Underground; Tube Posted by annie mole Sunday, July 31, 2005 Permalink COMMENT HERE
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