S
sheik-yerbouti
Guest
This was a while ago now, but it is so chilling. They filled a car with explosives and propane cylinders and parked it up as close as possible to a crowded night club where hundreds of youngsters were enjoying themselves
Car bomb defused outside London nightclub - Crime, UK - The Independent
Car bomb defused outside London nightclub
The threat of terror returned to London after a huge bomb was found in a car outside a nightclub today. Bomb squad officers defused the "potentially viable" device in the heart of the capital in the early hours.
Officers who had been called to another incident at the Tiger Tiger nightclub in The Haymarket found the car outside, said Deputy Assistant Commissioner Peter Clarke, head of Scotland Yard's counter-terrorism command.
An ambulance crew saw something they thought was smoke in the car, although it could have been vapour.
Several gas canisters, petrol containers and a large number of nails were inside, he said.
Mr Clarke said: "It is obvious that if the device had detonated there could have been significant injury or loss of life."
He added: "It is appropriate for me to pay tribute to the courage and skill of the explosives officers who manually disabled the device."
The Tiger Tiger club has a capacity of 1,700 with five bars over four floors. Last night was billed as "Ladies Night".
This afternoon, police sealed off Park Lane and evacuated people from Hyde Park as they examined a vehicle in the underground car park. This was believed to be related to The Haymarket investigation.
Whitehall sources said that the police and security services were looking at possible international links - including similarities to car bombs used by insurgents in Iraq.
"It is entirely possible. There are various things - it is outside a nightclub, it is a vehicle-borne device, it is close to the anniversary of the July 7 attacks. But we are keeping an open mind," one source said.
The massive terror alert came just hours after Prime Minister Gordon Brown unveiled his new Cabinet, which includes the first woman Home Secretary, Jacqui Smith.
Mrs Smith said the UK was "currently facing the most serious and sustained threat''
Defence Secretary Des Browne told the BBC: "My first reaction to this is, thank God that we have police and explosives experts who can make these devices safe, and the arrangements they appear to have done, and that nobody has been injured."
It is almost two years since four suicide bombers brought carnage to London's transport network, claiming the lives of 52 innocent people on July 7.
A witness told Sky News that the car, a silvery green Mercedes, was being driven "erratically" before it halted outside the Tiger Tiger nightclub.
Intelligence sources in London said they were keeping an open mind on who was responsible for the car bomb.
"All options, including the Irish, are open at this stage," said the source.
A massive police cordon was thrown around The Haymarket in the heart of the capital's busy West End, causing massive disruption to thousands of rush-hour commuters.
Dozens of forensic officers were today poring over the crime scene, which was covered by a blue plastic police tent.
Scotland Yard said detectives from Counter Terrorism Command were investigating the potential bomb plot.
A spokesman said: "Police were called to reports of a suspicious vehicle parked in The Haymarket, shortly before 2am this morning.
"As a precautionary measure the immediate area was cordoned off while the vehicle was examined by explosives officers.
"They discovered what appeared to be a potentially viable explosive device. This was made safe.
"The Metropolitan Police Counter Terrorism Command has launched an investigation."
Jack Straw, who was appointed Justice Secretary in Mr Brown's Cabinet reshuffle yesterday, said ministers had been informed of the incident " much earlier this morning". He told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme it was "very saddening" but "these things happen".
Mr Straw insisted it was essential that announcements were made by the police rather than ministers. He added: "Of course the police will try to ensure there is as little disruption as possible. But everyone understands the key priority is safety."
The current threat level for terrorism in the UK, set by MI5, is classed as "severe". It is not yet known if that will change in light of today's events.
Speaking in her first full day in the job, Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said: "What I think is very important is that the public remain vigilant at all times.
"Obviously the police are investigating and I think we should allow them to get on with that without undue speculation."
Piccadilly Tube station remained closed, while 16 bus routes which normally pass through the area were being diverted, said a spokeswoman for Transport for London.
Police said they were alerted shortly before 2am today to reports of a suspicious vehicle.
One witness told Sky News that the car was seen being driven " erratically" before it collided with some bins or bin bags on the pavement. The driver ran off, apparently uninjured. The lights of the car were left on.
Police used a remote-controlled vehicle to investigate the car before bomb squad officers made the device safe.
Dozens of forensic officers then pored over the crime scene, which was covered by a blue plastic police tent. The number plates of the car were covered in cardboard.
Scotland Yard said detectives from Counter Terrorism Command were investigating the potential bomb plot.
Intelligence sources in London said they were keeping an open mind on who was responsible.
"All options, including the Irish, are open at this stage," said the source.
The Government's emergency response committee, Cobra, met this morning at official rather than ministerial level before briefing the Cabinet on the dramatic events.
The current threat level for terrorism in the UK, set by MI5, is classed as "severe", one level lower than the highest "critical".
Transport for London said Piccadilly Underground station had been closed. Police said The Haymarket might remain closed all day.
Justice Secretary Jack Straw said ministers were informed of the incident in the early hours. He told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme it was "very saddening" but "these things happen".
Defence Secretary Des Browne told BBC Radio Scotland: "It does appear to be a very serious incident.
"My first reaction to this is, thank God that we have police and explosives experts who can make these devices safe, and the arrangements they appear to have done, and that nobody has been injured."
Security experts said the bomb could have been timed to coincide with the change at the top of Government.
Michael Clarke, Professor of Defence at King's College London, said whoever was behind the intended attack would have left a lot of information at the scene which would help police track them down.
He said security services would now be concerned that the bomb may be part of a wider plot, and that there could be other devices planted around the capital.
"They will find out about this very quickly," he said.
"Any car coming into central London would be on a lot of surveillance footage. Also nobody can make a bomb without leaving behind a lot of DNA."
Prof Clarke said it was almost certain the bomb was intended to detonate today.
"It's my belief that whatever this bomb was for, it was intended to be used today.
"If it's a more sophisticated Jihadi plot then there might be other devices.
"What will be worrying the security services at the moment is whether this is just the tip of a bigger plot."
Car bomb defused outside London nightclub - Crime, UK - The Independent
Car bomb defused outside London nightclub
The threat of terror returned to London after a huge bomb was found in a car outside a nightclub today. Bomb squad officers defused the "potentially viable" device in the heart of the capital in the early hours.
Officers who had been called to another incident at the Tiger Tiger nightclub in The Haymarket found the car outside, said Deputy Assistant Commissioner Peter Clarke, head of Scotland Yard's counter-terrorism command.
An ambulance crew saw something they thought was smoke in the car, although it could have been vapour.
Several gas canisters, petrol containers and a large number of nails were inside, he said.
Mr Clarke said: "It is obvious that if the device had detonated there could have been significant injury or loss of life."
He added: "It is appropriate for me to pay tribute to the courage and skill of the explosives officers who manually disabled the device."
The Tiger Tiger club has a capacity of 1,700 with five bars over four floors. Last night was billed as "Ladies Night".
This afternoon, police sealed off Park Lane and evacuated people from Hyde Park as they examined a vehicle in the underground car park. This was believed to be related to The Haymarket investigation.
Whitehall sources said that the police and security services were looking at possible international links - including similarities to car bombs used by insurgents in Iraq.
"It is entirely possible. There are various things - it is outside a nightclub, it is a vehicle-borne device, it is close to the anniversary of the July 7 attacks. But we are keeping an open mind," one source said.
The massive terror alert came just hours after Prime Minister Gordon Brown unveiled his new Cabinet, which includes the first woman Home Secretary, Jacqui Smith.
Mrs Smith said the UK was "currently facing the most serious and sustained threat''
Defence Secretary Des Browne told the BBC: "My first reaction to this is, thank God that we have police and explosives experts who can make these devices safe, and the arrangements they appear to have done, and that nobody has been injured."
It is almost two years since four suicide bombers brought carnage to London's transport network, claiming the lives of 52 innocent people on July 7.
A witness told Sky News that the car, a silvery green Mercedes, was being driven "erratically" before it halted outside the Tiger Tiger nightclub.
Intelligence sources in London said they were keeping an open mind on who was responsible for the car bomb.
"All options, including the Irish, are open at this stage," said the source.
A massive police cordon was thrown around The Haymarket in the heart of the capital's busy West End, causing massive disruption to thousands of rush-hour commuters.
Dozens of forensic officers were today poring over the crime scene, which was covered by a blue plastic police tent.
Scotland Yard said detectives from Counter Terrorism Command were investigating the potential bomb plot.
A spokesman said: "Police were called to reports of a suspicious vehicle parked in The Haymarket, shortly before 2am this morning.
"As a precautionary measure the immediate area was cordoned off while the vehicle was examined by explosives officers.
"They discovered what appeared to be a potentially viable explosive device. This was made safe.
"The Metropolitan Police Counter Terrorism Command has launched an investigation."
Jack Straw, who was appointed Justice Secretary in Mr Brown's Cabinet reshuffle yesterday, said ministers had been informed of the incident " much earlier this morning". He told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme it was "very saddening" but "these things happen".
Mr Straw insisted it was essential that announcements were made by the police rather than ministers. He added: "Of course the police will try to ensure there is as little disruption as possible. But everyone understands the key priority is safety."
The current threat level for terrorism in the UK, set by MI5, is classed as "severe". It is not yet known if that will change in light of today's events.
Speaking in her first full day in the job, Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said: "What I think is very important is that the public remain vigilant at all times.
"Obviously the police are investigating and I think we should allow them to get on with that without undue speculation."
Piccadilly Tube station remained closed, while 16 bus routes which normally pass through the area were being diverted, said a spokeswoman for Transport for London.
Police said they were alerted shortly before 2am today to reports of a suspicious vehicle.
One witness told Sky News that the car was seen being driven " erratically" before it collided with some bins or bin bags on the pavement. The driver ran off, apparently uninjured. The lights of the car were left on.
Police used a remote-controlled vehicle to investigate the car before bomb squad officers made the device safe.
Dozens of forensic officers then pored over the crime scene, which was covered by a blue plastic police tent. The number plates of the car were covered in cardboard.
Scotland Yard said detectives from Counter Terrorism Command were investigating the potential bomb plot.
Intelligence sources in London said they were keeping an open mind on who was responsible.
"All options, including the Irish, are open at this stage," said the source.
The Government's emergency response committee, Cobra, met this morning at official rather than ministerial level before briefing the Cabinet on the dramatic events.
The current threat level for terrorism in the UK, set by MI5, is classed as "severe", one level lower than the highest "critical".
Transport for London said Piccadilly Underground station had been closed. Police said The Haymarket might remain closed all day.
Justice Secretary Jack Straw said ministers were informed of the incident in the early hours. He told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme it was "very saddening" but "these things happen".
Defence Secretary Des Browne told BBC Radio Scotland: "It does appear to be a very serious incident.
"My first reaction to this is, thank God that we have police and explosives experts who can make these devices safe, and the arrangements they appear to have done, and that nobody has been injured."
Security experts said the bomb could have been timed to coincide with the change at the top of Government.
Michael Clarke, Professor of Defence at King's College London, said whoever was behind the intended attack would have left a lot of information at the scene which would help police track them down.
He said security services would now be concerned that the bomb may be part of a wider plot, and that there could be other devices planted around the capital.
"They will find out about this very quickly," he said.
"Any car coming into central London would be on a lot of surveillance footage. Also nobody can make a bomb without leaving behind a lot of DNA."
Prof Clarke said it was almost certain the bomb was intended to detonate today.
"It's my belief that whatever this bomb was for, it was intended to be used today.
"If it's a more sophisticated Jihadi plot then there might be other devices.
"What will be worrying the security services at the moment is whether this is just the tip of a bigger plot."
