Homeland Security

DATE=7/7/05

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=LONDON BOMBING O'NITER (L-ONLY)

NUMBER=2-325775

BYLINE=MICHAEL DRUDGE

DATELINE=LONDON

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

///EDS: PLEASE UPDATE CASUALTY TOTALS AS NEW INFO IS AVAILABLE ///

HEADLINE: London Blasts Kill Dozens, Wounds Hundreds

INTRO: A series of bombings on London's subway and bus network has killed at least 37 people and wounded more than 700. The British government suspects Islamic terrorists are responsible. A massive investigation is under way. VOA's Michael Drudge has more from the British capital.

TEXT: The attacks during morning rush hour Thursday have left Londoners shocked and angry, but apparently determined to carry on with their lives.

As police, fire and ambulance crews grappled with the carnage, Prime Minister Tony Blair rushed backed to London from the Group of Eight summit in Scotland to assess the situation.

After his meetings, Mr. Blair confirmed that Britain suspects Islamic terrorists.

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"We know that these people act in the name of Islam. But we also know that the vast and overwhelming majority of Muslims here and abroad are decent and law-abiding people who abhor this act of terrorism every bit as much as we do."

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Foreign Secretary Jack Straw says the bombings bear, in his words, "all the hallmarks of al-Qaida", the terrorist network that attacked the United States on September 11th, 2001.

Mr. Blair is appealing to the British public to keep up the fight against terrorism with what he calls their "stoic resolve."

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"When they try to intimidate us, we will not be intimidated. When they seek to change our country or our way of life by these methods, we will not be changed. When they try to divide our people or weaken our resolve we will not be divided and our resolve will hold firm."

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Hundreds of thousands of Londoners walked home from work in the rain late Thursday. Bus and subway service was running only sporadically. An empty taxi was hard to find. Streets were gridlocked with vehicles, and police kept traffic away from some of the bombed subway stations. Authorities are hoping to resume normal public transport service on Friday. (Signed)

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