# BBC reporting a car bomb in London.
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bbc-reporting-a-car-bomb-in-london/409890
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
**Created:** [June 29, 2007, 8:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bbc-reporting-a-car-bomb-in-london/409890 "2007-06-29T08:16:50Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 2
### Author:  [@Revenant\_Threshold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revenant_Threshold)
#### Post date: [June 29, 2007, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bbc-reporting-a-car-bomb-in-london/409890/21 "2007-06-29T15:31:49Z")
[QUOTE=e-logic]
There’s a chance it’s a political statement by Islamists to “welcome” the new Prime Minister, but there is also a Gay Pride march tomorrow in that part of London, and the type of device is similar to [David Copeland’s](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Copeland) bombs back in 1999.
[/QUOTE]
Were I looking to blow something up, I think I would have timed it during the PM switchover for maximum confusion.
Of course, that would suggest that the device failed, rather than the police finding it stopped it going off. We may have gotten lucky.
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### Author:  [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)
#### Post date: [June 29, 2007, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bbc-reporting-a-car-bomb-in-london/409890/22 "2007-06-29T15:45:57Z")
I’m reading at least 200 liters – 50 gallons – of fuel and packed with nails.
[Link](http://edition.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/europe/06/29/london.alert/index.html)
Another story I saw earlier and BBC Television says the smoke from the detonator starting to go off is what caused it to be noticed. If the ambulance crew who had been answering a separate call across the street hadn’t noticed it, it would probably have gone off.
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### Author:  [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)
#### Post date: [June 29, 2007, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bbc-reporting-a-car-bomb-in-london/409890/23 "2007-06-29T16:14:10Z")
[QUOTE=Mangetout]
I just hope it isn’t only one of several devices.
[/QUOTE]
They found a second one. Keep going, London police! You’re getting to them before they go off!
I hope two is it.
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### Author:  [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)
#### Post date: [June 29, 2007, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bbc-reporting-a-car-bomb-in-london/409890/24 "2007-06-29T16:19:10Z")
_sigh_
My wife is visiting London right now. I know, I know, it’s a big city, etc. But waking up to the news anchor saying, “Possible terrorist threat underway in London right now” is not how I wanted to start my day.
Kudos to the authorities who have managed to stay ahead of the game thus far.
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### Author:  [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)
#### Post date: [June 29, 2007, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bbc-reporting-a-car-bomb-in-london/409890/25 "2007-06-29T16:24:11Z")
[QUOTE=Asimovian]
_sigh_
My wife is visiting London right now. I know, I know, it’s a big city, etc. But waking up to the news anchor saying, “Possible terrorist threat underway in London right now” is not how I wanted to start my day.
Kudos to the authorities who have managed to stay ahead of the game thus far.
[/QUOTE]
The main CNN page has a link to a map of where the first car was.
Seems, too, that initial reports from bouncers who saw someone crash it and run away were erroneous. It was parked normally, albeit illegally.
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### Author:  [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)
#### Post date: [June 29, 2007, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bbc-reporting-a-car-bomb-in-london/409890/26 "2007-06-29T18:44:54Z")
They are starting tto cancel evening shows at London theatres. That pisses me off.
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### Author:  [@Wallenstein](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wallenstein)
#### Post date: [June 29, 2007, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bbc-reporting-a-car-bomb-in-london/409890/27 "2007-06-29T20:47:43Z")
Two bombs now confirmed - and they are the type of crude device than anyone could knock up (no need for C4 when you can pop down to B&Q).
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### Author:  [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)
#### Post date: [June 29, 2007, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bbc-reporting-a-car-bomb-in-london/409890/28 "2007-06-29T21:03:19Z")
[Link for second device](http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6255960.stm).
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### Author:  [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)
#### Post date: [June 29, 2007, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bbc-reporting-a-car-bomb-in-london/409890/29 "2007-06-29T21:08:45Z")
Woohoo! I recognized PC from previous photos even though it’s shot from a different position as the others. Oh, and there’s a distinct lack of people that made ID a bit harder too 🙂
At least people didn’t get shot in the head this time.
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### Author:  [@cbawlmer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cbawlmer)
#### Post date: [June 29, 2007, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bbc-reporting-a-car-bomb-in-london/409890/30 "2007-06-29T21:22:44Z")
Geez, my sister is moving to London at the end of July. She’ll be living not terribly far from where all this is going on. This really is going to freak her out.
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### Author:  [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)
#### Post date: [June 29, 2007, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bbc-reporting-a-car-bomb-in-london/409890/31 "2007-06-29T22:11:57Z")
Given the level of stupidity that terrorists have shown in their attempts at killing lots of folks, I’d be willing to bet that arrests will be made _very_ shortly. Both cars are said to be Mercedes, so while they’re running the VINs, I’m sure Scotlard Yard’s got detectives talking to folks at Mercedes dealerships and repair shops.
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### Author:  [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)
#### Post date: [June 29, 2007, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bbc-reporting-a-car-bomb-in-london/409890/32 "2007-06-29T22:58:47Z")
What’s special about Mercedes? 😕
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### Author:  [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)
#### Post date: [June 29, 2007, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bbc-reporting-a-car-bomb-in-london/409890/33 "2007-06-29T23:14:14Z")
[QUOTE=Usram]
What’s special about Mercedes? 😕
[/QUOTE]
Odds are they picked Mercedes for a reason. The most likely reasons are:
1.) Familiarity with the vehicle
2.) Easy access
The twits who did the Spanish bombings got the cellphones they used as remote detonators from their buddy who owned a cellphone store. If they did a “random boost” of cars, then you’d expect the two of them to be different. I don’t know about your side of the pond, but over here 'Cedes dealers are pretty exclusive operations. Either way, tracking these guys is going to be fairly easy, I’d be willing to bet.
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### Author:  [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)
#### Post date: [June 29, 2007, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bbc-reporting-a-car-bomb-in-london/409890/34 "2007-06-29T23:19:20Z")
Merc’s are ten-a-penny here. It looked like an old Mercedes 190, unlikely to have passed through any official dealer’s hands in the last ten years.
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### Author:  [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)
#### Post date: [June 29, 2007, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bbc-reporting-a-car-bomb-in-london/409890/35 "2007-06-29T23:24:34Z")
[QUOTE=Usram]
Merc’s are ten-a-penny here. It looked like an old Mercedes 190, unlikely to have passed through any official dealer’s hands in the last ten years.
[/QUOTE]
Still, the fact that there were two of them (no matter how old) narrows the search down considerably. Instead of new dealers, they’ll be checking used dealers and garages specializing in Mercedes.
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### Author:  [@zelie\_zelerton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zelie_zelerton)
#### Post date: [June 29, 2007, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bbc-reporting-a-car-bomb-in-london/409890/36 "2007-06-29T23:52:47Z")
Just seen the LFB’s ‘scientific unit’ go hurtling past accompanied by ambulance and tons of coppers. I am guessing that sunny NW London is the source of the problem. Again. Sigh.
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### Author:  [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)
#### Post date: [June 30, 2007, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bbc-reporting-a-car-bomb-in-london/409890/37 "2007-06-30T02:57:08Z")
It’s rather unbelievable, but over here there are Westerners who are STILL saying it’s all a mistake and the owners of the cars are being victimized. They think refusing to believe even the possibilty of the authorities getting it right makes them “cool”. Thailand attracts some real wackos.
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### Author:  [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)
#### Post date: [June 30, 2007, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bbc-reporting-a-car-bomb-in-london/409890/38 "2007-06-30T15:36:07Z")
And now some nutter has driven a burning car into the terminal building at Glasgow Airport. [Link](http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/6257194.stm)
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### Author:  [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)
#### Post date: [June 30, 2007, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bbc-reporting-a-car-bomb-in-london/409890/39 "2007-06-30T15:50:40Z")
They’re pretty crap terrorists, though, aren’t they? Seem like amateur Al Qaeda wannabes.
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### Author:  [@Szlater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Szlater)
#### Post date: [June 30, 2007, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bbc-reporting-a-car-bomb-in-london/409890/40 "2007-06-30T16:07:28Z")
[QUOTE=Usram]
They’re pretty crap terrorists, though, aren’t they? Seem like amateur Al Qaeda wannabes.
[/QUOTE]
Compared to PIRA they are definitely “special needs”.
The thing that makes them dangerous, purely imo, is that they don’t value their own lives and they don’t worry about outraging their supporters (because their supporters believe all targets are legitimate).
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