Executive summary - The bombings of July 2005
On July 7th, the morning rush hours in London formed the backdrop for the first suicidebombings in Western Europe in modern times. Three different parts of the London subwaysystem were attacked around 08.50: Aldgate, Edgware Road, and Russell Square. The three Tube trains were all hit within 50 seconds time. A bomb on the upper floor of a double-deckerbus at Tavistock Square was detonated at 09.47.
In the terrorist attacks, four suicide bombers detonated one charge each, killing 52 people. Seven people were killed by the blasts at Aldgate, six at Edgware Road, 13 at Tavistock Square, and 26 at Russel Square – in addition to the suicide bombers themselves. More than 700 people were injured. Hundreds of rescue workers were engaged in coping with the aftermath. Over 200 staff from the London Fire Brigade, 450 staff and 186 vehicles from the London Ambulance Service, several hundred police officers from the Metropolitan Police and from the City of London Police, as well as over 130 staff from the British Transport Police were involved. Patients were sent to 7 area hospitals.