London: Terrorist attack

Khevyn Limbajee Politics Show London

At Edgware Road station a man helps an injured woman

It was the day that everybody feared. London suffered a major terrorist attack, with four explosions killing at least 49 people and injuring hundreds more. But what are the implications of the blasts for the capital?

The explosions that ripped across central London constitute the worst ever terrorist attack on the UK mainland.

London was thrown into chaos as its public transport system was halted and a high-level emergency procedure swung into action.

A massive intelligence investigation is now under way to find those responsible for the bomb attacks. The Politics Show London investigates the potential impact on the attacks on London life - its communities, tourism and businesses.

Muslim communities

Despite condemnation of the attacks by London's Muslims, some fear a 'backlash' against their communities.

The Muslim Council of Great Britain has condemned the indiscriminate acts of terror: "This criminal attack is condemned in the strongest possible terms.

"No good purpose can be achieved by such an indiscriminate and cruel use of terror.

"The scriptures and the traditions of both the Muslim and Christian communities repudiate the use of such violence.

"Religious precepts cannot be used to justify such crimes, which are completely contrary to our teaching and practice."

The Council stresses that the attacks are an attack on all of us, regardless of creed, race or background.

Sir Iqbal Sacranie, Secretary General of the Council says: "These evil deeds makes victims of us all. It is our humanity that must bring us shoulder to shoulder to condemn, to oppose and to overcome those who would spread fear, hatred and death.

"The evil people who planned and carried out these series of explosions in London want to demoralise us as a nation and divide us as a people".

The Islamic Human Rights Commission told the Politics Show that they already have had nasty Islamaphobic phone calls and e mails.

A spokesman told us that now he feels the more afraid now than he has for the last two years.

At Tailstock Square an explosion ripped through a bus

Tourism and business

Some Londoners are concerned about the effect of the attacks on tourism and retailing in the capital.

As news of the bombings emerged, the FTSE 100 tumbled 3.5% in 90 minutes, its steepest fall since the start of the Iraq war.

The slump wiped more than £44bn off the value of the stocks in London, but the market has since rallied.

Despite initial concerns, traders and investors said that any decline was likely to be short-lived as the threat passed and the scale of damage became clearer.

Analysts believe that the economic effect of the bomb blasts is likely to be limited, with companies being well prepared to deal with any disruption.

Alison Rice, a tourism expert and broadcaster acknowledges that the in the short term, London's tourist injury will take a knock.

Alison said: "But the resolution London has displayed, the preparedness that the emergency services demonstrated - means that confidence in the long terms will surely return."

Terror legacy

How the attacks will affect London's important tourist market is hard to predict.

This is London's 9/11, the day we hope would never happen, but a day we all feared would happen.

Thankfully the casualties and loss of life was not anywhere near the same scale.

Many Londoners are in still shock and in grief and simply do not know what has happened to their lost ones.

But it is tribute to the spirit of London, that the next day people began to return to their normal lives.

Politics Show

Politics Show London talks to leading London figures about the impact of the attacks on life in the city.

Join Politics Show on BBC One on Sunday, 10 July 2005 at 12.30 with Tim Donovan.

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