London bombings - We cannot let fear rule our lives

IT was a terrible day for London following the fleeting triumph of its Olympic victory as a series of terror attacks visited death, destruction and mayhem on one of the great cities of the world.

As the bloody toll of fatalities and casualties climbed throughout the day, the appalling scale of this dreadful assault on civil society became all too apparent.

Cynically timed to coincide with the G8 summit, the tragic events are a chilling reminder of the vulnerability of urban society to ruthless fanatics and the enormous difficulties facing democratic governments in protecting cities from attack.

It came as no surprise that al-Qaida was linked to the series of blasts that rocked London during the morning rush-hour. The coldly coordinated attack on the transport system was clearly aimed at killing and maiming as many innocent people as possible. In their cowardly way, the terrorists gave no warning of the impending atrocity which occurred as tens of thousands of people were going to work or on sightseeing trips.

The blasts occurred at tube stations between Aldgate, Liverpool Street, Russell Square, King’s Cross, Edgware Road, and on a crowded bus at Tavistock Square - place names familiar around the world.

The belief that a suicide bomber triggered the explosion which ripped the roof off the bus illustrates just how difficult it is to stop terrorists when they are hell-bent on wreaking havoc.

Following the terror bombings in Madrid, it was only a matter of time before Islamic extremists struck the heart of another European capital. Clearly, because of Britain’s active support of America during and since the Iraqi war, London was a prime target.

Psychologically and tactically, following the September 11 atrocity in the United States, this was an attack waiting to happen. From the sheer ferocity and indiscriminate nature of yesterday’s blasts, it soon became clear that Islamic extremists and not dissident republicans were behind the outrage.

The horrific crime was calculated to pull the high ground out from beneath the G8 summit of world leaders at Gleneagles in Scotland.

Though London has always been a terrorist target, the growing feeling that al-Qaida had gone quiet, possibly led to some relaxation in security measures in recent times. Whatever the explanation, the terrorists seized their opportunity after police were withdrawn from London to protect the leaders of the world’s wealthiest countries.

In scenes reminiscent of war times, the biggest casualty evacuation seen in the capital for over 60 years went into operation within minutes of the attack.

Forensically, the challenge facing police will be to trace the source of the explosives used in a bid to track down al-Qaida sleepers. It would be regrettable if Britain’s Islamic population, most of whom are decent, law-abiding citizens, were now to face a backlash.

No doubt the police will find it extremely difficult to penetrate the wall of silence in their efforts to track down the perpetrators. Thus, religious leaders should encourage the uncovering of suspected bombers.

Fears that another capital city would be targeted by terrorist bombers have now been realised. The potential of hardline extremists to wreak havoc virtually at will, was seen yesterday as alerts were declared in France and Germany.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair spoke for people around the world when he underlined the barbarism of the attack on London on the very day G8 leaders were discussing measures to combat poverty.

They must not be deflected from their course because, ultimately, the abolition of poverty is the best possible way to eradicate terrorism. There is considerable evidence that the insidious spread of corporate globalisation, motivated by greed and driven by profit at any cost, will result in the perpetuation of poverty which is the breeding ground of militancy.

Nor is there any denying that the tunnel-vision of US President George W Bush, a leader who persists in fighting fire with fire, is proving counter-productive. Like it or not, he is helping to recruit new followers to fanatical causes.

On the plus side, the outrageous assault on London will forge stronger bonds of unity between nations, redoubling their determination to defend society.

But precious little progress will be made towards removing the terrorist threat until poverty is wiped out and genuine understanding of politico-religious fundamentalism is achieved. Bombing Islamic states is not the answer.

If anything, yesterday’s events demonstrate that where open, normal society exists, it is literally impossible to cover all eventualities. It would be totally unrealistic, for instance, to search every passenger travelling in the Tube or getting on a bus.

As Ireland and the world join with Britain in mourning, the best response to terrorism is for people to go on as normal despite the efforts of fanatics to disrupt their day-to-day lives. In the words of Mayor Ken Livingstone, the spirit of Londoners will not be broken.

In the final analysis, no political or religious ideology can justify yesterday’s evil attack which has rightly been described as a blatant attempt to perpetrate mass murder.