World Stops in Silence to Pay Tribute to London Bomb Victims
People across Europe paused for two minutes of silence in a tribute to the victims of last week’s suicide attacks on the London transport network.
London led the two-minute silence today held at midday (BST), in which London buses and taxis stopped still in honour of the victims of the London attacks. Tube trains still ran but announced the silence to passengers, and planes at UK airports switched off their engines and delayed take-off.
Golfers at the 134th British Open championship also paused play at the St Andrews course in Scotland in memory of the 52 people killed in the attacks.
Thousands came onto the streets for the two-minute silence after London Mayor Ken Livingstone called for a show of "complete defiance of the terrorists", urging workers to come out of their offices, and people out of homes and shops, to line the streets.
Mr Livingston said: "London will remember all of those who died last Thursday and show its defiance of those who try to change the character of our city through terror."
Prime Minister Tony Blair held the two minute silence in the garden of Downing Street.
BBC Correspondent Peter Hunt said: "It’s hoped both events will project a sense of ‘London United’."
Tributes are also to be held in Madrid and Bali, both previous victims to the al Qaeda terror campaign.
The Christian community also shared in the tribute, with St Botolph Church, close to the site of the Aldgate bombing, holding a brief Act of Remembrance at 1200 (BST).
A two minute silence was also held at Westminster Cathedral, led by the Archbishop of Westminster, Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor, and accompanied by the Lord Mayor of Westminster.
Christians filled the streets in London's Waterloo to gather with London Ambulance Service HQ staff. In unity they observed the silence as streets throughout London grinded to a halt in defiance of the terrorists, and to remember the victims.
A vigil will also be held in Trafalgar Square at 1800 (BST) as an opportunity to pay respects and thank rescue and medical staff.
Poems will be recited by Londoners and members of the transport and emergency services.
The details of the bombers are beginning to emerge today, with all three suspects being British-born of Pakistani descent and living in the West Yorkshire area.
Mohammad Sidique Khan, 30, being identified by police as the oldest bomber last Thursday’s suicide attacks.
Khan, the father of a 14-month-old daughter, worked as "learning mentor" for children of immigrant families who had just arrived in Britain. He was described by staff as gently spoken, endlessly patient, and immensely popular with children who called him their buddy, Times reported.
It has also emerged that two of the bombers were known to police, 22 year old Shehzad Tanweer having been arrested for disorderly behaviour, while Hasib Hussein, the youngest of the suicide bombers at just 18, was questioned over shoplifting, both last year.
Tanweer was a keen cricketer who helped out at his father’s fish and chip shop. Family and friends said he was fanatical about sport but not about politics or religion.
Security experts said that the bombers would have been trained and directed by a more senior militant, consultancy group Janusian Security Risk Management saying, "He would have arrived in the UK a knowledgeable bomb maker, trained in the art of evading the authorities by keeping a low profile."
Police sources also admitted that one of the names of the bombers had also come out during a major anti-terrorist operation last year, although he was not arrested or questioned.
A fourth suspect has not been confirmed, although Times stated the man as being Ejaz (Nadim) Fiaz, in his early thirties.
Police are also tracking down a fifth suspect, thought to be called Magdi El-Nashar, a 33-year-old PhD chemistry student. Egyptian-born El-Nashar disappeared from his home in Leeds days before the bombings.
