It's just the third day into Gordon Brown's reign as Prime Minister and London is on high alert from terrorism.
A car was found driving erratically on Haymarket near Piccadilly Circus in Central London. A man got out and ran off. Luckily no explosion occured. The car has been taken away for forensic examination.
The new Home Secretary, Jacqui Smith, just the second day into her new job, is to chair a meeting of the Goverment's Cobra emergency committee.
Authorities are keeping an open mind on who may be responsible for the failed attack - including that it could be the Irish.
London on terror alert after 'massive' bomb attack on bar
29th June 2007
Daily Mail
The threat of terror returned to London today after a large car bomb was found in the heart of the capital.
Bomb squad officers defused the 'massive' device after police investigated reports of a suspicious vehicle in the early hours.
A police source said: "The indications that we have got so far are that it was certainly a big device."
The sliver car was left outside the Tiger Tiger nightclub on Haymarket. A gas canister can be seen in the bottom left-hand corner of this picture
The Tiger, Tiger nightclub on Haymarket
According to an eyewitness the door staff at the nightclub Tiger, Tiger alerted police after the car, believed to be a silver Mercedes, was driven into bins last night and the driver ran off.
The witness said the car was being driven 'erratically' before the minor crash. The driver was not stopped.
One witness has reported seeing gas canisters being removed from the car at around 4am. Nails are also believed to have been found in the vehicle.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown said today's incident reminds us that Britain faces "a serious and continuous threat" and the public "need to be alert" at all times.
"I will stress to the Cabinet that the vigilance must be maintained over the next few days," he said.
New Home Secretary Jacqui Smith is to chair a meeting of the Government's Cobra emergency committee this morning and will then brief Prime Minister Gordon Brown and the Cabinet on the London car bomb.
Intelligence sources in London said they were keeping an open mind on who was responsible for the car bomb.
"All options, including the Irish, are open at this stage," said the source.
According to police source the bomb posed a real and substantial threat to the surrounding area, just yards from Piccadilly Circus.
A massive police cordon was thrown around The Haymarket in the heart of the capital's busy West End.
Dozens of forensic officers are poring over the crime scene, which has been covered by a blue plastic police tent.
Dozens of forensic officers are poring over the crime scene, which has been covered by a blue plastic police tent
Scotland Yard said detectives from Counter Terrorism Command were investigating the potential bomb plot.
A spokesman said: "Police were called to reports of a suspicious vehicle parked in The Haymarket, shortly before 2am this morning.
"As a precautionary measure the immediate area was cordoned off while the vehicle was examined by explosives officers.
"They discovered what appeared to be a potentially viable explosive device. This was made safe.
"The Metropolitan Police Counter Terrorism Command has launched an investigation."
The car, believed to be a silver Mercedes, was driven into bins and the driver ran off
A massive police cordon has been thrown around The Haymarket in London's West End
Jack Straw, who was appointed Justice Secretary in new PM Gordon Brown's Cabinet reshuffle yesterday, said ministers had been informed of the incident "much earlier this morning".
He told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme it was "very saddening" but "these things happen".
Mr Straw insisted it was essential that announcements were made by the police rather than ministers.
He added: "Of course the police will try to ensure there is as little disruption as possible. But everyone understands the key priority is safety."
Defence Secretary Des Browne said: "It does appear to be a very serious incident.
"My first reaction to this is, thank God that we have police and explosives experts who can make these devices safe, and the arrangements they appear to have done, and that nobody has been injured."
MPs and peers were informed that "enhanced security measures" had been put in place at Westminster this morning in the wake of the incident.
TV pictures of the scene in central London where the car bomb was left
A housekeeper at the Theatre Royal in The Haymarket, who gave her name as Debbie, said that when she arrived at work this morning she was told by the police to stay at the back of the building.
She said the suspect car had been covered with blue tarpaulin and forensic officers dressed in white suits were seen going in and out.
She said: "We were allowed into the building through the back. Police are aware that we are in the building and we are working at the back.
"We can see a blue tent with the car inside and there are guys in white suits going in and out."
Debbie said the entire length of The Haymarket had been cordoned off as well as side streets leading to it.
Rush-hour commuters faced disruption as nearby Piccadilly Underground station was closed and was expected to remain so for most of the morning.
The Haymarket is in the heart of London's theatreland and close to the popular shopping area of Regent Street.
Tiger Tiger packed with dancers
Tiger Tiger attracts hundreds of young people every night. Spread over three floors, the 18,000 sq ft venue has capacity for 1,770 people with four bars, a restaurant and large dance floor.
Because of its central location near Piccadilly Circus and Leicester Square it is a favourite of City workers and tourists.
It is open until 2am during the week and 3am on Saturday. One online reviewer said it was so busy on a Saturday that 'you could barely move'.
Another described its 'sheer maze effect' and 'very, very crowded dancefloor'.
The club in Haymarket was opened in 1998 by Chorion, the company behind the Trocadero. It was bought by Urbium in 2002, a company which had Tory leader David Cameron on its board of directors.
He left in 2005.
Urbium owns 25 bars in London and chairman John Conlan, speaking after the 7/7 attacks, said: "We have been through 9/11 and the IRA's long campaign ... we have to take it on the chin."
dailymail.co.uk
A car was found driving erratically on Haymarket near Piccadilly Circus in Central London. A man got out and ran off. Luckily no explosion occured. The car has been taken away for forensic examination.
The new Home Secretary, Jacqui Smith, just the second day into her new job, is to chair a meeting of the Goverment's Cobra emergency committee.
Authorities are keeping an open mind on who may be responsible for the failed attack - including that it could be the Irish.
London on terror alert after 'massive' bomb attack on bar
29th June 2007
Daily Mail
The threat of terror returned to London today after a large car bomb was found in the heart of the capital.
Bomb squad officers defused the 'massive' device after police investigated reports of a suspicious vehicle in the early hours.
A police source said: "The indications that we have got so far are that it was certainly a big device."
The sliver car was left outside the Tiger Tiger nightclub on Haymarket. A gas canister can be seen in the bottom left-hand corner of this picture
The Tiger, Tiger nightclub on Haymarket
According to an eyewitness the door staff at the nightclub Tiger, Tiger alerted police after the car, believed to be a silver Mercedes, was driven into bins last night and the driver ran off.
The witness said the car was being driven 'erratically' before the minor crash. The driver was not stopped.
One witness has reported seeing gas canisters being removed from the car at around 4am. Nails are also believed to have been found in the vehicle.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown said today's incident reminds us that Britain faces "a serious and continuous threat" and the public "need to be alert" at all times.
"I will stress to the Cabinet that the vigilance must be maintained over the next few days," he said.
New Home Secretary Jacqui Smith is to chair a meeting of the Government's Cobra emergency committee this morning and will then brief Prime Minister Gordon Brown and the Cabinet on the London car bomb.
Intelligence sources in London said they were keeping an open mind on who was responsible for the car bomb.
"All options, including the Irish, are open at this stage," said the source.
According to police source the bomb posed a real and substantial threat to the surrounding area, just yards from Piccadilly Circus.
A massive police cordon was thrown around The Haymarket in the heart of the capital's busy West End.
Dozens of forensic officers are poring over the crime scene, which has been covered by a blue plastic police tent.
Dozens of forensic officers are poring over the crime scene, which has been covered by a blue plastic police tent
Scotland Yard said detectives from Counter Terrorism Command were investigating the potential bomb plot.
A spokesman said: "Police were called to reports of a suspicious vehicle parked in The Haymarket, shortly before 2am this morning.
"As a precautionary measure the immediate area was cordoned off while the vehicle was examined by explosives officers.
"They discovered what appeared to be a potentially viable explosive device. This was made safe.
"The Metropolitan Police Counter Terrorism Command has launched an investigation."
The car, believed to be a silver Mercedes, was driven into bins and the driver ran off
A massive police cordon has been thrown around The Haymarket in London's West End
Jack Straw, who was appointed Justice Secretary in new PM Gordon Brown's Cabinet reshuffle yesterday, said ministers had been informed of the incident "much earlier this morning".
He told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme it was "very saddening" but "these things happen".
Mr Straw insisted it was essential that announcements were made by the police rather than ministers.
He added: "Of course the police will try to ensure there is as little disruption as possible. But everyone understands the key priority is safety."
Defence Secretary Des Browne said: "It does appear to be a very serious incident.
"My first reaction to this is, thank God that we have police and explosives experts who can make these devices safe, and the arrangements they appear to have done, and that nobody has been injured."
MPs and peers were informed that "enhanced security measures" had been put in place at Westminster this morning in the wake of the incident.
TV pictures of the scene in central London where the car bomb was left
A housekeeper at the Theatre Royal in The Haymarket, who gave her name as Debbie, said that when she arrived at work this morning she was told by the police to stay at the back of the building.
She said the suspect car had been covered with blue tarpaulin and forensic officers dressed in white suits were seen going in and out.
She said: "We were allowed into the building through the back. Police are aware that we are in the building and we are working at the back.
"We can see a blue tent with the car inside and there are guys in white suits going in and out."
Debbie said the entire length of The Haymarket had been cordoned off as well as side streets leading to it.
Rush-hour commuters faced disruption as nearby Piccadilly Underground station was closed and was expected to remain so for most of the morning.
The Haymarket is in the heart of London's theatreland and close to the popular shopping area of Regent Street.
Tiger Tiger packed with dancers
Tiger Tiger attracts hundreds of young people every night. Spread over three floors, the 18,000 sq ft venue has capacity for 1,770 people with four bars, a restaurant and large dance floor.
Because of its central location near Piccadilly Circus and Leicester Square it is a favourite of City workers and tourists.
It is open until 2am during the week and 3am on Saturday. One online reviewer said it was so busy on a Saturday that 'you could barely move'.
Another described its 'sheer maze effect' and 'very, very crowded dancefloor'.
The club in Haymarket was opened in 1998 by Chorion, the company behind the Trocadero. It was bought by Urbium in 2002, a company which had Tory leader David Cameron on its board of directors.
He left in 2005.
Urbium owns 25 bars in London and chairman John Conlan, speaking after the 7/7 attacks, said: "We have been through 9/11 and the IRA's long campaign ... we have to take it on the chin."
dailymail.co.uk
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