Recalling the 7/7 London train bombings

Londoners unite in grieving the lost and the injured on the ill-fated 7th July co-ordinated terror attacks on a bus and subway trains within a span of 50 seconds, killing about 56 people.

Observing a minute's silence for the deceased was declared, but there were a few scars that refused to heal, especially for the survivors and the families of the victims.

Total Recall

A series of coordinated suicide bombings in central London were specifically targetted at the common man taking the public transport. Three bombs exploded in quick succession aboard London underground trains across the city and a fourth on a double-decker bus in Tavistock Square.

While 56 people were declared dead, nearly 700 people were injured. Investigations proved that the explosions were caused by homemade organic peroxide-devices that were packed in backpacks.

The bombings were followed by a series of attempted attacks two weeks later that did not cause any injuries or deaths.

[Read: UK marks 10th anniversary of July 7/7 bombings]

Conspiracy theories

Investigations in the incident unravelled layers of theories, which sometimes proved anti-government. In fact, there have been allegations that the bombings were the work of insiders, not excluding the government.

Evidences, however, have remained under wraps to prove the later theory. In fact, a survey of 500 British Muslims undertaken by Channel 4 News in 2004 revealed that 24% of them believed that the four accused were not responsible.

The then Shadow Home Secretary, David Davis, on investigating the security check of the bombers before they boarded the train said,"It is becoming more and more clear that the story presented to the public and Parliament is at odds with the facts."

The accused

The suicide bombers were later identified as Mohammad Sidique Khan, Shehzad Tanweer, Germaine Lindsay and Hasib Hussain. Three of the bombers were British-born sons of Pakistani immigrants. Lindsay, however, was a convert born in Jamaica.