July 2005 is rightly best remembered for the hideous attack on London by four suicide bombers on the 7th.
Less well remembered is the attempted attack a fortnight later on the 21 July.
I was working in London at the time, in the BMA building that had been the centre of the bomb outrage on the 30 on 7 July. By the grace of God on that day I was actually attending a meeting in Leeds and well clear.
Things were different on 22 July. Not only was I back at my desk as they conitinued to clear up the crime scene in front of the BMA but my son was in London on work experience in Bloomsbury. Personally I wanted to scrap the work experience but try persuading a 15 year old that it would be too dangerous.
The atmosphere in London was, to say the least, tense. During lunchtime on 21 July I went to meet my son at the cafe run by the London City Mission in Covent Garden. As I was making my way there I became aware of furious police activity with unmarked cars making their way at high speed across the city. I think everyone knew something was up. Having been in Birmingham the days after the pub bombings I know fear when I see it.
When we got to the cafe the first word came in that there had been another bomb attack. The customers and the staff got chatting and decided that there was only one thing to do: we prayed. There were about 15 of us, all very random, some local, some commuters, some tourists. But we prayed together. One of the prayers was that the attack would be thwarted, that no one would come to any harm. That prayer was answered with interest. No one was hurt, the bombers were caught and are now welcome guests of Her Majesty.
Sadly, the following day, extremely brave policemen, perhaps those who I had seen speeding past me the day before, had caught up with someone they believed to be another suicide bomber. The first I knew of it was when I recieved a text that is still on my mobile "Have you heard about the Asian man with a rucksack - he was shot dead by police". This was, of course a referance to Jean Charles de Menezes, an entirely innocent Brazilian born electrician and reflecting the very first news bulletins after the shooting.
Those days were difficult but I believe the prayers on that occasion helped put a cordon of protection around London. Let us pray that we never have anything like it again.![]()
Less well remembered is the attempted attack a fortnight later on the 21 July.
I was working in London at the time, in the BMA building that had been the centre of the bomb outrage on the 30 on 7 July. By the grace of God on that day I was actually attending a meeting in Leeds and well clear.
Things were different on 22 July. Not only was I back at my desk as they conitinued to clear up the crime scene in front of the BMA but my son was in London on work experience in Bloomsbury. Personally I wanted to scrap the work experience but try persuading a 15 year old that it would be too dangerous.
The atmosphere in London was, to say the least, tense. During lunchtime on 21 July I went to meet my son at the cafe run by the London City Mission in Covent Garden. As I was making my way there I became aware of furious police activity with unmarked cars making their way at high speed across the city. I think everyone knew something was up. Having been in Birmingham the days after the pub bombings I know fear when I see it.
When we got to the cafe the first word came in that there had been another bomb attack. The customers and the staff got chatting and decided that there was only one thing to do: we prayed. There were about 15 of us, all very random, some local, some commuters, some tourists. But we prayed together. One of the prayers was that the attack would be thwarted, that no one would come to any harm. That prayer was answered with interest. No one was hurt, the bombers were caught and are now welcome guests of Her Majesty.
Sadly, the following day, extremely brave policemen, perhaps those who I had seen speeding past me the day before, had caught up with someone they believed to be another suicide bomber. The first I knew of it was when I recieved a text that is still on my mobile "Have you heard about the Asian man with a rucksack - he was shot dead by police". This was, of course a referance to Jean Charles de Menezes, an entirely innocent Brazilian born electrician and reflecting the very first news bulletins after the shooting.
Those days were difficult but I believe the prayers on that occasion helped put a cordon of protection around London. Let us pray that we never have anything like it again.
