Hi Eddie,
We Londoners are paying the expected high price for Blair's folly over Iraq
when Iraq had not threatened the UK in any way. Terrorism definitely cannot
be justified, but Blair's unjustified war, and sanctimonious holier than
thou approach become really tested now. Clearly, we needed and continue to
need political and diplomatic solutions and not military ones which have
killed so many thousands of innocent people in Iraq just as many innocent
people are now being killed and severe disruption is caused in London.
Military interventions should be of last resort when everything else has
been tried first. Blair singularly failed to do this and I believe that
history will judge him as a seriously flawed leader.
The article from today's Guardian newspaper by Robin Cook and transmitted to
Goanet by Gabe, sums up my position, and those of most among my wide circle
of friends/contacts, on our current woes in London.
Cornel
----- Original Message -----
From: "Eddie Fernandes" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <goanet@goanet.org>
Sent: Thursday, July 07, 2005 11:54 PM
Subject: [Goanet]The London Blasts: A Goan Policeman speaks
From Irvin Fernandes
As requested, here are my views on what happened today Thurs 07 July 2005
in Central London although I must say that I was not on duty at that time.
My views are based on my experiences working as a Metropolitan Police
Officer for over 17 years responsible for Community Policing on the
streets of London as well as dealing with Major Incidents involving Mass
Riots, Public Disorder and Terrorist Incidents.
At approximately 9am on Thursday 07 July 2005, Al Quada terrorist group
struck at the heart of London causing at least four major explosions and
completely paralysing Public Transport Services in Central London. One
explosion took place on a London double-decker bus and the other three in
London Underground train stations, in all 37 people was killed and
approximately 150 injured some very severely losing limbs. Emergency
Services were quick to respond and dealt very well with the aftermath.
Central London has been sealed off tonight whilst Police Forensic teams
gather evidence at the scenes of these blasts. Londoners cannot comprehend
how these terrorists managed to evade detection by Anti-Terrorist Police
and hit at the centre of our beautiful City. Detectives believe that some
of the terrorist members may be British Citizens actually living in and
around London. The Prime Minister Tony Blair and London's Mayor Ken
Livingstone have vowed to capture and bring the people responsible for
these outrageous atrocities to justice no matter what it takes.
Irvin FERNANDES
Metropolitan Police Sergeant
Marylebone Police Station
Central London.
.................................................
NOTE: Irvin Fernandes recently returned from Amman, Jordan after a year
training the Iraqi Police. He was born in Nairobi, Kenya and went to St.
Teresa's Boys School in Eastleigh. In 1972 he left Nairobi with his family
and travelled to Goa. There he completed his secondary education and
taught in local schools. He arrived in the UK in 1984. He is married and
lives in Croydon, Surrey.
================================
From Eddie Fernandes:
I spent most of the day glued to the television set and the internet. It
was about 9.00 am that the news about the first blast came through. The
authorities were tight-lipped and did not reveal the full extent of the
horror presumably to avoid spreading panic. Even several hours later the
death toll was quoted as being just 2. It was not till some six hours
later that the figure was revised to 33 and it is slowly growing.
The entire underground train service was suspended as well as the bus
services in Central London. The commuters were left stranded in offices
though some chose to walk home or to the nearest point of available
transport. In the afternoon I drove into Central London in order to
collect my wife from her office. The atmosphere was electric. The
pavements were filled with surging crowds making their way homeward. They
looked grim - it was difficult to find anyone with a smile. On the other
hand they did not show malice towards those who looked Muslim. We had
many reports of the post 9/11 backlash in the US. How long before it
starts to affect us in the UK? Will we have to display large crucifixes
prominently on our bodies to escape their wrath?
