Car bomb defused in central London
{{date|June 29, 2007}}
[[Image:Haymarket car bomb.jpg|right|280px|thumb|The Mercedes-Benz on Haymarket covered by a tent {{Image source|[http://flickr.com/photos/7199534@N06 Snapper Jack / Eye Spy Mag]}}]]

A car containing an large explosive device has been defused in [[w:The Haymarket|the Haymarket]], [[w:London|London]]. A second device was later found in a car park in [[w:Park Lane (road)|Park Lane]].

A car, a light metallic green [[w:Mercedes-Benz E Class|Mercedes-Benz E Class]] saloon (produced 1984-1995), parked near the nightclub 'TigerTiger', contained [[w:petrol|petrol]],  [[w:gas cylinders|gas cylinders]] and [[w:Nail (engineering)|nails]]. Police described it as a "potentially viable explosive device". 

Police carried out a controlled explosion at 2:00 a.m. [[w:Western European Summer Time|BST]] and the car has been taken to a forensic explosives laboratory for further investigation.

Eyewitnesses saw the car driving "erratically" and colliding with bins before being abandoned. An ambulance crew in the area alerted police after seeing smoke inside the car.

Deputy Assistant Police Commissioner Peter Clarke said there could have been "significant injury or loss of life". 

A meeting of [[w:Cabinet Office Briefing Rooms|COBRA]], chaired by new [[w:Home Secretary|Home Secretary]] [[w:Jacqui Smith|Jacqui Smith]] was held about the incident.

Police say it is too early to tell who is behind the threat. Prime Minister [[w:Gordon Brown|Gordon Brown]] said the country faces a "serious and continued security threat" and urged people to "be vigilant at all times".

Disruption has been caused to transport in the area with roads closed and bus routes diverted. [[w:Piccadilly Circus tube station|Piccadilly Circus tube station]] has reopened after an earlier closure

Police are reviewing major events to be held in London over the weekend.

''CBS News'' has reported that a message appeared on the widely used [[w:jihad|jihad]]ist [[w:Internet forum|Internet forum]] [[w:Al-Hesbah|Al-Hesbah]] at 8:09 a.m. June 28, saying: "Today I say: Rejoice, by Allah, London shall be bombed." The message went on to mention the recently announced [[w:Knighthood of Salman Rushdie|knighthood]] of ''[[w:The Satanic Verses|Satanic Verses]]'' author [[w:Salman Rushdie|Salman Rushdie]].

Following an [[Car driven into Glasgow International Airport|incident at Glasgow airport]], Home Secretary Jacqui Smith announced the elevation of the UK's national threat level from "Severe" to "Critical", indicating that an attack could be expected "imminently".   

Two people have been arrested in [[w:Cheshire|Cheshire]] in connection with the Glasgow International Airport attack and attempted London car bombings.

===Park Lane===
[[w:Park Lane (road)|Park Lane]] was closed to the public due to a suspicious car parked in the underground car park beneath Hyde Park. Police, who believed the two incidents to be linked, cordoned off Park Lane and Hyde Park to allow the bomb disposal unit access to the vehicle. The car was illegally parked on [[w:Cockspur Street|Cockspur Street]] and was towed to the pound on Park Lane, it was then discovered that the car contained an explosive device.

==Sources==
*{{source|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/6257606.stm
|title=UK terror threat now 'critical'
|author=
|pub=BBC News
|date=June 30, 2007}}
*{{source
|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6252276.stm
|title=Police avert car bomb 'carnage'
|author=
|pub=BBC News Online
|date=June 29, 2007}}
*{{source
|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/terrorism/story/0,,2114743,00.html
|title=London car bomb 'could have killed many'
|author=
|pub=Guardian Unlimited
|date=June 29, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/6253778.stm
|title=London mayor calls for vigilance
|author=
|pub=BBC News Online
|date=June 29, 2007}}
*{{source
|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/terrorism/story/0,,2114743,00.html
|title=Police: Car bomb may have been inspired by al-Qaida
|author=
|pub=Guardian Unlimited 
|date=June 29, 2007}}
*{{source
|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/terrorism/story/0,,2114963,00.html
|title=Q&A on today's car bomb incident
|author=
|pub=Guardian Unlimited 
|date=June 29, 2007}}
*{{source
|url=http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1638733,00.html
|title=Probing the London Bomb Plot
|author=Catherine Mayer
|pub=TIME 
|date=June 29, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://news.sky.com/skynews/picture_gallery/picture_gallery/0,,70131-1272919,00.html
|title= News in pictures: Loindon Bomb Scare
|author=
|pub=Sky News Online
|date=June 29, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://www.mi5.gov.uk/output/Page435.html
|title=Serious incident in central London 
|author=
|pub=MI5 (Goverment Agency)
|date=June 29, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6253274.stm
|title=Car bomb: The race for evidence
|author=Dominic Casciani 
|pub=BBC News Online
|date=June 29, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://uk.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUKL2919779720070629
|title=Police say London bomb could have killed many
|author=
|pub=Reuters UK
|date=June 29, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6255960.stm
|title= Two car bombs found in West End
|author=
|pub=BBC News Online
|date=June 29, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6253802.stm
|title=Q&A: Car bomb investigation
|author=
|pub=BBC News Online 
|date=June 29, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://www.flickr.com/groups/london-car-bomb/pool/
|title= London Car Bomb
|author= 
|pub= Flickr
|date=June 29, 2007}} 
*{{source|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/06/29/terror/main2997517.shtml
|title=Was London Bomb Plot Heralded On Web?
|author=Tucker Reals
|pub=CBS News Online
|date=June 29, 2007}}

==External links==
*{{source|url=http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/security/current-threat-level/
|title=Current threat level (UK)
|author=
|pub=Home Office
|date=June 30, 2007}}

{{wikipedia|2007 London car bombs}}

{{publish}}
{{Archived}}

{{Haveyoursay}}

[[Category:London]]
[[Category:England]]
[[Category:United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Crime and law]]
[[Category:Jacqui Smith]]
[[Category:COBRA (UK)]]

[[es:Desactivan un explosivo en Londres]]
[[fr:Une voiture piégée a été désamorcée dans le centre de Londres]]
[[it:Londra, sventato attentato dinamitardo alla City]]
[[he:לונדון: פיגוע כפול נמנע; מצוד אחר האחראים]]
[[pl:Alarm terrorystyczny w Londynie]]
[[pt:Automóveis com explosivos descobertos em Londres]]
The Mercedes-Benz on Haymarket covered by a tent 

A car containing an large explosive device has been defused in the Haymarket, London. A second device was later found in a car park in Park Lane.

A car, a light metallic green Mercedes-Benz E Class saloon (produced 1984-1995), parked near the nightclub 'TigerTiger', contained petrol,  gas cylinders and nails. Police described it as a "potentially viable explosive device". 

Police carried out a controlled explosion at 2:00 a.m. BST and the car has been taken to a forensic explosives laboratory for further investigation.

Eyewitnesses saw the car driving "erratically" and colliding with bins before being abandoned. An ambulance crew in the area alerted police after seeing smoke inside the car.

Deputy Assistant Police Commissioner Peter Clarke said there could have been "significant injury or loss of life". 

A meeting of COBRA, chaired by new Home Secretary Jacqui Smith was held about the incident.

Police say it is too early to tell who is behind the threat. Prime Minister Gordon Brown said the country faces a "serious and continued security threat" and urged people to "be vigilant at all times".

Disruption has been caused to transport in the area with roads closed and bus routes diverted. Piccadilly Circus tube station has reopened after an earlier closure

Police are reviewing major events to be held in London over the weekend.

CBS News has reported that a message appeared on the widely used jihadist Internet forum Al-Hesbah at 8:09 a.m. June 28, saying: "Today I say: Rejoice, by Allah, London shall be bombed." The message went on to mention the recently announced knighthood of Satanic Verses author Salman Rushdie.

Following an incident at Glasgow airport, Home Secretary Jacqui Smith announced the elevation of the UK's national threat level from "Severe" to "Critical", indicating that an attack could be expected "imminently".   

Two people have been arrested in Cheshire in connection with the Glasgow International Airport attack and attempted London car bombings.

es:Desactivan un explosivo en Londres
fr:Une voiture piégée a été désamorcée dans le centre de Londres
it:Londra, sventato attentato dinamitardo alla City
he:לונדון: פיגוע כפול נמנע; מצוד אחר האחראים
pl:Alarm terrorystyczny w Londynie
Automóveis com explosivos descobertos em Londres
London England United Kingdom Crime and law Jacqui Smith COBRA (UK)