Experts: London Explosions Have all the Hallmarks of Al-Qaida

Discuss The Topic: In Firehouse.com Forums Section GLENEAGLES, Scotland (AP) -- Coordinated explosions that ripped through three London subway trains and a bus on Thursday have the trademarks of the al-Qaida network, three terrorism experts said. ''It is quite clear that a major terrorist attack has been carried out on London,'' said Paul Wilkinson, a security expert at St. Andrews University in Scotland. ''The attack has all the trademarks of the al-Qaida network,'' he said. ''That is to say, the attacks are clearly aimed to cause casualties among the public and aimed at the transport network, which they have done before at Madrid,'' where 191 people were killed in coordinated train bombings last year. London and its transportation network are ''a very tempting target; it's one of the most obvious targets in Europe,'' said Magnus Ranstorp, another St. Andrews security expert. ''It's impossible to guard against this.'' Ranstorp said the attacks were likely coordinated by several loosely affiliated groups. At least 10 to 20 people would have had to be involved, he said. Mounting synchronized attacks ''requires major coordination,'' he said. He said the attacks were almost certainly timed to disrupt the Group of Eight summit of world leaders being held in Gleneagles, Scotland. ''It's definitely timed for the G-8,'' Ranstorp said. ''Any suggestions about the London Olympics are nonsense because you don't plan this overnight. This is purely to overshadow everything that happens at the G-8.'' Lawrence Freedman, professor of war studies at King's College in London, agreed. ''This is clearly an al-Qaida style attack. It was well-coordinated, it was timed for a political event, and it was a multiple attack on a transportation system at rush hour,'' he said. Like the Madrid attack March 11, 2004, he said, the London one targeted the capital of a country that is a member of the U.S.-led coalition in Iraq. Freedman said many terrorist groups are imitating al-Qaida now, so an investigation would be needed to determine whether al-Qaida was behind the London explosions, or one of its followers such as al-Qaida in Iraq. He said that, while the subway attacks in London seemed like al-Qaida, the bus blast did not. Freedman said it was important to determine whether that explosion was set off by a suicide bomber and, if so, whether he intended to do it there or at another site he was traveling to. Related Articles:U.S. Ups Alert to Orange for Transit Explosions on Double-decker Bus and in London's Subway System Cause Havoc CTA in Illinois Working with Police on Additional Security after London Explosions Experts: London Explosions Have all the Hallmarks of Al-Qaida Transportation Security Tightened in Philadelphia Region New York on Heightened Alert Following London Attacks Homeland Security Asks Major Cities to be Vigilant on Transit Systems