Bomb blasts in London: What do they portend?

Passers-by walk past pictures of the people missing following the bomb attacks at King's Cross Station in London. A chain of blasts rocked London on July 8 killing at least 50. PHOTO: AFP

It was about 9 O'clock in the morning on the fateful day. A friend of my daughter telephoned to say that some explosions had occurred at the Aldgate Tube Station in central London. They cancelled their rendezvous and decided to stay home. But a few minutes later, I left for the airport on my way back home to Dhaka. I was completely oblivious of the magnitude of the blasts and being ignorant of one of the blasts having occurred also at the Edgeware Road Tube station, only a hundred meters away from where I was staying. Fortunately, I was going in the opposite direction towards the airport. Having reached Heathrow, sitting in the passengers' lounge I, along with other passengers, watched with great horror the terrible scenes of killings and carnage that took place in the Tavistock Square, Kings Cross and other places. Buses were blown up and debris scattered all over the areas. People were stunned. All except those, who had imperative compulsions to go out, paid heed to the police warning to stay indoors.

The events coincided with the holding of the G-8 Summit at Glenangles in neighbouring Scotland where leaders of the richest nations assembled to deliberate and to decide upon some of the major issues facing the world today. President Bush emphasized on the need for reduction of poverty in Africa and the group pledged a sum of $50 billion in aid for this purpose. Some commented it was too small and came too late. Leaders of five other major countries, who went there as observers, stressed on the imperative need for liberalisation of trade and the sharing of responsibility of environmental degradation by rich nations. Huge subsidies given specially on some agricultural outputs both in America and Europe unfairly hindered exports of many developing nations and went against the ideals and principles of the WMD. President Bush refused to subscribe to the resolution of the Kyoto convention on the plea it would harm American economy, and called for effective participation by emerging economies like China and India. Anyway, the news of the massive demonstrations that took place near the site of the G-8 Summit was overshadowed by the terror in London. The G-8 Summit was partially disrupted, as the host Chairman, Prime Minister Tony Blair, had to leave abruptly for London to take stock of the situation and to do the needful. It was also natural to assume that the participating leaders of the Summit were also shaken up by their perception to come so close to real danger.

The Al-Qaeda or some like-minded network reportedly owned responsibility for this attack. Prime Minister Blair asserted that the terrorists would not succeed, but at the same time admitted that such events could not be averted. People knew about the immense power and the well-knit network of this most sought after terrorist organisation, which defied billions of dollars worth of American and British efforts directed against them. In many quarters a tendency exists to believe that the Al-Qaeda and similar other organisations are totally identified with the Muslim community. It is not so. The prompt and unreserved condemnation made by Muslim countries and organisations all over the world, especially in Britain, testifies to that. There may have been coincidences, for reasons not much difficult to trace, but it would be unjust to term them as organisations based on Islam. Islam literally means peace and never preaches but opposes violence, especially against people of other faiths. Sura Kaferun in the holy Quran clearly states that the "unbelievers," meaning who do not share the Islamic faith, should pursue their own faith freely, as the "believers" should also likewise do their own.

It is, however, true but coincidental that many of the major problem areas and issues have some bearing on the people, who belong to the Islamic faith. That is why some organisation or group of persons being victims of circumstances and wanting to take revenge, even at the cost of their own lives, may consist of those who are Muslims and their nomenclature may bear Islamic connotation. But it would be simply wrong to brand them Islamic or their action ordained by precepts of Islam. There are, however, some organisations, which may call for "Jehad" or religious war against infidels, but no sane mind would subscribe that the present situation calls for such a war reminiscent of what had happened in the Middle Ages. A rational thinking would allow people to share the view that many of the political ills of the present day world that bred violence appear to be a product of the age-old Arab-Israeli conflict and the consequential war in Iraq. An amicable settlement of the fundamental problems would eliminate the root cause of world terrorism and definitely reduce intensity and spread of violence all over the world. On the other hand, sheer and brute use of force as well as relentless repression will only breed greater and unending violence.

Despite what was said about the fundamental issues that warrant lasting solution, no one can and should condone violence of any form and nature which causes death of innocent people and destruction of their property. About the London incidents, some say that the major security apparatus was diverted and engaged to provide adequate protection to the leaders of the G-8 Summit in Scotland, thereby leaving London and other cities relatively less guarded. But this argument cannot be sustained. Anyway, with all the intelligence and high technology available in the developed world, as these are constantly pouring in London at the moment, one would expect that the perpetrators of this dastardly crime would be apprehended soon and meted with due punishment. Let no people face such a gruesome tragedy again.

M.M.Rezaul Karim, a former Ambassador, is a member of BNP's Advisory Council.