FINAL

FINAL

FINAL

FINAL

No 46,692 60p

No 46,692

60p

60p

No 46,692

Friday, July 22, 2005

A B C D E F G ∑

ISS 0307-1235

Z(7ha3a7-BCDBFD( +Í*Ê

Z(7ha3a7-BCDBFD( +Í*Ê

ISSN 0307-1235

‘I’m just going out to barbecue some toast’

LONDON HIT AGAIN

By Ben Fentonand John Steele

POLICE were hunting four would-be suicide bombers last night after they set off devices on three Tube trains and a Lon-don bus in an apparent effort to repeat the deadly attacks of a fortnight earlier.

The terrorists escaped after their devices failed to detonate properly.

Unlike the events of July 7, when 52 people and four bomb-ers died, the explosions were weak, apparently the result of malfunctions. However, ruck-sacks were used for some or all

of the bombs and police were working on the theory that the “method of delivery” was similar to the previous attack.

Offi cers were hopeful that forensic evidence from the scene would lead them to the cell behind the attacks. Three of the four devices were said to be of a similar size to the bombs used two weeks ago — about 10lb of home-made high explosive.

One of the devices is believed to have been a nail bomb.

Even in failure, the nature of the terrorists was evident in their tactics. Witnesses said that one of the terrorists was standing beside a woman holding a baby when he

triggered his bomb as the train pulled into the Oval Tube sta-tion. After a small explosion the bomber, described as being only 19 years old, was chased by pas-sengers but escaped.

Another man’s rucksack partially exploded in a train crowded with shoppers. At Shep-herd’s Bush a man was seen run-ning away along the tracks. The London Ambulance Service said there were no injuries in the inci-dents at Shepherd’s Bush, Oval and Warren Street Tube stations and on a bus in Hackney.

Police sources said the sus-pects were described as either Asian or black. Tony Blair said he

believed that people were “canny enough” to know the terrorists wanted to intimidate them into changing their lifestyles. He urged them to resist.

Beneath the shock that another four people might have been prepared to die to bring carnage to London’s transport system, police were cautiously optimistic that the terrorists had opened a door to their secrets.

Sir Ian Blair, the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, con-fi rmed that some of the devices failed to explode.

“We do believe that this may represent a signifi cant break-through in the sense that there

is forensic material at these scenes,” he said.

There were reports of small explosions in the Warren Street train and on the bus and of white smoke at the Oval. It was unclear if the attackers were suicide bombers, but similarities to the events of a fortnight earlier were marked.

Again, the targets were three Tube trains, although this time it was 12.25pm instead of 8.50am when the bombers struck. That was followed, almost an hour later, by the bus bomb.

As in the fi rst terror attack, the bombs were put to the north, south, east and west of central

London and the proximity of the men involved to the devices sug-gested that they too were would-be suicide bombers.

Sir Ian said: “We have vis-ited all the scenes and we have recovered quite a lot of material, which is very helpful to us. We have tested for CBRN (chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear agents) and there is nothing of that nature.”

The Prime Minister was hav-ing lunch with John Howard, the Australian prime minister, in 10 Downing Street when he was told of the incidents at 1.15pm.

“I think that everyone is canny enough to know what these peo-

ple are trying to do, whoever is responsible for this latest inci-dent, and that is to intimidate people and to scare them and to frighten them to stop them going about their normal business,” Mr Blair said.

“It is important that we respond by keeping to our normal lives and doing what we want to do because to do otherwise is in a sense to give them the very thing they are looking for. It is not going to change what we do.”

Reports: Pages 2-7Ahmed Rashid: Page 28W. F. Deedes: Page 29Editorial Comment: Page 29

µ Four bombers on the run as copycat suicide attack failsµ Narrow escape for passengers on three Tube trains and bus

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BRITAIN’S BEST - SELLING QUALITY DAILYwww.telegraph.co.uk

NEWSPAPER OF THE YEAR

DIGESTNEWSPowergen raised the price of its gas by 11·9 per cent along with a 7·2 per cent increase for its electricity. P8

About 190,000 people are hurt in hospitals each year as a result of safety lapses, according to a Government report. P9

The Prince of Wales praised French farmers, saying their unpaced way of life was why so many Britons fl ocked across the Channel. P11

Police are to strip down to swimming costumes or trunks to catch prowlers who pester bathers for sex on a Dorset beach. P11

W E A T H E R 2 L E T T E R S 2 9 O B I T U A R I E S 3 1 S U D O K U 3 2 T V & R A D I O 3 2 - 3 3 C R O S S W O R D 4 0

The French fashion house Chloé is taking legal action over a £1,086 bag, while the high street chain Kookai sells a version for £35. P12

A tenth of pupils have mental health problems, which are exacerbated by schools’ behaviour policies, Ofsted inspectors said. P13

Challengers for the Tory party leadership will face a “beauty contest” at the October conference. P14

The shadow chancellor George Osborne is everyone’s favourite new boy as he takes on Gordon Brown. P14 Three people in “shaken baby” cases had their convictions quashed but a fourth was upheld by appeal court judges. P15

MARKETS▲ FTSE 100 5221.6 +6.4▼ DOW JONES 10627.8 -61.3

Football: Manchester United arrived in Hong Kong for a lucrative pre-season tour with doubts remaining over the long-term future of the England defender Rio Ferdinand. S3

Cycling: The American Lance Armstrong remained on course for his seventh consecutive victory in the Tour de France with another strong performance in the 118-mile 18th stage from Albi to the Massif Central. S2

Britain has allowed militant Muslims freedom to preach.Ahmed Rashid P28

Our immigration policy has not been in the best interests of the immigrants.W.F. Deedes P29

SPORT

COMMENT

The Chinese bowed to years of international pressure and revalued the yuan, raising the currency by two per cent from 8·3 to 8·11 against the dollar. The adjustment was welcomed by the United States, where there has been an outcry against cheap Chinese imports. However, the move has been seen as more political than economic at this stage. P35

The Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra lost its appeal against a VAT ruling. Tax experts believe that the judgment will have a serious impact on the entire charity sector. P38

BUS INESSChina will have 23 million bachelors by 2020 because more boys than girls are being born. P16

Armed police in Zimbabwe are clearing churches of people whose homes were demolished by President Mugabe’s forces. P16 Silvio Berlusconi, Italy’s prime minister, urged his Sicilian party chief to have a hair transplant. P17

Australian troops defeated the British in Iraq to win the fi rst stage of the limited over “Desert Ashes”. P18

Sudan apologised to Condoleezza Rice, the US Secretary of State, after her entourage was pushed and threatened in Khartoum. P19

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