Terrorists target London

Written by Vincent Cable MP and published in The Informer on Sun 10th Jul 2005

Some residents will long remember the appalling terrorist atrocity last week because they were involved or had friends or relatives who were. Most have been shocked and alarmed.

I was travelling on the bus and then on foot near the area hit by two of the bombs and was struck by the composure and lack of panic of the crowds and by the professionalism of the emergency services.

It is clear that the bombers were not only ruthlessly well organised but politically sophisticated. They understood that the world's eyes would be on Britain during the G8 meeting and the decision on the Olympics.

There will be soul searching about security on public transport but the truth is that some targets are simply vulnerable. There is no way that bags can be checked on and off buses or commuter trains. Security invariably reflects the last atrocity not the next one. That is why there are no litter bins on stations, as if terrorists couldn't think of other receptacles for their bombs.

The main fall out will be political. The government will be pressed to get out of Iraq immediately to make us less of a target. I happen to have opposed the war and I support a timetable for withdrawal. But it would be dangerously wrong to act under pressure from terrorists. The government must do nothing to give Al-Qaeda bombers the impression that terrorism works.

Similarly the Olympics. I was personally unenthusiastic about the Olympic bid and I worry about the massive bill tax payers could be landed with. But now that we have won the Games we should not back down because terrorists have exposed London's vulnerability.

One of the great things about Britain is that such attacks unite the country, not divide it. It must remain so.