The Command Post
Global War on Terror
« England: Police Evacuating Birmingham, Reports of Controlled Explosions | Main | London: Updates »
July 09, 2005
Police Confirm Controlled Explosions In Birmingham

The BBC now reports that police confirm four controlled explosions had been carried out on a bus in Birmingham:

I don't believe that the incident that we are dealing with this evening is connected with the events of 7 July in London ACC West Midlands Police, Stuart Hyde

Officers now believe that the item destroyed on the bus near the Square Peg pub had not posed a threat.

Bomb disposal experts are now investigating another suspect package in the Broad Street area.

From California Yankee.

Update: Police defend evacuations

"I can tell you that, bearing in mind the current world climate, the information we received posed a real threat to the lives of people in the city centre." The public's safety was the top priority, he said, adding: "I believe this threat was significant for me to authorise this evacuation.

Posted by Dan Spencer at July 9, 2005 08:34 PM | TrackBack
Comments

Updates from the West Midlands Police’s web site (http://www.west-midlands.police.uk/onlinepress/appeals.asp?id=648):

“3.40pm latest information

“We can now confirm that the package we are currently investigating was found in a hotel at the Travel Lodge on Broad Street. The description of this page is a box with wires coming out and a switch on top. The bomb disposal squad are still investigating this package.

“4.15am latest information

We can now confirm the package which was found at the “Travel Lodge in Birmingham city centre has the characteristics of a device but we are unable to go into further details until it has been examined and reviewed by the bomb squad.

“As far as the exclusion area is concerned, clearly we are anxious to get things back to normal as soon as possible and a decision will be made regarding this as soon as the ongoing searches are complete.”

Posted by: An Englishman in NY [TypeKey Profile Page] at July 10, 2005 12:01 AM

Of course, as soon as I post that, they update their release again:

"4.50am latest information

The bomb disposal squad have now examined the device found at the Travel Lodge in Broad St and are satisfied it is not credible.

Searches along Broad St are still ongoing but over the next hour we hope to reopen areas of the city centre. Broad St and Chinatown areas will remain cordoned off until searches are complete. "

Posted by: An Englishman in NY [TypeKey Profile Page] at July 10, 2005 12:04 AM

Post a comment

Thanks for signing in, . Now you can comment. (Click here should you choose to sign out.)

As you post your comment, please mind our simple comment policy: we welcome all perspectives, but require that comments be both civil and respectful. We also ask that you avoid the extensive use of profanity, racist terms (neither of which we consider civil or respectful), and other boorish language.

We reserve the right to delete any comment, and to prohibit you from commenting on this site, if we feel you have broached this policy. As a courtesy, we will first send you an email noting a violation so you understand the boundaries. This will occur only once, however, and should we ban you from our comment forums we expect that ban to be permanent.

We also will frown upon those who suggest that we ban other individuals for voicing unpopular opinions, should those opinions be voiced in a civil and respectful manner. The point of our comment threads is to provide a forum for spirited though civil and respectful discourse … it is not to provide a forum in which everyone will agree with your point of view.

If you can live by these rules, welcome aboard. If not, then we’re sorry it didn’t work out, and thanks for visiting The Command Post.


Remember me?