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7 July 2010updated 27 Sep 2015 2:18am

7/7 bombings: as they were reported

Breaking news reports from 7 July 2005.

By Samira Shackle

The 7/7 bombs sent shockwaves through London. Most people can remember where they were at the time — I was on holiday, frantically making phone calls to family and, unable to get through, glued to the television to find out what had happened.

One of the most difficult aspects of the hours after the attacks was, as with any major incident, the lack of clear and accurate information. It’s interesting to look back and see how the major news channels responded as the full picture gradually emerged.

Sky News

 

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This coverage shows how the attacks were initially reported as a “power surge”. The clip captures the dawning realisation of what really might have happened as a reporter describes the explosion on the bus near Russell Square (obviously, this could not be attritbuted to a power surge), and a statement from the National Grid comes in saying that staff had not noticed any exceptional activity.

BBC

 

This short clip reports that there had been seven bombs; as we now know, there had been only four.

ITV

 

This ITV footage reports how Visor Consultancy was carrying out a drill for what to do in the event of a suicide bomb (on behalf of the private sector), using a scenario almost exactly the same as the events that unfolded. The chilling coincidence has given rise to numerous conspiracy theories.

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