Eight hours on...

London is coping quite well given the circumstances. Within hours, the public transport has re-opened for some areas after a total shutdown. The reconstruction of events are also swift. A carpooling website had been set up to help those stranded - an admirable display of kindness amongst Londoners.

What I find most heart-warming is the obvious attempts by some public figures, such as the Mayor for London, Ken Livingston, and Deputy Assistant Commissioner Brian Paddick of the Metropolitan Police to deflect any backlash against Muslims here.

Mr Livingstone said: "This was not a terrorist attack against the mighty and the powerful. It was not aimed at presidents or prime ministers. It was aimed at ordinary working class people." He also stressed that the attack did not discriminate race, creed or religion.

When asked by a reporter whether it was the work of Islamic terrorists, Dep. Asst. Com. Paddick responded that those two words did not go together, and went on to explain that Islam does not support the use of violence on civilians.

I do think all these comments will help to stem the backlash. At any rate, it is very much appreciated and will do lots to foster relations in the long run. Warm fuzzy feelings all round!

If it were the Al-Qaeda or whoever who did it, especially if over Iraq, I think they had done a gross injustice as a lot of Brits were against the war and protested against it. Then again, anyone who attacks civilians are...sorry, words fail me.