The Day we hoped never to have come ...

Although it has been a year since we moved out of London, this time exactly last year, I was in London. So when I heard about the 4 blasts yesterday, 3 on the tube and 1 on the bus, I was greatly shocked. Our first instinct was to contact our friends and neighbours over in London. Luckily two of my friends were online, they were in zone 5, thus unaffected. Kakteh, well I managed to chat with Awang Goneng who assured me that she was fine although stranded in Bayswater somewhere. We texted our friends and ex-collagues, who replied saying that they are OK, either they were not working in Zone 1 or, are in London, having to find their way by foot to their various destination. We were relieved.

And all day, our eyes were glued on BBC, waiting to see the news, the pictures, the number of casualties. London has been a city so close to our heart, and seeing it under sieged as it was, was definitely heart wrenching.

Worst still we fear what repercussions and implications this attack will have on us in the future. This attack "bearing all the hallmarks of the Al-Qaeda network" with a "Muslim group" claiming responsibility, does this mean that racism will be on the rise? Does that mean that UK will adopt the US's policy of making it almost impossible for a Muslim person to visit the country? So far the politicians, the British broadcasters have been very careful when pointing their fingers. Perhaps its their training but I must say kudos to them for trying.

I guess the main aim of these attacks is to bring terror to the normal masses. But I cringe to think what sort of twisted mindset that actually planned and carried out the attacks. Afterall the victims are normal working class folk, the ordinary people, you and I, who commute to work daily. Not the rich who could afford to drive themselves or be driven to work. But ordinary folk on the streets trying to make a living for themselves.

Even before these attacks I was always nervous when riding the tube. Whenever the trains stopped in the tunnel for more than 5 minutes, I did get fidgety, because unfortunately the London Underground has had a history of many mishaps. Derailments, trains colliding, and power loss amongst other things. But these bombings, they are done out of real evil purpose, for murdering countless number of people, is something else altogether. It is the work of a sick human mind(s).

Let us hope that these bombings in London is the first and the last. I pray that those responsibile for the act is quickly apprehended and brought to justice. But I fear that a section of the community might just be victimized and face the backlash of the evil act of the demented few.