THE FEAR OF FEAR ITSELF.....

I wouldn’t take a genius to guess the story line that most Sunday papers are leading with this morning. The only subtle difference between them centres on the issue as to whether this is a coordinated and long term campaign of suicide bombers, or the work individuals unlinked to any organisation. The fact that neither bomb exploded as intended cannot be taken as a sign of amateurism; it could be merely our good luck. The fact that they both happened within 24 hours of each other points to a degree of coordination, but at what level? The fact that both domestic and international security services had no knowledge of any intended actions raises a further problem; without any intelligence the assumption is we are dealing with individuals rather than a group. However, it worries me that once again the authorities missed all the signs because they are not up to the job.

I once again have that feeling of trepidation. Would I visit London under such circumstances, would I feel easy walking around the Metro Centre, would I sit in the Number One court at Wimbledon knowing that these are venues which would feasibly appear on any organised group of terrorists targets? The answer is no, so regardless of whether we are on the brink of a concerted campaign or faced with the actions of a disgruntled but radical local network, the two bombs have already had a massive impact in creating fear and disruption. Lets just hope that this is as bad as it gets.