UK police

[AtW]

I have to say that I am profoundly impressed at how quickly UK police made solid progress in such a hard case (London bombing). I am impressed so much that I am prepared to take their words about prevented attacks in the past at face value.

It is also clear that CCTV is invaluable in this sort of things (even though bombers had IDs on them this time). I am a libertarian but I think CCTV in public places is proportional and reasonable so long as there is clear data retention strategy, ie no more than say 7 days.

[Francko]

How about russian police? Would they have shot the first chechens passing by and claimed it was them who did it?

[AtW]

How about russian police? Would they have shot the first chechens passing by and claimed it was them who did it?

This is what they generally do -- Russian police immediately claims they know who "ordered terorist act, put around some names and then report they killed perpetrators in fight in Chechnya. They report those dead for years to come as if something is being done about.

Another approach is to take some scapegoat and make sure the court gives harsh sentence.

One thing can be for sure -- UK policemen do not seek to take bribes from asian looking persons stopped at random everywhere, this is what Russian police mainly does in response to terrorist attack.

[thunderlizard]

Aye, I suspect that if this had happened in Russia then Beeston and Dewsbury would be rubble by now.
I agree, the soldiers of Babylon have done us proud this time.
#tl

[Not So Wise]

Not overly susprised at their speed myself, as I said on the day CCTV camera's are so dense in London, especially on the multiple forms of public transport, that it would take them no time to identify the bombers.

This is not London of the 80's and 90's where terrorists like the IRA can get in, plant a bomb and get away again without being filmed on CCTV and thus identified, it now virtually requires a suicide bomber, aka someone who does not care about being identified because they have no intension of "getting away with it"

[WageSlave]

One thing can be for sure -- UK policemen do not seek to take bribes from asian looking persons stopped at random everywhere

They don't limit that trick to Asians or terrorists. Just speaking English is enough for them to try their luck, although they usually back off if you can speak Russian and demonstrate an understanding of the laws.

[zathras]

Not overly susprised at their speed myself, as I said on the day CCTV camera's are so dense in London, especially on the multiple forms of public transport, that it would take them no time to identify the bombers.

This is not London of the 80's and 90's where terrorists like the IRA can get in, plant a bomb and get away again without being filmed on CCTV and thus identified, it now virtually requires a suicide bomber, aka someone who does not care about being identified because they have no intension of "getting away with it"

We are the most photographed nation in the world measured by the number of CCTV cameras. I think it's something like you can't walk more than 30 yards without being photographed on one. Given that I'm surprised the number of times it is reported that someone committed a crime without being on one.

[Lucifer Box]

We are the most photographed nation in the world measured by the number of CCTV cameras. I think it's something like you can't walk more than 30 yards without being photographed on one. Given that I'm surprised the number of times it is reported that someone committed a crime without being on one.

Last factoid I heard, which was about 6 months ago, is that 10% of all the CCTV cameras in the world are in the UK.

[Rebecca Loos]

but having CCTV cameras is not enough, you need:
- film
- resources to look at the film

otherwise it just becomes like an empty roadside speedtrap: useless.

wasn't the CCTV camera on board bus 30 out of action, and had been so since early June?

[swamp]

The police don't seem to have discovered anything that wasn't fairly obvious. The bombers didn't hide their identities or their remaining explosives, and why should they have done?

In a few weeks Pakistan will close down some religious schools and arrest a bunch of clerics, after the British and US authorities have bunged them a bit more 'millitary aid'.