DAR AL HARB - U.K.: LONDON ON THE BRINK OF ITS OWN INTIFADA - BRITISH INFIDELS NEEDS TO FEEL HUMILIATED & SUBDUED

Al Qaeda suspected of massive bomb attack on nightclub

The threat of terror returned to London today after a car bomb was found outside a West End nightclub.

The apparent target was Tiger Tiger in Haymarket, where up to 1,700 people were inside on 'ladies night'.

It is feared the attack is the work of Al Qaeda militants, who plotted a similar attack on the capital's Ministry of Sound nightclub and Bluewater shopping centre. The British-born Al Qaeda gang was jailed last month.

Police were called shortly before 2am this morning and the immediate area was cordoned off while explosives officers made the 'potentially viable device' safe.

Police sources say the car bomb was a 'big device' which was potentially moments away from killing a 'significant number' of people.

Witnesses have told how a silver Mercedes appeared to swerve into some bins beside the road before it stopped and the driver walked away at around 1.30am. Security staff became suspicious and looked into the car and then alerted police.

According to the police there were at least 60 litres of petrol on the back seat and in the boot of the car in various sized containers. The boot was also packed with hundreds of nails.

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London car bomb 'packed with nails and gas'

London escaped what could have been its worst terrorist attack this morning when a car bomb packed with nails, gas canisters and containers of petrol apparently failed to detonate outside a popular West End nightclub hosting a 'ladies' night'.

Police were called to Tiger Tiger nightclub on Haymarket near Piccadilly Circus shortly before 2am when smoke was seen coming from the inside of a Mercedes car parked outside.

Unconfirmed reports said that a man had been seen running away from the vehicle.

Inside officers discovered "significant quantities" of petrol, believed to be 60 litres, plus nails and gas cylinders.

They used a remote-controlled device to check the vehicle, which was parked in Haymarket, before bomb squad officers made it safe.

If the device had exploded, police said that the shrapnel would have killed or injured anyone within a wide area. The bomb could have caused a fireball as big as a house followed by a large shock wave.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Peter Clarke, head of Scotland Yard’s counter-terrorism command, said: "It is obvious that if the device had detonated there could have been significant injury or loss of life."

The incident came on Gordon Brown's second full day in 10 Downing Street, marking his first real test as Prime Minister. Mr Brown was due to host a Cabinet meeting today and said that he would remind his ministers that "vigilance must be maintained".

Mr Clark said that police had initially been notified when an ambulance crew called to attend to an unrelated incident in the Tiger Tiger club saw smoke coming from the car.

"The police were called and Metropolitan Police explosives officers went to the scene and examined the car," he told a press conference.

"In the car they found significant quantities of petrol together with a number of gas cylinders.
"I cannot tell you how much petrol, because we have not had a chance to measure it but I can tell you that it was in several large containers. There were also a large number of nails in the vehicle.

"It is appropriate for me to pay tribute to the courage and skill of the explosives officers who manually disabled the device - and in so doing not only did their actions prevent injury and loss of property, but has given us the opportunity to gather forensic evidence."

Today the area directly around the bar was closed off all morning by officers as they checked the vehicle, which was later taken away for further examination. Piccadilly Circus station was also closed, although it was reopened at lunchtime.

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Pertinent Links:

1) Al Qaeda suspected of massive bomb attack on nightclub

2) London car bomb 'packed with nails and gas'