 "History Today: When London was rocked by its worst terror attack since World War II")
On July 7, 2005, London faced its worst attack since World War II when bombs went off at three Underground stations and on a double-decker bus.
The suicide bombings killed 56 people, including the bombers, and around 700 others were injured.
Also on this day in 1981, US President Ronald Reagan announced he was putting forward Arizona Judge Sandra Day O’Connor’s name to become the first female justice to serve on the US Supreme Court.
As part of Firstpost Explainers’ History Today series, here’s a look at what happened on July 7:
2005 London bombings
On the morning of July 7, 2005, London was hit by a series of explosions during rush hour. Bombs went off in three busy Underground trains and on a city bus.
The suicide attacks, believed at the time to be linked to al-Qaeda, killed 56 people, including the bombers, and left about 700 injured.
This was the deadliest attack on Britain since World War II. No alert was issued before the blasts.
The train bombs went off on the London Underground around 8:50 am, in three different locations.
About an hour later, a double-decker bus near Tavistock Square on Upper Woburn Place was also targeted. The blast tore the roof off the bus.
The bombings took place while world leaders, including British Prime Minister Tony Blair, were gathered at the G8 summit in Scotland.
Speaking shortly after the news broke, Blair described the attacks as barbaric and said the timing, during the summit, was likely deliberate.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsOf the four bombers, three were born in Britain and one in Jamaica. On September 1, 2005, al-Qaeda officially claimed responsibility in a video aired on the Al-Jazeera network.
Just two weeks later, on July 21, another four men tried to carry out a second set of attacks on the city’s transport system. But these bombs did not go off as planned. The suspects were arrested by the end of the month.
Sandra Day nominated to US Supreme Court
On this day in 1981, US President Ronald Reagan declared that he would nominate Arizona Judge Sandra Day O’Connor to the Supreme Court, making her the first woman ever to be chosen for the role.
During his 1980 campaign, Reagan had vowed to nominate a woman to the top court as soon as the chance arose. He picked O’Connor from a list of around two dozen male and female candidates as his first Supreme Court nominee.
The US Senate later unanimously approved her appointment on September 21. She was sworn in by Chief Justice Warren Burger on September 25.
Sandra Day earned her law degree in just two years and graduated near the top of her class. She went on to marry John Jay O’Connor III, a fellow student.
Despite her academic success, she faced rejection from law firms because she was a woman. She then entered public service and got a job as deputy county attorney in San Mateo, California.
In 1953, her husband was drafted into the US Army and posted to West Germany as a military judge. Sandra worked there as a civilian lawyer for the army.
She became Arizona’s assistant attorney general in 1965 and was appointed to a vacant seat in the state senate in 1969.
After winning elections, she became the first woman in the country to serve as majority leader of a state senate.
This Day, That Year
1797: For the first time in US history, the House of Representatives used its power to impeach and voted to charge Senator William Blount of Tennessee.
1898: The United States annexed Hawaii, which later became a territory in 1900 and a state in 1959.
1981: Former India captain and legendary wicketkeeper-batter Mahendra Singh Dhoni was born.
2013: Andy Murray ended a 77-year wait for a British men’s singles champion at Wimbledon by beating Novak Djokovic in the final.
2021: Haitian President Jovenel Moise was assassinated, and his wife was injured in a late-night attack at their home.
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