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7/7 inquests: Coroner rules victims unlawfully killed 7/7 inquests: Emergency delays 'did not cause deaths'
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The coroner at the 7/7 London bombings inquests has formally ruled that the 52 people who died in the suicide attacks were unlawfully killed. Delays in the emergency services' response to the 7/7 London bombings did not cause the death of any of the 52 victims, the coroner has said.
href="http://7julyinquests.independent.gov.uk/docs/orders/rule43-report.pdf" >Lady Justice Hallett's report made recommendations she said "may save lives". She ruled out any further inquiries or inquests for the bombers. But Lady Justice Hallett, at the end of the inquests on the 52, criticised lapses in the actions of the emergency services and of MI5.
She said there was no evidence that any organisational or individual failings "caused or contributed to the deaths". href="http://7julyinquests.independent.gov.uk/docs/orders/rule43-report.pdf" >Making nine recommendations that aim to "save lives", she ruled out any further inquiries, or inquests on the bombers.
More than 700 people were injured in the four suicide bomb attacks in 2005. She ruled that the victims had been unlawfully killed.
Speaking to a packed courtroom that had awaited her conclusions during 19 weeks of evidence, she thanked the bereaved for their "understanding, support and quiet dignity". More than 700 people were injured in the 2005 attacks.
The bombers targeted Tube trains at Aldgate, Edgware Road and Russell Square and a double decker bus in Tavistock Square. Speaking to a packed courtroom that had awaited her conclusions during 19 weeks of evidence, Lady Justice Hallett thanked the bereaved for their "understanding, support and quiet dignity".
The inquests heard 309 witnesses and a further 197 statements. The bombers targeted Tube trains at Aldgate, Edgware Road and Russell Square and a double decker bus in Tavistock Square. Nearly six years on, the inquests heard 309 witnesses and a further 197 statements.
The recommendations covered MI5, the emergency services and Transport for London.
Heads of the services said they were proud of the work done by police, paramedics and firefighters on the day, adding that they would take time to digest the coroner's recommendations.
Andy Trotter, chief constable of the British Transport Police, said his force would "take time" to read the coroner's recommendations, while London Ambulance Service chief executive Peter Bradley said he recognised some aspects of their response "should have been better".
After Lady Justice Hallett gave her unlawful killing verdicts, counsel to the inquests Hugo Keith QC read the names of the victims.After Lady Justice Hallett gave her unlawful killing verdicts, counsel to the inquests Hugo Keith QC read the names of the victims.
These inquests ended as they had begun with the names of the 52 victims read slowly to a hushed court.These inquests ended as they had begun with the names of the 52 victims read slowly to a hushed court.
All those present silently recalled the months of testimony - how each victim had touched the world - and the terrible manner of their passing.All those present silently recalled the months of testimony - how each victim had touched the world - and the terrible manner of their passing.
Lady Justice Hallett's verdict of unlawful killings was a given. Her recommendations for agencies will require more debate. She says MI5 could have done some things differently - but also acknowledges the massive burden it faced combating al-Qaeda in 2004-05. Lady Justice Hallett's verdict of unlawful killing was a given. Her recommendations for agencies will require more debate. She says MI5 could have done some things differently - but also acknowledges the massive burden it faced combating al-Qaeda in 2004-05.
But she also urges significant changes to the emergency services in London. She also urges significant changes to the emergency services in London.
Almost a quarter of a century after the King's Cross underground fire, the coroner notes that there are still failings in how the emergency services and Transport For London talk to each other and plan for major incidents.Almost a quarter of a century after the King's Cross underground fire, the coroner notes that there are still failings in how the emergency services and Transport For London talk to each other and plan for major incidents.
There should be no more inquiries into 7/7, she says, but the response needs to be better should it ever happen again.There should be no more inquiries into 7/7, she says, but the response needs to be better should it ever happen again.
She said there was no evidence that any organisational or individual failings had "caused or contributed to the deaths".
There was praise for the efforts of both the Security Services and the emergency services, as well as recommendations to improve systems for the future.
One was that MI5 should review its procedures on showing photographs to informants.
The inquest had heard the security services failed to show a colour surveillance photograph of two of the bombers to a supergrass before the attacks.
The coroner recommended in her report that MI5 review its procedures on showing photographs to informants.
She also expressed concerns about the Security Service's record-keeping, criticising the "accuracy and completeness of information provided by MI5 " to Parliament's Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC).
Lady Justice Hallett said that the inquests had revealed inaccuracies in the ISC's reports on the bombings, some of which were more significant than others.
She said MI5's chief of staff - who gave evidence as 'Witness G' - had "seemed to accept" during the hearings that the ISC had received information in closed hearings from the Security Service - but subsequent mistakes in a committee report were not corrected.
"It remains unclear how the inaccuracies came about and why they were not corrected," she said.
"It may be that some were the results of the service's poor record-keeping and at least one inaccuracy according to 'G' was 'because we didn't brief them correctly'."
'Real difficulties'
With the examination of the emergency service response having been a major part of the inquiry's remit, the coroner concluded that the problems encountered had not led to any deaths.With the examination of the emergency service response having been a major part of the inquiry's remit, the coroner concluded that the problems encountered had not led to any deaths.
"I'm satisfied on balance of probabilities that each victim would have died whatever time the emergency services had arrived," she said."I'm satisfied on balance of probabilities that each victim would have died whatever time the emergency services had arrived," she said.
She added that all the expert medical and scientific evidence on the nature of the blasts shows that none could have survived, such was the nature of their injuries. But she said emergency services must work better with each other at major incidents to help them respond more quickly and "hopefully prevent future deaths".
All the services encountered "real difficulties" in locating each other in the immediate wake of the bombings.
Having heard countless testimonies to the bravery of individuals on the day - including survivors, passers-by, and rescue workers - she said she had "run out of superlatives" for their courage.Having heard countless testimonies to the bravery of individuals on the day - including survivors, passers-by, and rescue workers - she said she had "run out of superlatives" for their courage.
Lady Justice Hallet said in her opening remarks that she was not aware of having left any reasonable stone unturned during the inquests. Lady Justice Hallett said in her opening remarks that she was not aware of having left any reasonable stone unturned during the inquests.
The proceedings had gone "much further than simply recording the sad fact that 52 innocent members of the travelling public were unlawfully killed in a dreadful act of terrorism," she said.The proceedings had gone "much further than simply recording the sad fact that 52 innocent members of the travelling public were unlawfully killed in a dreadful act of terrorism," she said.
"We have explored in detail the circumstances of the deaths of each of the individuals and the adequacy of the emergency response.
"We have examined the background of [bombers] Mohammad Sidique Khan, Shehzad Tanweer, Hasib Hussain and Germaine Lindsay, the extent to which any of them had previously come to the attention of the authorities and how they were assessed by the security service.
"We have unearthed material that has never previously seen the light of day," she said."We have unearthed material that has never previously seen the light of day," she said.
'No more superlatives'
She said that earlier concerns that the inquests could not provide a thorough investigation into MI5 and security issues had proved "unfounded".She said that earlier concerns that the inquests could not provide a thorough investigation into MI5 and security issues had proved "unfounded".
While MI5 and police had produced material that was relevant but could not be published, the coroner said she was satisfied with the inquiry's public scrutiny of the Security Service's action.
She criticised the "accuracy and completeness of information provided by MI5 " to Parliament's Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC).
Lady Justice Hallett said that the inquests had revealed inaccuracies in the ISC's reports on the bombings, some of which were more significant than others.
She said MI5's chief of staff - who gave evidence as 'Witness G' - had "seemed to accept" during the hearings that the ISC had received information in closed hearings from the Security Service - but subsequent mistakes in a committee report were not corrected.
"It remains unclear how the inaccuracies came about and why they were not corrected," she said.
"It may be that some were the results of the service's poor record-keeping and at least one inaccuracy according to 'G' was 'because we didn't brief them correctly'."
The remit of the inquests at the Royal Courts of Justice in London included investigating the emergency services' response on the day and considering whether MI5 could have prevented the attacks.
The relatives of those who died said they wanted lessons to be learned and for their loss to contribute to the saving of lives of others in future.
The inquest heard the security services failed to show a colour surveillance photograph of two of the bombers to a supergrass before the attacks.
The coroner recommended in her report that MI5 review its procedures on showing photographs to informants.
She made nine recommendations for MI5, the emergency services and Transport for London, aimed at saving lives in future.
The hearings revealed the confusion of the emergency services and transport controllers as the full extent of the situation emerged. There was a shortage of vital equipment, and mobile phones and radios did not work underground, the inquest was told.