03:02pm Breaking News
The Sky news helicopter hovered above Balham in South East London as it filmed police activity outside a house in leafy Ramsden Street. Police and Forensic officers in white boiler suits were quickly moving between incident response vehicles and a residence midway down the street.
In the studio Richard Butler continued live coverage of the days events, supported by his panel.
Richard Butler, “As Sky viewers can see the events of today seem to link to an apartment in Balham and a luxurious residence in West Purley. This story will take a lot of unraveling but Sky news will keep you as up to date as we can, as more breaks on this extraordinary and dark day in London. James the latest on the hospital explosion?”
James Marshall, “the police are saying all the indicators suggest a bomb was detonated under the hospital. Now it has emerged that the suspect had links with the man whose body has been recovered from the London Aquarium. Some months before they shared business interests and proposals with a large international media company.”
Richard Butler, “Yet all eye witnesses Sky news spoke to, from the security staff to the visitors, no device could be seen with the attacker in the aquarium?”
James Marshall, “Not visible no, but late last year we had the Christmas day attack on the Detroit bound plane where the bomber concealed his explosives in his underwear. So we may be facing a situation similar to there. Possibly a much more sophisticated and I have to say powerful device than the failed device there.”
Richard Butler, “So we believe the two are linked?”
James Marshall, “Unconfirmed but officers speaking to Sky news are saying these two men appear to have been working together. And adding to the mix two bodies have been found, one male in and one female nearby the Balham apartment we can see from the Sky helicopter. It is alleged this is the home of the second bomber.”
Richard Butler turned to his extended panel, “Former Vice-Admiral Peter Brough-Clove, is this the work of Al-Qaeda?”
Peter Brough-Clove, “I don’t think so. We have five dead who all had some link of some kind or another to each other, with a sixth friend having died in strange circumstances a short while before, he drowned after being attacked I understand. None are Muslim or linked to Muslim groups, no evidence of radicalization that we can see either. However, there are some patterns of behaviour that are not dissimilar to the actions of a terrorist cell. Alienation from family and loved ones, reclusive behaviours, dropping out of work and college. That kind of thing. What is missing is a cause, it is too early to tell, but there is no obvious binding cause to drive this group on to commit such an act.”
Richard Butler, “You say group but in fact or from what we know, only two of the six who are dead have carried out the attack. The others could indeed be victims themselves. Professor Bryars, I turn to you as an expert in extremist group behaviours, what do you see here today?”
Professor Joyce Bryars, “From the picture that is emerging I see the actions of a group driven by a cause or religious type belief which would be viewed as perhaps alien to mainstream society. Often groups like these experience substantial tension between members, which leads me to believe we are witnessing the disintegration of a cult. The whole picture is more akin with a cult as opposed to a terrorist group. The man who died in the aquarium bombing I understand was an enigmatic and educated scholar from a professional background. He had some extreme ideas about human kind and almost religious beliefs about our ability to reconnect with history.”
Richard Butler, “This is the background Sky news has found, which is emerging from University College London, where he was studying?”
Professor Joyce Bryars, “Precisely and his links with the West Purley media business man were to do with a failed proposal on a business proposition put to a large media company about four months ago. It was some kind of communication and social network business case. It is difficult to know how this links to events here, possibly they needed an income to keep going and when this failed maybe financial issues have played a role here. It is too early to know. However, the two seem to have combined with some shared strong beliefs, strong enough to feel the need to object in the most horrific of circumstances as we have seen today.”
Richard Butler, “and the deaths of their friends Professor?”
Professor Joyce Bryars, “I am merely speculating but perhaps they disagreed with the intended attacks, perhaps that disagreement has led to violent altercations. Two men have carried out suicide bomb attacks and the three who knew one of them, possibly both of them, have died violent deaths. This kind of pattern is what one would find in extreme cults, take Waco for example.”
Richard Butler, “Professor Bryars, Former Vice-Admiral Peter Brough-Clove and of course James Marshall thank you for now. We will of course return to this after the break. Coming up on Sky news, though it seems a little inconsequential today, the sport and weather. We will be right back.”
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About the Author
This is Michael McCourt’s first novel. He would love to hear comments and feedback on Tempus Genesis. There is the possibility of a second book, Michael would welcome your thoughts on this. Find him at;
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=684360476
Or email him;
[email protected]
Tempus Genesis Page 69
