7/7 bombing 20 years on: What happened on morning that brought Middle East war to London

More than 52 people died and a further 770 people were injured when four British-born suicide bombers set off explosives across the London transport system during the morning peak hour, in Britain's deadliest terror attack

15:48, 06 Jul 2025

[One of the buses that was destroyed in the July 7 terrorist attack in London.]

The blast that tore through a double decker bus killed 13 people(Image: PA)

July 7 marks the 20th anniversary of the 7/7 London bombings, the deadliest terrorist attacks on British soil which left 52 people dead and more than 700 injured.

In a coordinated mission, four suicide bombers set off explosives across London during the morning rush with the aim of killing as many innocent people as they could. The attack lasted just an hour.

The four British-born bombers intentionally targeted the capitals transport system so to maximise casualties and damage. Three blasts took place on the London Underground, with the fourth going off on a double-decker bus travelling through central London shortly after. Now, 20 years on from the devastating tragedy, Daily Star looks back at what exactly happened on that wretched morning.

[Armed police on patrol at London's Kings Cross Station Thursday August 4, 2005]

The blasts were London's deadliest terrorist attack(Image: PA)

The tragic event - what happened

Four bombs were detonated across London between 8:47am and 9:49am by homegrown Islamist terrorists who stuffed rucksacks full of explosives while using the London transport system.

Three of the terrorists detonated their explosives on train lines that had departed Kings Cross shortly before 8.50am - the Circle Line heading west towards Paddington, the Circle Line heading east, and the Piccadilly Line.

The westbound Circle Line bomb went off at Edgware Road at The eastbound Circle Line train exploded between Liverpool Street and Aldgate.

The deadliest of the blasts was the Piccadilly Line, with the bomb being detonated between Kings Cross and Russell Square. The bomber detonated his device hear to the rear set of double doors of the front carriage just seconds after it pulled out of Kings Cross station.

The fourth device went off at 9.47am - about an hour after the first explosions - on the number 30 bus in Tavistock Square, near to Kings Cross.

The bus was blown up in front of the headquarters of the British Medical Association, where a conference was being held. Dozens of doctors rushed to provide lifesaving help.

[A London Underground train which was involved in the bomb attack at Aldgate tube station in London on July 7, 2005]

Three blasts ripped through three Tubes(Image: AFP/Getty Images)

Who carried out the attack?

Four Leeds-based men were responsible for attack. Ringleader Mohammed Sidique Khan, Shehzad Tanweer, Hasib Hussain, and Jermaine Lindsay, then aged 30, 22, 18 and 19 respectively, were all radicalised from a young age.

Khan detonated his device on the westbound Circle Line, while Tawnier detonated his device on the east bound Circle Line. Germain Lindsay triggered his bomb on the Piccadilly Line and Hussain killed himself on the double-decker bus.

The team plotted out the attack in fine detail, including buying ice from supermarkets to keep their explosives cool while travelling to London. They made their bombs using an al-Qaeda-created chemical recipe.

On the morning of the attack, Khan, Tawnier and Hussain travelled from Leeds in a rental car to Luton where they met Lindsay before catching the train into London. The foursome arrived at Kings Cross station at 8.23am before separating to go on their final, separate journeys.

[Christian 'Njoya' Small]

Christian 'Njoya' Small was one of the victims of the blasts(Image: PA)

Who are the victims?

The four blasts killed 52 Londoners and injured a further 770.

The deadliest of the blasts was the Piccadilly Line bomb, which killed 26 people, with 13 more killed in the double-decker blast, seven in Aldgate and six in the Edgware Road attack.

Most of the victims were Londoners heading into work for the day. Many of the injured lost arms or legs and have been left to battle crippling post traumatic stress disorder.

One survivor, Philip Ductwork, was blinded in one eye by a fragment of Tawniers shin bone.

Marine Wright lost both her legs in the Aldgate blast. She went on to compete in the Paralympics in seated volleyball.

Dan Biddle also lost both his legs in the attack. He can still recall looking into Khans eyes moments before Khan detonated the bomb.

Speaking to the BBC, Dan said: As as we pulled out of Edgware Road station, I could feel somebody staring at me. I was just about to turn around and say, 'What are you looking at?', and I see him put his hand in the bag.

"And then there was a just a brilliantly white, bright flash - heat like I've never experienced before.

Dan went on to say that he saw this guy literally disassemble himself in front of me.

[Karolina Gluck ]

Karolina Gluck was also killed in the attack(Image: PA)

Victim's legacies

Many of the London Bombing survivors and families of the victims have gone on to bring about positive change in memory of their loved ones and those who lost their lives in the attack.

Initiatives include the Miriam Hyman Childrens Eye Care Centre in Bhubaneswar, India, set up in memory of Miriam Hyman, a 31-year-old picture researcher who died in the blast.

The family of solicitor Fiona Stevenson, who was killed in the explosion at Aldgate, set up a project in Belize that has gone on to teach thousands of children how to swim.

A fund set up to honour Michael Matsushita, contributes funds to five orphanages in Cambodia and Vietnam.

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City gardens, a childrens unit at the Eden Valley hospice and bursaries for IT students at Birbeck, University of London have also been set up to honour the dead.

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