London

As abhorrent as today’s terrorist bombings in London are, the perpetrators of this heinous act against humanity picked the right city at the right time to maximize news coverage worldwide. London is the media capital of Europe (though some may argue Brussels). The presence in Scotland of the G8 world leaders and last weekend’s Live 8 concert put the global media spotlight squarely on this city on The Thames. The unexpected awarding of the 2012 Olympic Games was icing on the cake.

What was missing through the carnage was the message. Just as Mr Geldof leveraged celebrity to raise awareness for poverty in Africa, these terrorists use death and destruction to highlight their cause. Unfortunately, they fail to understand that their wanton acts invariably overshadow the cause, whatever it may be. Perhaps they simply wish to “take responsibility” for killing and maiming as many innocent people as possible?