When terror strikes, Howard is not far behind

John Howard

Is it a bizarre coincidence or is Australian Prime Minister John Howard just unlucky?

Howard found himself in the thick of a terrorist bomb scare in London yesterday when he lunched with British Prime Minister Tony Blair at Downing St.

It was exactly two weeks since four bombs exploded on three London Underground trains and a double-decker bus, killing 56 people, including an Australian and a New Zealander.

It's not the first time Howard has been in the midst of a terrorist alarm. On September 11, 2001, when 3000 were killed at the World Trade Centre in New York, Howard was in Washington, where another plane hijacked by terrorists slammed into the Pentagon.

Howard's morning in London began sedately enough with a walk in Hyde Park and a speech to business executives, as Australia made a dismal start against England on the opening day of the first Ashes test at Lord's.

But by the middle of his hour-long lunch with Blair, their chat about Iraq, terrorism and London's winning bid for the 2012 Olympic Games was interrupted by the news of explosions on three trains and a double-decker bus. As Blair rushed to convene an emergency security meeting of key Cabinet ministers, Howard managed to keep a meeting with Chancellor Gordon Brown.

Then it was on to face questions at a press conference with Blair, the second time in as many days Howard was in the media's glare. The day before he stood beside US President George W. Bush to condemn terrorism.

- AAP