London bombings memorial unveiled

LONDON, July 7 (UPI) -- A permanent memorial to the July 7, 2005, London bombings was unveiled Tuesday in the city's Hyde Park.

Suicide bombers detonated backpacks on board three underground trains and a bus, killing 52 people in the attacks.

Relatives of the victims who saw the 11-foot, 5-inch tall steel pillars said they were a "fitting tribute," the BBC reported. Among the dignitaries on the roster of attendees were Prince Charles, Prime Minister Gordon Brown and London Mayor Boris Johnson.

The architectural firm Carmody Groarke said it wanted to convey the randomness of the bombings in designing the memorial.

The firm's director Kevin Carmody told the BBC the firm worked with the families through monthly liaison meetings to ensure the finished product was what they desired.

"It took a long time to get to the strong ideas like symbolizing the single and collective loss of life," Carmody said.

A representative of a families' group said, "The memorial is a fitting tribute, honoring the 52 lives lost on July 7, 2005, ensuring that the world will never forget them. It represents the enormity of our loss, both on a personal and public level."