The Irish Republican Army (IRA) officially claimed responsibilty on Saturday for the terrorist bombing in east London that injured more than 100 people on Friday evening. Rescue workers continue to search the buildings that were wrecked by the blast.The London Fire and Civil Defense Authority has confirmed that there are still some people not accounted for.
Scotland Yard said that two people were killed, and at least 100 people were injured in Friday's blast. 36 People were transported to hospitals. Five of the victims were reported to be in serious condition. Three police officers were reported among the injured victims.
Elsewhere in London, heavily armed police were seen stopping and searching cars and trucks. Trash bins have been removed from railway stations as a precaution, to remove possible hiding places for bombs. For the first time in more than a year, British troops stationed in Northern Ireland put their helmets and flak jackets back on. They resumed their patrols of streets and roads. Roads around the airport were sealed off and street checkpoints were set up. In what is seen as a highly symbolic move, the British soldiers removed their regimental berets. The soldiers had taken off their helmets and donned the berets in late 1994 as a "de-escalatory measure."
Army patrols in their Land Rovers and on foot returned to what is considered to be "bandit country" in the southern part of the province along the border with Ireland. Land Rover patrols have resumed in other potential flashpoints. Security has been tightened at likely terrorist targets, such as Aldergrove Airport in Belfast. Britain has also placed 1,600 troops, that were previously withdrawn from Northern Ireland, on stand-by. Should the crisis deepen, these soldiers will return to the province.
Sir John Wheeler, the Ulster Security Minister, said, "Today you see the Army once more in their Land Rovers on the streets. They weren't there on Friday. That is what Provisional IRA-Sinn Fein have done."
At the present time, the British Army has 16,500 troops assigned to Northern Ireland. An Army spokesman said, "We will provide whatever support the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) says it needs."
David Capatanchik, a leading expert on terrorism, said that he expects further but intermittent bombings by the IRA. He also said that the chance that the attack was conducted by a splinter group should be ruled out. He said, "I do not think a splinter group can be responsible because unity is one of the IRA's strengths, which it protects vigorously."
Capatanchik said that the bombing was carefully planned and carried out. It followed a similar pattern to previous IRA attacks. The terrorism expert said, "This attack did not come as a complete surprise because if the IRA was responsible, it was their time to reassert themselves and it highlights their reasons for resisting the decommissioning of arms. They want to talk and fight. Violence is their weapon and any elections in Ireland would surely cripple them, further highlighting why they would continue with this strategy of bombing."
He also said that he does not think that it is likely that widespread bombing would restart in Belfast. Capatanchik said, "I think what we will see are intermittent attacks on the mainland, be it London or wherever they have the resources to carry out an opportunist attack. It is unlikely attacks will be carried out in Belfast because I think everyone there now enjoys walking around without the immediate threat of an explosion."
Tomorrow, ENN will explore the British counter-terrorism reaction. Visit us often for our continuing coverage of terrorism and counter-terrorist issues and analysis.