03/08/2001

Dissident republican group blamed for Ealing bomb attack

Police in London are blaming dissident Irish republicans for the West London car bombing which caused widespread damage and injured seven people.

The bomb, which contained around 40kg of homemade explosive, detonated near to Ealing Broadway railway station just after midnight on Friday morning.

A vague warning given to an on-call doctor service at around 11.30pm hampered London police attempting to clear what they understood to be the area where the car had been left. Police said that the caller gave what turned out to be the wrong location and officers were still searching for the vehicle containing the bomb when it exploded.

The condition of four of those injured in the bomb attack is said to be serious, but none were thought to be life threatening.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Alan Fry said the bomb placed in Ealing was thought to be the work of an Irish dissident cell, possibly members of the Real IRA operating on the mainland who have been responsible for a series of bomb attacks in recent.

He said that given the circumstances it was “fortunate we are not dealing with mass murder.”

The timing of the bomb comes at a delicate stage for the Northern Ireland peace process. Political parties are considering the peace package and Sinn Féin were meeting at their Ard Chomhairle on Friday 3 August to discuss the package, while the Ulster Unionist party are to discuss the blueprint document on Monday morning.

(SP)

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