Hunt for missing letter bomb after New IRA claims responsibility

THE New IRA has claimed responsibility for a series of letter bombs sent to addresses in England and Scotland last week, but has said there is still one device in the postal system.

A man claiming to represent the dissident Republican organisation contacted a newspaper in Northern Ireland on Monday and used a recognised code word to make the claim, according to Scotland Yard.

Counter terrorism officers were called in last week after three incendiary devices were delivered to transport hubs around London.

The following day the University of Glasgow had to be evacuated after another suspicious package was identified. But the New IRA claimed it had sent a fifth device, which has not yet been located, prompting the police to issue warnings to businesses to remain vigilant.

The first incident occurred last Tuesday when a worker at the Compass House office block at Heathrow airport opened a package bearing Irish stamps, which ignited and burst into flames.

The office block was evacuated as a precaution, and the bomb squad was called in to ensure the device was made safe. Around two hours later, another suspicious package was identified in the post room of Waterloo Station in central London.

Suspicions were aroused before the package was opened and this time specialist officers from British Transport Police were called in to make the device safe. A short time later a similar device was identified in the post room at the City Aviation block at City Airport, but again the device was made safe. In a statement to The Irish News, the caller said three of the devices had been sent to “commercial targets”, while the two others had been sent to British Army recruitment centres.

The group said a device discovered at the University of Glasgow had been intended for a British Army recruitment officer who worked there.

A Scotland Yard spokesman confirmed that someone claiming to represent the IRA splinter group had claimed responsibility for sending the devices.

The spokesman said: “The claim was received on Monday 11 March by a media outlet in Northern Ireland using a recognised code word. The claim was allegedly made on behalf of the ‘IRA’.

“The investigations into these devices continue and relevant enquiries are being made in relation to the claim that has been made.

“Given the packages received last week bore similarities to devices sent in the past which were linked to dissident groups associated with Northern Ireland-related terrorism, officers were already looking at this as a line of inquiry. However, we continue to keep an open mind and inquiries continue.”

In 2014, the New IRA was suspected of sending seven similar incendiary devices to Army recruitment centres around the UK. Four people were arrested in connection with that incident but nobody was ever charged.

The latest incident comes a year after MI5 downgraded the threat of a mainland UK terrorist attack by dissident Republican following a series of successful operations by police and counter terrorism officers.