Belfast bomb blast injures 70 people

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32874, 24 March 1972, Page 9

Belfast bomb blast injures 70 people

(N.Z.P.A. -Reuter— 'Copy right)

BELFAST, March 23.

I.R.A. guerrillas continued their terrorism yesterday, when the blast from a large gelignite bomb severely damaged Belfast’s largest hotel, partly demolished the Great Victoria Street railway station, damaged 70 cars, and injured 70 people.

The police say that six conflicting reports of bombs having been planted in the area were received minutes before the blast, spreading confusion as security forces tried to shepherd people to safer streets.

The extremists used similar tactics on Monday, luring lunch-time crowds into the busy Donegal street before a bomb went off there, killing six persons and injuring nearly 150.

There were no fatalities yesterday, and a police spokesman said: “I can only sav it was a miracle that noone was killed.”

Half a mile away, as a pall of smoke rose over the city, a woman mourner at the funeral of one of Monday’s victims wept bitterly, saying:

“They won’t even let us bury our dead in peace.”

The Provisional Wing of the I.R.A. is suspected of responsibility for both blasts. The main target yesterday was the Europa Hotel, the headquarters of overseas journalists covering the Ulster violence. The rear of the multi-storey building, only a year old, was wrecked, and hundreds of windows were shattered, sending slivers of glass slicing through the air. ‘A ghastly strain’ The bomb blew up in a stolen van standing in a carpark between the hotel and the railway station. Part of the station roof fell in. one platform was wrecked and two empty trains were twisted bv the force of the explosion. About 70 parked cars were damaged; several were gutted bv fire. Ten minutes later another, smaller, bomb explosion occurred. It caused no injuries, but damaged several more cars. One Belfast resident today described the Northern Ireland capital as a city of fear. “People are running about with frightened faces for noone knows when or where the next bomb is going off," he said. “The whole citv is under a ghastly strain." Four British soldiers were injured in two separate gunbattles with snipers late last night in the Andersontown Road and Lower Falls area of Belfast.

In Dublin, Thomas MacGiolla, president of the official branch of Sinn Fein, the

political wing of the 1.R.A., received a second parcelbomb through the post. The first one. on Monday, exploded in his empty office. Yesterday’s was taken to the police, who detonated it.