More police in bomb hunt

Press, 29 October 1981, Page 8

More police in bomb hunt

NZPA-Reuter London The London police have mounted a big security operation to protect shoppers and workers from a fresh bombing campaign by Irish guerrillas. The police said that extra officers had been drafted into the capital after three bomb attacks in three weeks and a warning by the Irish Republican Army that it intends to wage economic war against Britain by disrupting pre-Christmas trade. Their efforts yesterday were hampered by a spate of hoax bomb calls which temporarily closed two railway and some underground stations.

The police took no chances as the false calls came in, cordoning off roads and evacuating shops and offices. The day before, a police explosives expert was killed when he attempted to defuse a 2.2 kg device in an Oxford Street hamburger bar. A second bomb was defused in a neighbouring department store.

The 1.R.A., which gave a warning about the bombs in a telephone call to NZPAReuter, said a third device had been planted in another department store but no trace has been found despite an intensive search yesterdav.

Oxford Street. London’s top shopping thoroughfare, was closed for 23 hours and its shopkeepers estimated the shutdown had cost them about $ll million in lost trade.

As the hunt continued for the bombers, a senior police official. Deputy Assistant Commissioner David Powis, warned Londoners that the I.R.A. could strike again and said women and children were among those endangered. He was supported by the Home Secretary, (Mr William Whitelaw) who urged people to be vigilant. Mr Powis told a news conference that the police were hunting an Irish Republican Army gang of six to eight people, possibly with two young females. The suspects were believed to be still in London, possibly living as lodgers or shortterm tenants. "The overwhelming likelihood is that they speak with Irish accents and may be recent arrivals," he said. The police earlier said the bombers may be supported by a network of sleepers — I.R.A. guerrillas infiltrated into Britain years ago and activated tor a new wave of attacks.

- Meanwhile, Britain's new Minister for Northern Ireland (Mr James Prior) visited the Irish Republic yesterday to lay the groundwork for an Anglo-Irish summit meeting next month on improving political, economic, and security co-opera-tion. informed sources said. Security-conscious authorities refused to give any details about the visit. They would not even acknowledge he was in Dublin for talks with the Irish Prime Minister (Dr Garret Fitz Gerald).