New IRA Terror Fears After Firebombs Sent to Heathrow, London City Airports & Waterloo Station
London was on terror alert after Jiffy Bags with Irish “love” stamps arrives at London City Airport, Waterloo train station and Heathrow in a single day
Mirror UK, 6 MAR 2019.
Emergency services at Waterloo after one of the letter bombs was discovered in the station post room (Image: Luke Dray/Cover Images)
Three jiffy bag 'bombs' were found at Heathrow and London City airports as well as Waterloo station..
Police in Ireland are assisting a Metropolitan Police investigation after three improvised explosive devices were discovered across London.
At least two of the jiffy bags had Irish stamps attached to them, including one which included a return address in the Republic of Ireland.
The stamps appear to resemble a 'Love & Marriage stamp' which are available in Irish post offices and were issued to celebrate Saint Valentine's Day in 2018.
Irish detectives are now investigating whether the incidents are linked to dissident republican groups operating in Northern Ireland, reports say.
A Garda Síochána source said: "At least one of the packages originated from Dublin and it is believed that all of these packages from Ireland.
“It is most likely to be a New IRA dissident republican orientated attack but it could also be Islamic - there is nothing in the packages that lead anyone to believe in specifics.
"There will now be a full investigation here in Ireland as well as in the UK to determine who it came from."
The packages were delivered to transport hubs across London (Image: SKy News)
One of image showed a partially-burned package addressed to Heathrow which appeared to have Dublin written in black ink in the bottom right-hand corner of the envelope.
The other picture showed a jiffy bag addressed to Waterloo, with its sender's address appearing to be Bus Eireann, Dublin.
The operator said police had not been in touch, with a spokeswoman saying: "Bus Eireann are currently not aware of this and we have no further comment."
The packages were capable of igniting when opened (Image: SKy News)
A Garda spokesman would only confirm that they are assisting Met Police officers in their enquiries.
The Met's Counter Terrorism Command is "keeping an open mind regarding motives.
Three jiffy bag 'bombs' were found at
Heathrow and London City airports as well as Waterloo station.
One package burst into flames at Heathrow Airport's Compass Centre at around 9:55am this morning.
Armed police on the scene at London City Airport (Image: Rob Pinney/LNP)
Another suspect device was found by British Transport Police at a postal room in Waterloo Station at around 11.40am.
London City Airport workers reported a third incident at Aviation House just after mid-day.
Police have been placed on high alert following the incidents which are being treated as a "linked series".
No injuries were reported and no arrests have yet been made.
The public have been told to stay alert (Image: Rob Pinney/LNP)
Transport hubs across the capital have been told to remain vigilant and passengers have been urged to report suspicious devices to authorities.
Some staff at City and Heathrow airports were forced to evacuate to other buildings following the discovery of the chilling discoveries.
A policewoman stands guard outside a police cordon at Waterloo Station (Image: AFP/Getty Images)
Security expert Will Geddes claimed the incidents at Heathrow, London City and London Waterloo were to be expected given the current threat level.
He said: "We've not had a significant incident for quite some time. To be honest, we were anticipating something happening.
"Transportation hubs have always been on the agenda for any kind of terrorist group."
He said it is "really tricky" to keep train stations and airports safe.
"The biggest threat you're always going to have is someone leaving an IED in an unattended bag," he said.
He added: "It would appear that they have been hand written addressed envelopes, which in itself will be potential forensic treasure for the investigators to try and track and trace who might have been the originator."