PAPER 30 “THE ST. MARY AXE BOMB COPING WITH THE RESULT OF A LARGE EXPLOSION IN A CITY CENTRE”

1. Shortly before 9.00pm on Friday 10 April 1992, an Irish male using a known code word telephoned Waterloo Railway Station, and stated that a large bomb was contained in a van parked outside the Stock Exchange and the Bank of England and was timed to explode in 20 minutes. The time given was clearly too short but nevertheless Police Officers went to the scene and began to evacuate the Stock Exchange and surrounding premises. The urgency was heightened by the discovery of 2 vans fitting the description given by the caller, parked near to the Stock Exchange.

2. At 9.20pm, whilst officers were still in the vicinity of the Stock Exchange, an enormous explosion took place in St. Mary Axe, EC3, about 400 metres away. It was heard 14/15 miles away.