Police say explosive devices capable to starting a small fire were sent to Heathrow, London City Airport and Waterloo railway station police have confirmed
Jiffy bag bombs with ‘love Ireland’ stamps are found at Heathrow, City Airport and Waterloo: Irish police join terror probe after ‘small IEDs’ are sent ‘from Dublin’ to three London transport hubs
Irish police have joined the counter-terror probe after explosive devices with stamps issued in the Republic of Ireland were sent to three of London’s major transport hubs.
The improvised bombs arrived at Heathrow Airport, London City Airport and Waterloo station today in what terror police believe was a ‘linked’ series of packages targeting the capital’s major transport terminals.
The packages sent to Britain’s busiest airport and railway station were marked with a ‘love stamp’ issued by the Republic of Ireland in 2018, showing a decorative red heart and the words ‘Love’ and ‘Eire’.
Tonight Ireland’s Garda confirmed they were assisting Scotland Yard with their inquiries as it was claimed the packages had been sent from Dublin.
The device sent to Heathrow started to burn when the bag was opened, prompting office workers to flee the building as the small fire was quenched and specialist Met Police officers made the device safe.
Similar packages arrived in a post room at Waterloo – the UK’s busiest railway station – and an admin building at City Airport later on Tuesday, but were not opened.
No-one was injured by the packages and there was little disruption to rail or air passengers even as Scotland Yard’s Terrorism Command sealed off parts of the transport hubs. No arrests have yet been made.
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Pictures shared online show the crude devices packed in envelopes reading simply ‘Heathrow’ and ‘London Waterloo’
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The police cordon at Waterloo Station where the suspicious package was found this afternoon
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Security alert: Two police vehicles and several officers at the scene at London Waterloo station today after one of the explosives was found at the country’s busiest rail terminal
Police said they were keeping an ‘open mind’ about a possible motive, as security sources said the devices did not appear to be sophisticated.
Tonight specialist officers are boarding trains and guarding station concourses to reassure passengers travelling home on trains and the London Underground, although the police cordon at Waterloo has been lifted.
The first package went off at the offices of Heathrow Airport bosses in a building called The Compass Centre, to the north of the runway, shortly before 10am today.