- 1996 Docklands bombing
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Docklands bombing Part of The Troubles 
Location South Quay station, Isle of Dogs, London Date 9 February 1996
19:01 (GMT)Target Canary Wharf financial district Attack type Truck bomb Death(s) 2 Injured 39 Perpetrator Provisional IRA The Docklands bombing (also known as the Canary Wharf bombing or South Quay bombing) occurred on 9 February 1996. It was conducted by the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) and brought an end to their seventeen-month ceasefire. The bomb detonated in a financial district, killing two people and causing an estimated £85 million worth of damage.
At about 19:01 on 9 February, the IRA detonated a half-tonne bomb containing an ammonium nitrate fertiliser and fuel-oil mixture,[1] in a small lorry about 80 yards from South Quay Station on the Docklands Light Railway (in the Canary Wharf area of London), directly under the point where the tracks cross Marsh Wall. Due to a telephoned warning, nearby buildings and the road were evacuated. However, two men working in the newsagents shop directly opposite the explosion, Inan Bashir and John Jeffries, had not been evacuated in time and were killed. 39 people required hospital treatment due to blast injuries and falling glass. It destroyed part of the South Quay Plaza.[2]
Approximately £85 million worth of damage was done by the blast. Three nearby buildings (the Midland Bank building, South Quay Plaza I and II) were severely damaged (the latter two requiring complete rebuilding whilst the former was beyond economic repair and was demolished). The station itself was extensively damaged, but both it and the bridge under which the bomb was exploded were reopened within weeks (on 22 April), the latter requiring only cosmetic repairs despite its proximity to the blast.
This bomb represented the end to the IRA ceasefire during the Northern Ireland peace process at the time. James McArdle was convicted of conspiracy to cause explosions, and sentenced to 25 years in prison, but murder charges were dropped due to concerns about press coverage. McArdle was released under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement in June 2000.
The IRA described the injuries as a result of the bomb as "regrettable", but said that they could have been avoided if police had responded promptly to "clear and specific warnings". Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Sir Paul Condon said: "It would be unfair to describe this as a failure of security. It was a failure of humanity."[3]
See also
- Chronology of the Northern Ireland Troubles
- Chronology of Provisional IRA actions
- List of terrorist incidents in London
References
- ^ . http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_/ai_n12776587.[dead link]
- ^ Tumposky, Ellen (1996-02-10). "Blast shatters London, Adams Presumes IRA's Responsible". Daily News (New York) (NYDailyNews.com). http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/news/1996/02/10/1996-02-10_blast_shatters_london__adams.html. Retrieved 2008-11-12.
- ^ BBC ON THIS DAY 10 February, 1996: Docklands bomb ends IRA ceasefire
External links
- BBC Report on the bombing
- Memories of the Docklands bomb by the BBC
- IRA Bomb Shatters the Peace by the Canadian encyclopedia
- Breakdown of Provisional IRA Cease-fire by the BBC
- RTE News clip announcing an end to the IRA ceasefire
- Various video clips and breaking news reports as the Ceasefire ends
The Troubles History of Ireland · History of Northern Ireland · History of the United Kingdom · Irish nationalism · Irish republicanism · Irish unionism · Ulster loyalism Participants in the Troubles Chronology Political Parties Republican
paramilitariesSecurity forces of the United Kingdom
Loyalist
paramilitaries• Ulster Defence Association
• Ulster Volunteer Force
• Loyalist Volunteer Force
• Red Hand Commandos
• Young Citizen Volunteers
• Ulster Young Militants
• Ulster Resistance
• UVF Mid-Ulster Brigade
Linked to
• Some RUC and British Army members• Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association formed (1967)
• Battle of the Bogside (1969)
• Riots across Northern Ireland (1969)
• Beginning of Operation Banner (1969)
• Social Democratic and Labour Party formed (1970)
• Internment without trial begins with Operation Demetrius (1971)
• Bloody Sunday by British Army (1972)
• Northern Ireland government dissolved. Direct rule from London begins (1972)
• Bloody Friday by Provisional IRA (1972)
• Power sharing Northern Ireland Assembly set up with SDLP and Ulster Unionist Party in power (1973)
• Mountjoy Prison helicopter escape. Three Provisional IRA prisoners escape from Mountjoy Prison by helicopter (1973)
• Ulster Workers' Council strike causes power-sharing Northern Ireland Assembly to end (1974)
• Dublin and Monaghan bombings by UVF with alleged British Army assistance (1974)
• Kingsmill massacre by South Armagh Republican Action Force (1976)
• Warrenpoint Ambush by Provisional IRA (1979)
• 1981 Irish hunger strike by Provisional IRA and INLA members (1981)
• Hunger striker Bobby Sands elected MP. Marks turning point as Sinn Féin begins to move towards electoral politics (1981)
• Maze Prison escape. 38 Provisional IRA prisoners escape from H-Block 7 of HM Prison Maze (1983)
• Brighton hotel bombing by Provisional IRA (1984)
• Anglo-Irish Agreement between British and Irish governments (1985)
• Remembrance Day bombing by Provisional IRA (1987)
• Peace Process begins (1988)
• Operation Flavius, Milltown Cemetery attack and Corporals killings (1988)
• Bishopsgate bombing (1993)
• Downing Street Declaration (1993)
• First Provisional IRA ceasefire (1994)
• Loyalist ceasefire (1994)
• Docklands bombing (1996)
• 1996 Manchester bombing (1996)
• Second Provisional IRA ceasefire (1997)
• Good Friday Agreement (1998) signals the end of the Troubles
• Assembly elections held, with SDLP and UUP winning most seats (1998)
• Omagh bombing by dissident Real IRA (1998)• Unionist parties:
• Democratic Unionist Party
• Northern Ireland Unionist Party
• Ulster Unionist Party
• Progressive Unionist Party
• Conservative Party
• UK Unionist Party
• Traditional Unionist Voice
• Nationalist parties:
• Democratic Left
• Fianna Fáil
• Fine Gael
• Labour Party
• Progressive Democrats
• Sinn Féin
• Social Democratic & Labour Party
• Workers' Party of Ireland
• Irish Republican Socialist Party
• Republican Sinn Féin
• Cross-community parties:
• Alliance Party
• Historically important parties:
• Nationalist Party
• Northern Ireland Labour Party
• Protestant Unionist Party
• Vanguard Unionist Progressive Party
• Northern Ireland Women's Coalition
• People's Democracy
• Republican Labour Party
• Anti H-Block
• Irish Independence Party
The Troubles at Wiktionary · 
The Troubles at Wikibooks · 
The Troubles at Wikiquote · 
The Troubles at Wikisource · 
The Troubles at Commons · 
The Troubles at WikinewsCoordinates: 51°30′1.27″N 0°1′4.76″W / 51.5003528°N 0.0179889°W
Categories:- 1996 in London
- Provisional Irish Republican Army actions in England
- Terrorism in London
- Terrorist incidents in 1996
- London Borough of Tower Hamlets
- Car and truck bombings in the United Kingdom
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