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'Suspicious' packages discovered at seven different Army offices Bomb alerts ‘part of Irish dissident campaign’
(about 2 hours later)
Counter-terrorism police and Ministry of Defence bomb disposal units are investigating seven suspicious packages discovered over the past two days at military recruitment centres. A series of bomb alerts in England this week is an attempt by republican dissidents to mount a letter bombing campaign, something not seen on the British mainland since the early 1990s, security experts warned Thursday night.
David Cameron has chaired a Cobra meeting to discuss the discovery of four packages, which were found today at Army recruitment offices in Oxford, Slough, Canterbury and Brighton. Military units are on heightened alert after suspected explosive devices were found at armed forces recruitment offices across south-east England on Thursday. Army bomb disposal teams were called out to Oxford, Slough, Kent and Brighton.
A similar package was found yesterday in Aldershot, and two parcels were discovered in Reading and Chatham on Tuesday, the south east counter terrorism unit said. This came after a suspicious package was sent to an army office in Aldershot on Wednesday, and “basic but viable explosive devices” were found in Chatham and Reading on Tuesday, according to police officers from the South East Counter Terrorism Unit (Sectu).
Counter-terrorism police consider the packages to pose a "low-level threat". Explosive devices have been found in seven different parts of the country in the past three days. Amid mounting concern, David Cameron chaired a meeting of the Government’s Cobra emergencies committee on Thursday to discuss the threat.
No details were released of attendees at the Whitehall meeting, but it is thought likely that they included intelligence chiefs as well as Government officials and senior police officers. In a statement issued Thursday night, a Number 10 spokesperson said: “Seven suspect packages have been identified as containing small, crude, but potentially viable devices bearing the hallmarks of Northern Ireland related terrorism. These have now been safely dealt with by the police and bomb disposal units.
A Ministry of Defence spokesman said: "We can confirm that we are aware of security incidents ongoing in Oxford, Slough and Brighton involving armed forces careers offices. “Guidance has been issued to staff at all military establishments and Royal Mail asking them to be extra vigilant and to look out for any suspect packages and the screening procedures for mail to Armed Forces Careers offices is being reviewed.”
"The relevant police authorities are investigating with military EOD (explosive ordnance disposal) teams in support and any further inquiries should be directed to the police. One of the suspect devices sent to an armed forces recruitment office had a Republic of Ireland postmark, the Press Association claimed Thursday night. Another suspect package was found in a vehicle which was stopped and searched at RAF Mildenhall, Suffolk, on Thursday, but it is understood that this was a false alarm and is not related to the other incidents.
"Security advice has been reiterated to our personnel." Colonel Richard Kemp, former Cobra chairman, told The Independent: “Irish dissidents have certainly done this sort of thing before and targeted recruiting offices. Producing a viable letter bomb would be within their capability.” He added that dissident republicans “have wanted to do something like this for a long time and so it wouldn’t surprise me if it was them.”
Detective Superintendent Stan Gilmour, of the south east counter terrorism unit, said: "The contents of the packages are suspicious in nature and will now be sent off for forensic examination.
"Even if the contents are determined to be a viable device, they pose a very low- level threat and are unlikely to cause significant harm or damage.
"When a suspect package is reported we have a routine response which means we may need to evacuate the area if necessary until we can be sure it poses no threat to the public.
"While this can cause concern and disruption for local communities, it is a necessary precaution until we know what we are dealing with."
"Because suspicious packages were found at various locations yesterday, notes were sent out to all the army careers offices, as well as the Post Office, asking staff to be extra vigilant and look out for any suspect packages."
Additional reporting by Press Association