An anti-terrorist officer told the Old Bailey, London, yesterday that the IRA announced the end of its previous ceasefire up to an hour before the Canary Wharf explosion.
Det Insp Alwyn Jones accepted that RTE received news of the IRA renewal of violence at about 6 p.m. on February 9th, 1996.
At 6.59 p.m. that day the bomb devastated South Quay and killed instantly newspaper vendors Mr Inam Bashir (29) and Mr John Jeffries (31).
Mr James McCardle (29) was said to be "inextricably linked" to the bombing and alone he denies the murders of Mr Bashir and Mr Jeffries.
He and Mr Patrick McKinley (34) are alleged to have converted a Ford Cargo lorry into the "mobile bomb", but deny conspiracy to commit explosions.
Mr McCardle, of Lurgan Road, Crossmaglen, Co Armagh, denies two charges of murder.
Mr McCardle, together with Mr McKinley, of Mullaghbawn, Newry, Co Down, both deny conspiring to cause explosion between October 30th, 1995 and February 10th, 1996.