THE IRA man who was killed when his bomb exploded on a London bus died from injuries to his chest and lower limbs, an inquest at Westminster Coroner's Court, London, heard yesterday.
Dr Iain West, a British Home Office pathologist, told the 10 minute court hearing that Mr Edward O'Brien (21), from Gorey, Co Wexford, was either sitting next to the bomb or it was on his lap.
"He was very close to the bomb, it had gone off to the side of his right leg. The bomb was not on the ground. The formal cause of death is injuries to the chest and lower limbs caused by an explosion," he said.
Police believe the bomb Mr O'Brien was carrying accidentally exploded while he was travelling on the 171 bus in Aldywch, central London, last Sunday night. Eight people were also injured, four seriously.
Mr O'Brien's body was formally identified by Mr Darren Cullen, a close friend, on Wednesday afternoon. In a written statement, read to the court, Mr Cullen said at the time of his death Mr O'Brien was a labourer who had been living in England for nearly two years.
The statement said that Mr O'Brien was single, born in Dublin, and lived at an address in Lewisham, south London for three months. "Edward was a close personal friend of mine and I have known him since we were children together," Mr Cullen added.
Del Supt William Emerton, an anti terrorist officer, told the court that police believe Mr O'Brien had used a number of aliases and so were still attempting to officially identify the body through dental records and his fingerprints.
"There is a possibility that aliases were used but I believe him to be Edward Myles O'Brien. The inquiries in hand are both urgent and wide ranging and I expect to be able to report to you fairly shortly about the result", he said.
Dr Paul Knapman, the coroner, adjourned the inquest until March 6th and said he expected Mr O'Brien's body would soon be released to his family. "It is unlikely that the full inquest will be undertaken then," he added.