A BOMB exploded early this morning outside a cemetery in west London. Police said it had all the hallmarks of an IRA bomb. No warning was given.
A Scotland Yard spokeswoman said the bomb exploded at 12.33 a.m. in a rubbish bin outside Brompton Cemetery in the Earl's Court area of London. The area includes the Earls Court exhibition centre where many of Britain's largest trade fairs are held.
It is understood there are Ministry of Defence offices nearby, but the ministry said it had "no indication whatsoever" that its property was the target of the bomb.
There were no injuries but several buildings and a car were badly damaged.
"Anti-terrorist officers are still trying to ascertain what kind of device this was. It was fairly large, though not on the scale of the bomb attack in Canary Wharf," she said.
Police officers are also attempting to establish whether any media organisation in Britain or Ireland received a coded warning about the attack.
"So far we have failed to ascertain that there was a warning," the spokeswoman added.
Chief Supt Peter Rice said that "there was no warning". A large area around the cemetery had been sealed off "for some time", he said, as anti-terrorist officers and sniffer dogs continued to search for further devices and gather forensic evidence.
If it is confirmed as the work of the IRA, this will have been the fourth bomb in London since the ceasefire ended in February. It follows the Sinn Fein president, Mr Gerry Adams's warning this week that the IRA is prepared to continue the conflict for another 25 years.
According to Reuter news agency, an eyewitness in a nearby building said the area had been gently rocked by the blast.
"There was a large bang. We went out on the balcony and we could hear car alarms ringing everywhere. There are now ambulances outside," Mr Matthew Job told the agency by telephone.
London has been on increased security alert since two IRA bombs exploded in the city last month, killing three people and wounding dozens of others. The bombs shattered a 17-month ceasefire.
Mr Ali Khan (42), a businessman, who lives in Old Brompton Road opposite the cemetery told the Press Association: "I was in my bedroom when there was a large explosion. The room shook and I was very frightened."
Mr Khan ran outside to find that a litter bin at the gate to the cemetery had blown up. He was immediately told by police to leave the area.
A witness to the bomb, Mr Ulric Rudmalm (22), was working at the nearby Finborough Arms, when he heard the blast.
He said: "It sounded like thunder. It was raining at the time so we thought that was what it was.
"I did not think anything of it until I saw the blue flashing lights from the police cars.
Unionists and nationalists reacted with dismay and horror to the bombing, writes Gerry Moriarty, in Belfast.
The DUP, which blamed the IRA for the attack, said that the bombing proved that neither Sinn Fein nor the IRA could be trusted. Mr Ian Paisley junior, said he believed the IRA was responsible for this latest London bombing.
"The IRA planted the Canary Wharf bomb claiming they weren't allowed into all-party talks. After the bomb they got all-party talks. Now, after this bomb what are they seeking?" he asked.
Mr Jonathan Stephenson, chairman of the SDLP, said that if the IRA was responsible for the bombing the only message it was sending was that it was "not prepared to play a meaningful part in the peace process". The conditions are already there to allow the peace process move forward but, terribly, this is a step backwards."