THE London bomb was the third explosives incident since the end of the IRA ceasefire 10, days ago.
On Friday February 9th, shortly after the IRA announced the end of the ceasefire, a bomb ended 17 months of peace when it killed two people at Canary Wharf, east London.
Despite problems over the British government's response to the Mitchell report and the proposed election in Northern Ireland, the bombing surprised politicians - including Sinn Fein members - on both sides of the Irish Sea.
The Government broke off contacts with Sinn Fein at a ministerial level, although lines were kept open between Sinn Fein and officials.
Last Thursday, police made safe a bomb in a London telephone kiosk, which last night it was learned, contained 11lb of Semtex.
In both cases there were warnings and the IRA admitted both blasts. Last night there was no warning.