Irish police have joined the counter-terror probe after explosive devices with stamps issued in the Republic of Ireland were sent to three of London’s major transport hubs.
The improvised bombs were sent to Heathrow Airport, London City Airport and Waterloo station today in what terror police believe was a ‘linked’ series of packages targeting the capital’s major transport terminals.
The packages sent to Britain’s busiest airport and railway station were marked with a ‘love stamp’ issued by the Republic of Ireland in 2018, showing a decorative red heart and the words ‘Love’ and ‘Eire’.
Tonight Ireland’s Garda confirmed they were assisting Scotland Yard with their inquiries as it was claimed the packages had been sent from Dublin.
The device sent to Heathrow started to burn when the bag was opened, prompting office workers to flee the building as the small fire was quenched and specialist Met Police officers made the device safe.
Similar packages arrived in a post room at Waterloo – the UK’s busiest railway station – and an admin building at City Airport later on Tuesday, but were not opened.
No-one was injured by the packages and there was little disruption to rail or air passengers even as Scotland Yard’s Terrorism Command sealed off parts of the transport hubs. No arrests have yet been made.
Police say explosive devices capable to starting a small fire were sent to Heathrow, London City Airport and Waterloo railway station police have confirmed
Pictures shared online show the crude devices packed in envelopes reading simply ‘Heathrow’ and ‘London Waterloo’
The police cordon at Waterloo Station where the suspicious package was found this afternoon
Security alert: Two police vehicles and several officers at the scene at London Waterloo station today after one of the explosives was found at the country’s busiest rail terminal
Police said they were keeping an ‘open mind’ about a possible motive, as security sources said the devices did not appear to be sophisticated.
Tonight specialist officers are boarding trains and guarding station concourses to reassure passengers travelling home on trains and the London Underground, although the police cordon at Waterloo has been lifted.
What are the Irish stamps on the three packages?
Pictures of the three explosive packages appeared to show a postage stamp issued in the Republic of Ireland.
The word ‘Dublin’ also seems to be scrawled on the ‘return address’ section of the envelopes sent to Waterloo, Heathrow and London City.
The heart-shaped ‘Love and Marriage’ stamp was issued in 2018 and offered as a ‘romantic touch’ to greetings cards.
A postcard marked with one of the ‘Love and Marriage’ stamps issued in the Republic of Ireland in 2018
On the letters addressed to Heathrow and Waterloo the stamps are seen to bear the words ‘Love’ and ‘Eire’.
They match the 2018 edition of the annual ‘love stamp’ issued by the Irish postal service.
The stamps are still for sale on the website of the Irish post office, with ten stamps on offer for €10.00 (£8.50).
Irish police have said they are assisting Scotland Yard with the investigation into the three suspect packages.
The Met’s counter-terror command said they are keeping an ‘open mind’ about a possible motive.
The first package went off at the offices of Heathrow Airport bosses in a building called The Compass Centre, to the north of the runway, shortly before 10am today.
Nobody was hurt in the small fire which ensued but the building was evacuated and anti-terror experts took over and made the device safe.
Shortly after 11.30am, a similar device was found in the post room at Waterloo Station. This package was not opened and police experts have made it safe.
The third package was received around midday at City Aviation House in the Royal Docks. Again staff were evacuated and the package was not opened before bomb squad experts took over.
Docklands Light Railway trains to City Airport were briefly suspended but resumed later on Tuesday.
All the packages were A4-sized white postal bags containing yellow Jiffy bags and appeared capable of igniting a small fire when opened, police said.
The possible link to Ireland comes just weeks before a ‘hard border’ between the Republic and Northern Ireland could come into force in the event of a no-deal Brexit.
The UK’s current threat level is ‘severe’, with a ‘moderate’ likelihood of Northern Ireland-related terrorism striking the British mainland.
Sources told the Irish Times that the devices had been sent by post from Dublin, matching what appeared to be a return address written on the envelopes.
It included the name Bus Eireann, an Irish coach operator, although it was not clear whether the address had been written on the envelope to look like a plausible item to send to transport hubs.
In a statement released this afternoon, a Met spokesman said: ‘The packages – all A4-sized white postal bags containing yellow Jiffy bags – have been assessed by specialist officers to be small improvised explosive devices.
‘These devices, at this early stage of the investigation, appear capable of igniting an initially small fire when opened.’
British Transport Police officers had to rush away from a Security Expo at the Olympia exhibition centre in Kensington when they received the alert, Sky News reported.
One man who was among staff outside the Network Rail office at Waterloo said he was the individual who found the package.
Asked about the discovery, he said: ‘I’m sorry, I’ve been told I can’t talk about it.’
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan tweeted: ‘Our thanks go to police, security, transport staff and all involved for their swift actions to keep our city safe.’
A diagram showing where and when the three explosive devices were received, at three of London’s major transport hubs
Armed police on the scene at London City Airport where police were called to reports of a suspicious package
Forensics experts were seen at Waterloo this afternoon, where a suspicious package was sent
Three police officers guard a cordon outside Waterloo station – the busiest railway hub in the country – after they received reports of suspicious packages
Security personnel stand guard at the Cab Road entrance to Waterloo station this afternoon, where police said a cordon was in place but railway services were continuing to operate
Waterloo is the most-used railway station in Britain, according to the latest Office of Rail and Road figures, with more than 94million passengers per year.
It is the London terminus for the South Western Railway franchise – which runs busy commuter services as well as longer-distance trains – and is on the London Underground’s Jubilee, Bakerloo, Northern and Waterloo & City lines.
Heathrow is by far the UK’s busiest airport, carrying 80million passengers in 2018, while London City is the 14th-most used in the country.
Security expert Will Geddes claimed the incidents at Heathrow, London City and London Waterloo were to be expected given the current threat level.
He said: ‘We’ve not had a significant incident for quite some time. To be honest, we were anticipating something happening. Transportation hubs have always been on the agenda for any kind of terrorist group.’
He said it was ‘really tricky’ to keep train stations and airports safe, saying: ‘The biggest threat you’re always going to have is someone leaving an IED in an unattended bag.’
Mr Geddes noted that there have been ‘constant messages’ urging passengers to report unattended bags for several decades.
Discussing the pictures of the packages, he said: ‘It would appear that they have been hand written addressed envelopes, which in itself will be potential forensic treasure for the investigators to try and track and trace who might have been the originator.’
A Heathrow spokesman earlier said that flights and passengers were not affected by the packages, saying: ‘Earlier today, police responded to reports of an incident in the Compass Centre.
‘Police response teams and the emergency services attended quickly, enabling colleagues to evacuate safely without injury.
The airport spokesman added: ‘Heathrow Airport remains operational, flights are not impacted and passengers are able to travel as normal.
‘The police are treating this as a criminal act and we will be assisting with this investigation.’
Commuters on the busy concourse at Waterloo station today after one of the suspicious packages was sent there
A British Transport Police car is parked outside Waterloo station after an explosive device was sent to the rail hub
The British Transport Police said: ‘Teams from British Transport Police are at Waterloo station (pictured) after a suspicion item was discovered’
A police officer stands in front of a van and a line of tape outside Waterloo station today
Specialist officers guarding the cordon at Waterloo, where services were operating as normal this afternoon
Security staff put up a sign on Tuesday afternoon saying that one of the exits to Waterloo station was closed amid the security alert
A police car at the scene at Compass Centre, Heathrow Airport as police deal with a suspicious package on Tuesday
Police were at the offices of Heathow Airport in a building called the Compass Centre today
British Transport Police said specialist teams were called to Waterloo at 11.20am after reports that a suspicious item was found in the post room.
‘Rail staff colleagues followed tested procedures when responding to this item and it is important to stress no passengers were put in harm’s way,’ the force said.
‘Specialist units from BTP were quickly on scene and were supported by colleagues from the Metropolitan Police Service. A cordon remains in place on Cab Road, outside Waterloo station.
‘The Met are now leading the investigation into this incident and have confirmed that it is linked to two other incidents, one at London City Airport and one at The Compass Centre, Nelson Road Hounslow. BTP are actively supporting the Met in this investigation.’
At Waterloo, Exit Three, a taxi rank on Station Approach and the bike storage areas were closed as a precaution as police responded to the packages.