THE British Home Office has ordered a massive security operation around polling stations for next Thursday's general election as the authorities brace themselves for further IRA attacks after two bombs and a series of bomb warnings yesterday paralysed motorways in central England.
The Home Office circular to returning officers emphasised that the aim of the police would be to ensure that the electoral process continued "uninterrupted" unless a terrorist threat posed a clear risk to public safety.
The security alerts began during yesterday's morning rush hour and extensive sections of the M1, M5, M6 and M18 motorways were closed following coded bomb warnings. Birmingham's New Street railway station was evacuated and surrounding streets were cordoned off.
One of the bombs on the M6 was planted at the base of an electricity pylon. It exploded at about 8.45 a.m. after police bad evacuated sections of the motorway. Bomb disposal officers carried out a controlled explosion on a second device found beside the electricity pylon just after 1 p.m. Later in the afternoon, a controlled explosion was carried out on a suspect package on another part of the M6.
Chief Inspector Steve Dugmore, of West Midlands Police, described the attacks as "despicable" and said he believed the devices had been planted on the electricity pylon in order to bring it down. "It could have resulted in total devastation. It's frightening to think of the possible consequences of the action."
Luton Airport in Bedfordshire was partially closed for the second time this week. The security alert began at 8.47 a.m. when a third party passed on a telephoned bomb warning to police. Bomb disposal officers carried out a controlled explosion on a suspect package in the main terminal building shortly after 1 p.m. A number of flights were permitted to land and take off during the security alert, but passengers arriving at the airport were evacuated to a nearby car park.
The British Prime Minister, Mr John Major, interrupted his morning election press conference to condemn the attacks.
The Taoiseach, Mr Bruton, who was attending a civic reception in Cobh, Co Cork, said that the latest IRA disruption in Britain had been carried out by people with "distorted minds".
He continued: "There are first generation Irish people today who are feeling very outraged and hurt because of the actions of the IRA. It should not be done, it is wrong, and there is no excuse for it."
Mr Bruton said that the IRA and Sinn Fein - one and the same thing - were deeply hurting Irish emigrants in Britain. Their actions were being carried out at a time when all inclusive talks were taking place and when these talks were available to Sinn Fein once the party eschewed violence.
The Tanaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Spring, issued a statement in which he insisted that those who had the "impudence" to claim they were acting in the name of Ireland were not only "morally wrong and politically stupid", but were "directly opposed to the interests of the Irish people".