The Old Bailey jury trying the man accused of planting the Docklands bomb which ended the last IRA ceasefire was discharged after failing to reach a verdict yesterday. After deliberating for more than nine hours the jury of seven men and four women sent a note to the judge saying they were deadlocked.
Mr James McCardle (29), of Lurgan Road, Crossmaglen, now faces a retrial at a later date.
Mr McCardle, an odd-job man, denies the murders of newspaper vendors Mr Inam Bashir (29) of Streatham, London and Mr John Jeffries (31), of Downham Way, Downham, Bromley.
He further denies conspiracy to cause explosions between October 30th, 1995 and February 10th, 1996.
The five-week trial had heard how the one tonne bomb, concealed in a lorry, detonated at 6.59 p.m. on Friday, February 9th, 1996 at South Quay at Canary Wharf in Docklands.
The huge explosion, which ended the last 18-month IRA ceasefire, killed Mr Bashir and Mr Jeffries instantly and caused damage, still under repair, of £150 million sterling.
Many commuters on their way home for the weekend were also badly injured.
Mr McCardle admitted driving the bomb lorry on most of its final journey but claims he had no knowledge there was a bomb on board.
He maintained he was just doing a driving job and that he handed the lorry over to a second man who must have then driven it to its ultimate location at South Quay.
Discharging the jury - one of whose number had been discharged before they were sent out due to illness - Mr Justice Blofeld said: "With considerable reluctance I have come to the conclusion that I must discharge you."
At the end of the prosecution case Mr McCardle's co-defendant, Mr Patrick McKinley (34), of Mulloghbawn, Newry, was cleared on the judge's direction of conspiring to cause explosions.
His acquittal followed the defence's submission that there was no case to answer.