9 February 2010

This day in history:
At 7.01pm on 9 February 1996, the IRA ended its 17-month ceasefire with a blast that rocked east London, injured more than 100 people, one critically, and thrust Northern Ireland back into political ferment. After one hour of shock and hectic checking with the security forces who, like the Government, were taken 'completely by surprise', Prime Minister John Major attacked the bombing as 'an appalling outrage'. He called upon Sinn Fein and the IRA to condemn unequivocally those who planted the bomb near South Quay railway station on the Isle of Dogs. read more