LONDON - Eight men went on trial in London yesterday on charges of plotting IRA bomb attacks on a series of electricity substations that would have blacked out London and parts of south east England.
Prosecutor Nigel Sweeney told the court the IRA had plotted explosions at six substations owned by the National Grid Group last summer, months after its ceasefire ended.
On trial were seven alleged members of an IRA active service unit in London who were to carry out the co ordinated attacks, and an eighth man who was to have provided tactical support by finding safe houses and a lorry.
The prosecutor said 37 detonating devices were found at a house in Peckham, south London, ready to be attached to Semtex explosive "prior to the full preparation of the bombs and the attack on the substations".