London bombing poses grave threat to peace

THE London explosion will cause great embarrassment to the Taoiseach, Mr Bruton, who is attending Fine Gael's first ardfheis since the formation of the Government.

A Government spokesman was not available early today for reaction to the bomb. The explosion could cause difficulties for the peace process which has been under threat since the ending of the ceasefire exactly a month ago.

The three coalition leaders are due to hold their first joint meeting with Mr David Trimble, the UUP leader, on Monday evening and, the latest bombing is bound to increase his demand for parallel decommissioning after the start of all party talks, scheduled for June 10th.

Sinn Fein had been invited to send representatives to the Fine Gael Ardfheis this weekend, but the invitation was withdrawn on Thursday, because the ceasefire had not been restored.

An IRA bomb at this stage would lead to increasing apprehension in the Government about the prospect of restoring the ceasefire. Government spokesmen have been referring to divergent signals from the IRA in the past week and have refused to form a judgment as to whether the peace process can be salvaged.

These divergent signals came from interviews with Mrs Gerry Adams in the Irish VIRA spokesman in An Phoblacht/Republican News and from Mr Martin McGuinness, Ard Comhairle Sinn Fein members.

The London bomb must also raise fears among the security forces of a resumption of the loyalist terrorist campaign. There have been reports of tension within the loyalist paramilitary groups at the breakdown of the IRA ceasefire.