80 minutes: the timetable of terror

THE POLICE operation to keep people safe in the area around the IRA's bomb lasted a crucial one hour and 20 minutes on Friday evening, writes James Cusick.

5.30pm: The IRA issued its first warnings in Ireland. Sir Paul Condon said yesterday that "six or more" coded warnings gave South Quay, the area of a Docklands Light Railway (DLR) station, as a target.

5.35: The IRA phoned RTE television to announce the end of the ceasefire.

5.40: The Metropolitan Police was told of the bomb warning and minutes later, as police arrived at the scene, the message was relayed to buildings in Docklands. Routes were cordoned off. Buildings were contacted to keep staff inside. Three emergency objectives were given to officers: keep people inside the South Quay office blocks; keep cars out; and clear the area of pedestrians.

5.55: Evacuation procedures started on the DLR - the only site to be completely cleared. After this, people who were at the scene say, police were unable to achieve all three of their objectives and the streets around South Quay were neither clear of people, nor cars. Some office workers on the streets were ordered, by police, back into buildings near the bomb blast. Others described how civilian security staff regarded the warnings as a hoax .

7.01: The bomb explodes.

Different people reported different experiences. Olu Fatoye, a media executive, said: "Our office is right next to the DLR. There was no warning. Before 7pm I walked down Marsh Wall. Police said I shouldn't be there. I went back to the office. Then glass blew out and we ran for our lives." But a courier who gave his name as Jezz said no attempt was made by police to warn him as he walked into an office minutes before the bomb went off. He was blown off his feet.

The IRA said yesterday "regrettable injuries" could have been avoided if police had responded promptly to "clear and specific warnings".