Police warning after TA blast

Roads were sealed off following the explosion

Police investigating a bomb blast at a Territorial Army barracks which maimed a teenager are not ruling out the possibility that Irish dissidents planted the device.

The explosion in Shepherd's Bush, west London, on Wednesday evening left 14-year-old Stephen Menary blinded. He also lost his hand and lower arm.

Whoever planted it had only one motive - to inflict maximum damage and injury to whoever picked it up

Alan Fry, Anti-Terrorist Branch

Officers from Scotland Yard's Anti-Terrorist Branch investigating the explosion have now established that the device - concealed in a hand-held torch - contained high explosives.

Police are advising people to be alert to suspicious packages or objects - particularly any that look like a torch.

Head of the branch, Deputy Assistant Commissioner Alan Fry, said: "This was a sinister device aimed to maim and kill innocent members of the public.

"The fact that it was disguised as a torch meant that whoever planted it had only one motive, to inflict maximum damage and injury to whoever picked it up.

Stephen, who lived on the White City estate in west London, has already undergone two operations at the Chelsea and Westminster hospital since the explosion.

Origins of device

Further scientific tests are now being carried out to establish the origin of the high explosive and whether it was Semtex or another military substance.

Mr Fry said no group had claimed responsibility for the attack, but added: "The perpetrators obviously had access to high explosives and therefore we cannot rule out that Irish dissident groups may be involved."

The injured cadet is thought to have picked up the device in the street shortly before it detonated.

Scotland Yard is appealing for anyone who was near the barracks in South Africa Road, White City at around 1900GMT on Wednesday and may have seen a suspicious person or vehicle to contact them.

They can call the Anti-Terrorist Branch hotline in confidence on 0800 789 321.