Hammersmith bomber 'known'

The work of someone known in the Irish Republic?

The government and security forces in the Irish Republic know the identity of the Hammersmith Bridge bomber and where he lives, a conservative peer has said.

Lord Glentoran, Tory spokesman on Northern Ireland, told the House of Lords: "We know the gentleman who made that bomb. We know where he lives, or when I say `we' I am using that loosely.

"The Irish Government and the Garda Siochana knows. His signature is very clear."

The bomb went off early on 1 June. No-one was injured but the bridge was badly damaged and might be closed to traffic for some time.

There has been no admission of responsibility, but the police are investigating reports that the bomb was the work of the Continuity IRA.

'Bring back internment'

Lord Glentoran's statement came during the committee stage debate on the Terrorism Bill as he tried - and failed - to get the reinstatement of internment for suspected terrorists.

The Terrorism Bill replaces counter-terrorist legislation with permanent UK-wide laws. It has already cleared the Commons.

Lord Glentoran argued that if internment was put in the Bill, it could become "a very valuable weapon in the fight against Irish terrorism in the future".

He said the UK possessed "the intelligence services and the technology to use it intelligently and selectively" against dissident groups, whose power he forecast would rise rapidly.

The Irish Republic retained internment, Lord Glentoran pointed out, and it might prove necessary to work in tandem in the future.