Three improvised explosive devices were found at transport hubs in London, including Waterloo station, City Aviation House near London City Airport, and the Compass Centre near Heathrow Airport. Irish police are assisting the investigation as some of the packages had Republic of Ireland postage stamps. The explosive devices were capable of igniting a small fire but did not cause any injuries. The mayor of London confirmed the incidents are being treated as linked but investigators are keeping an open mind about motives.

1. Explosive devices found at Waterloo station, Heathrow and City airports
Irish police assist Met in inquiry after Republic of Ireland stamps found on packages
Tue 5 Mar 2019 18.27 GMT First published on Tue 5 Mar 2019 16.55 GMT
One of the suspect devices, which was sent to Heathrow. Photograph: Alistair Bunkall/Sky
Three improvised explosive devices have been found at separate transport hubs in London in what
Scotland Yard believes to be a series of linked incidents.
The Metropolitan police’s counter-terrorism command launched an investigation after the packages were
found in the post room at Waterloo station, City Aviation House at City airport and the Compass Centre in
Hounslow, on the grounds of Heathrow airport.
Irish police are assisting the Met with the investigation, An Garda Síochána said. It is understood that
reports suggesting at least two of the packages had Republic of Ireland postage stamps on it are accurate.
The A4-sized white postal bags containing yellow Jiffy bags were found to be capable of igniting a small fire
when opened, the Met said.
They are being treated as linked and the Met’s counter-terrorism command said it was keeping an “open
mind regarding motives”. No arrests have been made and inquiries are continuing.
At about 9.55am, officers received a report of a suspicious package at the Compass Centre. The package
was opened by staff at the building, causing the device to initiate. This resulted in part of the package
burning. No one was injured. Flights at Heathrow were not affected.
At about 11.40am, British Transport Police were called to reports of a suspicious package in the post room
at Waterloo. The package was not opened. Specialist officers attended and made the device safe. No one
was injured.
The station was not evacuated. However, cordons are in place around a small area outside the station on
Cab Road. Rail services are continuing to operate as normal.
At about 12.10pm, police were called to a report of a suspicious package at offices in Royal Docks. Staff
were evacuated from City Aviation House as a precaution. The package was not opened and no one was
injured. Specialist officers attended and made the device safe. The building has since reopened.
As a precaution, DLR services to London City airport were suspended but are now fully operational. Flights
to and from the airport were not affected.
The mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said an investigation had been launched.
“The police are treating the incidents as linked, but are keeping an open mind regarding the motives,” he
said. Khan confirmed there were no injuries and urged the public to report any suspect packages to the
police.
Sky News published pictures that it said showed the packages sent to Heathrow and Waterloo. One of the
images was of a partially burned package addressed to the airport.
Waterloo is the busiest rail station in the UK, with 94 million passengers in 2017-18. Its owner, Network
Rail, would not comment on the incident on Tuesday evening.
Offices for the public sector company’s workers based at the station were evacuated and remain
closed.London City airport said City Aviation House had reopened after staff were evacuated at about
12.15pm on Tuesday. “Specialist police officers dealt with the device, which did not affect flight operations.
The airport terminal remained open throughout,” it said.The building is used by airport staff and is near the
passenger terminal.