LONDON, (Reuters) – British police said today they had been warned of a bomb in central London, a day before Queen Elizabeth makes a historic visit to Ireland.
Media reports said the coded warning came from dissident republicans opposed to the Northern Ireland peace process.
The threat comes on the eve of the first visit to Ireland by a British monarch in a century and a week before U.S. President Barack Obama makes a state visit to London.
“A bomb threat warning has been received relating to central London today. The threat is not specific in relation to location or time,” London police said in a statement.
The police advised Londoners to go about their business as usual but to remain vigilant.
“The threat level from Irish-related terrorism has not increased and remains at substantial, meaning that an attack is a strong possibility,” it said.
Police said earlier that a security alert had led to the closure of the Mall, a broad avenue leading to Buckingham Palace, Queen Elizabeth’s residence, but refused to say what had prompted it.
In a separate incident, police carried out a controlled explosion to destroy a suspicious bag in a central London street, although it turned out to be harmless, a police spokesman said.
Militant groups opposed to British control of Northern Ireland are the biggest risk during the queen’s four-day visit to Ireland, which will be surrounded by intense security.
A 1998 deal ending Irish nationalists’ guerrilla war against British rule of Northern Ireland set the clock ticking on a royal visit but it was not until police and justice powers were transferred from London to Belfast last year, the last piece of devolution, that the diplomatic wheels could be set in motion.
