Fortifications of London - History - Terrorism Defences

Terrorism Defences

London is a major terrorist target, having been subjected to repeated Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) bombings during the Troubles and more recently 7 July 2005 London bombings by Muslim extremists. In the late 1980s the IRA planned a campaign to disrupt the City of London. Two massive truck bombs were exploded in the City of London, Baltic Exchange bomb on 10 April 1992 and just over a year later the Bishopsgate bombing. The Corporation of the City of London responded altering the layout of access roads to the city and putting in check points that can be manned when the threat level warrants it, these measures are known as the "ring of steel" a name taken from the more formidable defences that, at that the time, ringed the centre of Belfast.

The rest of London (with the exception of obvious targets such as Whitehall, the Palace of Westminster, the Royal residences, the airports and some embassies) do not have such overt protection, but London is heavily monitored by CCTV, and many other landmark buildings now have concrete barriers in place to defend against truck bombs.

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