2000 MI6 attack

Attack in London November 2017 November 2017 MI6 attack Vauxhall, Lambeth, London SIS Building 51.4873 -0.1243 region:GB title 2000 09 20 yes y y 21:45 BST Anti-tank rocket 0 0 Real Irish Republican Army Real IRA Russian-built RPG-22 collapsed On Wednesday 20 September 2000, the Real Irish Republican Army (RIRA) carried out an attack on MI6's SIS Building headquarters in Vauxhall, Lambeth, London. A Russian-built RPG-22 anti-tank rocket, fired 300 metres (330 yards) away from MI6 headquarters, struck the building on the south side of the eighth floor, causing superficial damage. No fatalities or injuries were recorded.https://www.nytimes.com/2000/09/22/news/attack-on-mi6-snarls-central-london-missile-hits-the-home-of-british.html Attack on MI6 Snarls Central London : Missile Hits the Home Of British Intelligence The New York Times 22 September 2000 18 September 2020 Although London had been the target of terrorist attacks before 2000, it had not been subjected to a rocket launcher attack; this was the first time a RPG-22 rocket launcher was seen and used in Great Britain. It was initially thought the Real IRA acquired the launchers from the Provisional IRA's arsenal, but later confirmed it was brought from Yugoslavia. The "audacious" attack caused minimal damage due to the building's bullet-proof and bomb-proof structure, failing to penetrate the inner cladding. At the time of the attack, the constituency of South Antrim was preparing for a by-election to be held the following day; it was won by Democratic Unionist William McCrea, who defeated Ulster Unionist David Burnside. Background thumb|200px|The SIS building, headquarters of MI6 London had been the target of a similar attack in 1991 when an IRA mortar shell was fired at 10 Downing Street and exploded during a cabinet meeting held by then Prime Minister John Major. Before the Real IRA's MI6 attack, Hammersmith Bridge was damaged by a small bomb blast in June 2000, resulting in the bridge requiring renovation.Buerkle Tom Attack on MI6 Snarls Central London : Missile Hits the Home of British Intelligence https://www.nytimes.com/2000/09/22/news/22iht-brit.2.t_1.html The New York Times 22 September 2000 26 May 2014 https://web.archive.org/web/20140527224512/http://www.nytimes.com/2000/09/22/news/22iht-brit.2.t_1.html 27 May 2014 live A further planting of a bomb occurred near a west London train station in July 2000.Miller Majorie Missile Damages Britain's MI6 Spy Headquarters, Causes No Injuries https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2000-sep-21-mn-24450-story.html Los Angeles Times 21 September 2000 26 May 2014 https://web.archive.org/web/20140527220617/http://articles.latimes.com/2000/sep/21/news/mn-24450 27 May 2014 live A by-election in the constituency of South Antrim was scheduled to be held the day after the attack. Democratic Unionist William McCrea was elected with 37.95% of the votes, defeating fellow candidates Ulster Unionist David Burnside, Donovan McClelland of the Social Democratic and Labour Party, Martin Meehan of Sinn Féin, David Ford of the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland and David Collins of the Natural Law Party.Melaugh Martin Westminster By-Election (NI) 21 September 2000 http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/issues/politics/election/rw2000.htm CAIN 21 September 2000 26 May 2014 https://web.archive.org/web/20140527215951/http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/issues/politics/election/rw2000.htm 27 May 2014 live Details of the attack Three members of the RIRA went into an area of Vauxhall Gardens and used a grassy knoll to fire their 2.8 kg RPG-22 missile about 300 metres away from the SIS Building.Sengupta Kim Missile launcher in MI6 attack was new to UK https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/missile-launcher-in-mi6-attack-was-new-to-uk-698787.html The Independent 23 September 2000 26 May 2014 https://web.archive.org/web/20171029132333/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/missile-launcher-in-mi6-attack-was-new-to-uk-698787.html 29 October 2017 live At 21:45 the grenade caused damage to a green plated glass window, metres below sensitive satellite equipment on the building's roof which was believed to be the main target.Steele John Smith Michael MI6 grenade fired from public park https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1356362/MI6-grenade-fired-from-public-park.html The Daily Telegraph 22 September 2000 26 May 2014 https://web.archive.org/web/20140721142532/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1356362/MI6-grenade-fired-from-public-park.html 21 July 2014 live The force of the explosion was felt by people who were in underground stations and in nearby cars.'Rocket' theory over MI6 blast https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/934937.stm BBC News (BBC) 21 September 2000 26 May 2014 https://web.archive.org/web/20170730172404/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/934937.stm 30 July 2017 live Reaction The attack was condemned by the Deputy Assistant Commissioner and head of the Anti-Terrorist Branch of the Metropolitan Police Alan Fry as an "audacious attack in a busy part of London". Security procedures at the SIS Building were reviewed by the British Government in conjunction with the Metropolitan Police.MI6 Headquarters (Hansard, 27 September 2000) https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/lords/2000/sep/27/mi6-headquarters Parliamentary Debates (Hansard) 26 May 2014 https://web.archive.org/web/20140527214904/http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/lords/2000/sep/27/mi6-headquarters 27 May 2014 27 September 2000 live Police sealed off an area between Vauxhall and Lambeth bridges to allow further investigations to occur. Services from Waterloo station were cancelled until the mid-afternoon on 21 September.Travel delays in blast aftermath https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/935184.stm BBC News (BBC) 21 September 2000 26 May 2014 https://web.archive.org/web/20060426225310/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/935184.stm 26 April 2006 live Investigation A discarded launcher was discovered in Vauxhall Gardens, along with remnants of the rocket. In an effort to trace the source of the RPG-22, security officers analysed the serial number located on the rocket launcher, which was identified to have originated from a cache of weapons in Croatia.Cracknell David Found: Real IRA's rocket launcher that scored a hit on MI6 https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1373268/Found-Real-IRAs-rocket-launcher-that-scored-a-hit-on-MI6.html The Daily Telegraph 5 November 2000 26 May 2014 https://web.archive.org/web/20140721142611/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1373268/Found-Real-IRAs-rocket-launcher-that-scored-a-hit-on-MI6.html 21 July 2014 live A stockpile of RPG-22s were ordered by the Real IRA in July 2000 and were seized by Croatian police.Weapon used in MI6 attack linked to Real IRA http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/weapon-used-in-mi6-attack-linked-to-real-ira-26109901.html Irish Independent 10 May 2007 26 May 2014 https://web.archive.org/web/20140527212344/http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/weapon-used-in-mi6-attack-linked-to-real-ira-26109901.html 27 May 2014 live Police in London conducted a fingertip search of nearby railway lines running into Waterloo station, which promoted speculation that the missile was fired from railway lines. There were extensive searches around the area of the SIS Building.MI6 attack weapon identified https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/937298.stm BBC News (BBC) 22 September 2000 26 May 2014 https://web.archive.org/web/20060317102540/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/937298.stm 17 March 2006 live See also 2001 Ealing bombing 2001 Birmingham bombing References Category:2000 in London Category:Battles and conflicts without fatalities Category:2000 building bombings Category:Real Irish Republican Army actions Category:Vauxhall Category:Attacks on headquarters Category:MI6 Category:September 2000 in the United Kingdom Category:Terrorist incidents in London in the 2000s Category:Attacks by Republicans since the Good Friday Agreement Category:20th century in the London Borough of Lambeth Category:Terrorist incidents in the United Kingdom in 2000 Category:Building bombings in London Category:Grenade attacks in the United Kingdom Category:Attacks on office buildings in Europe Category:Attacks on government buildings and structures in the United Kingdom