Terror threat: Suspect packages linked to Northern Ireland sent to seven army offices

ARMY staff were on red alert last night after “crude” suspected bomb packages were sent to seven careers offices.
 TARGETED: An army careers office in Canterbury, Kent, where one of the suspect packages was sent 
 

Four suspicious parcels were discovered yesterday in Oxford, Brighton, Canterbury and the Queensmere shopping centre in Slough, Berks, counter-terrorism officers said.

The devices bore all the hallmarks of “Northern Ireland-related terrorism”, a spokesman for the Prime Minister said last night.

At least one of the packages had a Republic of Ireland postmark.

Letter bombs arrived at recruitment offices in Aldershot, Hants, Reading, Berks, and the Army and RAF careers office in Chatham, Kent, earlier this week.

Bomb disposal experts swooped on the four centres yesterday and cordoned off the areas, while evacuating the Slough shopping centre.

Prime Minister David Cameron chaired an emergency Cobra meeting to discuss the parcels, which sources said were “crude” in design but “could have caused injury to others”.

The Ministry of Defence warned Army staff to be “extra vigilant”.

A spokesperson added: “Since the initial incident on Tuesday, security advice has been reinforced to all our personnel.”