Life

TV review: Docklands bomb and Arlene Foster under the spotlight

Detective John Grieve, (centre) who led the Metropolitan Police investigation in the IRA bombing of London's Docklands 20-years-ago.
Detective John Grieve, (centre) who led the Metropolitan Police investigation in the IRA bombing of London's Docklands 20-years-ago. Detective John Grieve, (centre) who led the Metropolitan Police investigation in the IRA bombing of London's Docklands 20-years-ago.

The breaking of the IRA ceasefire in February 1996 - coming as it did so soon after the historic visit of then US President Bill Clinton - came as a shock to those of us who had been filled with the false optimism of the time.

It would be July 1997 before the ceasefire could be restored, those events of 20-years ago feature in The Docklands Bomb: Executing Peace. The BBC documentary brought together insight from all the key political players along with details of the police investigation that led to the capture of the bombers, who were also linked to a deadly south Armagh sniper unit.

As I said, the breaking of the ceasefire with a bomb that claimed the life of two people, Inam Bashir and John Jeffries, caused shock and disbelief.

However, the documentary makers discovered there was no surprise among senior American diplomats who were tipped off by Sinn Féin just before a massive bomb planted on the back of a flat bed truck exploded in Canary Wharf in London, marking an end to that particular phase of the peace accord.

Nancy Soderberg recalled taking a call from Gerry Adams who told her the ceasefire was about to break but there was nothing he could do about it. In the hours before the explosion, the Americans then filtered this information down to the British and Irish governments.

Which is strange because footage was included of Gerry Adams being interviewed at the time during which he said he knew nothing about it, sure why would the IRA share operational details with Sinn Féin - why indeed you might ask?

Anyway a few hours later RTE received a coded warning saying the IRA ceasefire was over and all bets were off as a new cycle of talks and negotiations began.

Detective John Grieve, who led the Metropolitan Police investigation, was interviewed now and with archive footage from the time.

He said the successful prosecution of the bombers was down to a collaborative effort between his force, RUC, MI5, Royal Navy and RAF. I've no idea what part the Royal Navy played as it wasn't explained and the RUC wouldn't have solved it either had it not been for increased MI5 surveillance on the south Armagh IRA members.

In the end the sniper/bomber team were caught and James McArdle, Martin Mines, Michael Caraher and Bernard McGinn all received record sentences of up to 140 years in jail but were all released less than two years later under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement.

The documentary itself is a triumph of journalism, meticulously researched and expertly produced. Hat tip to the director Trevor Birney for a job brilliantly done.

The Docklands Bomb: Executing Peace BBC1, Monday, February 8, 9pm.

**

Spotlight, BBC1 NI, Tuesday February 9, 10.45pm.

While not wanting to throw too many roses at the BBC, the Arlene Foster Spotlight was a fascinating insight into the assembly's first female first minister.

Journalist Declan Lawn shadowed the DUP leader for a time and while we didn't get the Hello magazine 'at home with Arlene' interview, we did get a closer look at what makes her tick politically. Which when it comes to legislating is really all we should be interested in.

She mentions the shooting of her RUC father and that her assembly colleague Martin McGuinness spoke at the funeral of the man suspected of involvement in the attack.

An example if it were ever needed of why this place is just too small for a South African style truth commission, our lives are all intertwined in some way.

It also showed archive footage of a 17-year-old Arlene being interviewed after her school bus was blown up. She was sitting alongside a Catholic schoolgirl with the fantastic name of Madonna Murphy, who when asked if the teenagers were friends replied "we're not enemies". A strangely diplomatic thing for a girl so young to say.

Teenage Arlene also gave very adult answers to questions about her experiences, even back then it seems she was born for a role in politics. An impressive performance by the fledgling DUP leader.