'Huge security alert' closes area surrounding Buckingham Palace after police receive coded bomb warning

By Daily Mail Reporter

Last updated at 1:22 PM on 16th May 2011

The area surrounding Buckingham Palace was closed off today after Irish Republican dissidents issued a coded bomb warning.

The caller sparked a huge security alert in central London after claiming a device had been planted the day before the Queen is due to visit Dublin.

The threat that a bomb will go off today is not specific to time or place, Scotland Yard said.

Police close off The Mall today as a call from dissident Republicans sparked a central London security alert

Sewer search: Investigators were checking drains on The Mall today in central London after the IRA bomb call sparked a massive terror alert

Royal visit: The Queen is due to make an historic visit to Ireland tomorrow

Despite a huge investigation being launched, no device has yet been found. A controlled explosion was carried out on a suitcase abandoned outside a hotel and officers launched a search of the sewers.

Roads around St James Park, Buckingham Palace and Trafalgar Square were shut down as an investigation was carried out.

A search of the drains was launched after police discovered a manhole cover that had apparently been tampered with.

A painstaking search was launched around Admirality Arch after an officer spotted 'something suspicious' at 4.20amcthis morning.

A spokesman for Scotland Yard said: 'A bomb threat warning has been received relating to central London today. The threat is not specific in relation to location or time.

'The Metropolitan Police Service, City of London Police and British Transport Police are working closely together and all officers have been advised to be a highly vigilant to ensure the safety of London.'

The suitcase that was blown up outside a hotel was found at 9.30am this morning - although it was later revealed to be non-suspicious.

Traffic was prevented from driving down The Mall and around Trafalgar Square, as the huge operation was underway.

One officer guarding the cordon said: 'It's due to a huge security alert, but I can't say anything else.'

Another officer said there had been a 'suspicious package.'

At the Trafalgar Square end of The Mall, where cops were searching drains, and more than 10 emergency response, ambulances and police cars stood ready.

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• Armed British police to guard the Queen in Dublin after protests against her visit

And officers patrolled the area on horses as concerned tourists were diverted through St James Park.

In Ireland, the largest security operation in the history of the Republic of Ireland is in place amid fears dissident Republicans will try to disrupt the momentous trip.

Members of the Irish Republican Group Eirigi protest about the Queen's virst ever visit to Ireland yesterday

BOMB THREAT 'NOT SPECIFIC TO TIME OR PLACE'

The full Metropolitan Police statement:

'A bomb threat warning has been received relating to central London today. The threat is not specific in relation to location or time.

'The Metropolitan Police Service, City of London Police and British Transport Police are working closely together and all officers have been advised to be a highly vigilant to ensure the safety of London.

'Policing operations and contingency planning remain under constant review and a wide range of overt and covert tactics will continue to be used in London.

'At this time Londoners should continue to go about their business as usual but we encourage the public to remain vigilant and report any information about unusual activity or behaviour which may be terrorist-related to the confidential Anti-Terrorist Hotline on 0800 789 321 .

'In the event of an emergency always dial 999.

'The threat level from Irish-related terrorism has not increased and remains at substantial meaning that an attack is a strong possibility. The threat level was raised in September 2010 from moderate to substantial.

'This is lower than the overall threat to the UK from international terrorism which remains at severe.'

Armed British police officers will patrol Irish streets alongside thousands of gardai and soldiers to protect the 85-year-old monarch and the Duke of Edinburgh as they travel around the republic.

Security expert Crispin Black said the Queen's historic visit to Ireland has caused widespread anger amongst republican extremist groups.

Mr Black, a Sandhurst-trained Falklands veteran, said that the alert could have been extremists showing that they 'are still there.'

He said dissident Republicans had been left 'extremely angry' about the Queen's visit and added: 'It is their way of showing that they are in a position to make these visits more difficult.

'From what I have seen going on in Dublin it is going to be quite difficult to do anything there - it has been locked down.

'Maybe they decided that Dublin was too difficult so they decided to so something in London just to show that they are still there.'

Mr Black was reluctant to speculate about which group may have been behind the call, but added: 'It has always been a test of the IRA's English department.

'If you can take the British at their own headquarters that can give a status boost and have a greater impact than on home turf. I gather there were great concerns that something would happen around the Royal Wedding.

'But now with the Queen arriving in Ireland it would be an appropriate time if not to carry out an attack then just to show people that they are still there.

The threat today was not deemed serious enough for the Irish Republican terror threat to be increased.

This message has been daubed on a wall in the centre of Dublin ahead of the Queen's visit to the Irish capital scheduled for tomorrow

Probe: Large parts of central London were cordoned off as there was a security alert

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