textfiles/news/hydebomb.txt

2 August 1982, Newsweek Magazine, pp. 31-32:

"The plumed Blues and Royals were a noble spectacle as they rode their
black mounts at a walk through London's Hyde Park.  But as the
cavalrymen marched past a parked sedan, a bomb hidden inside exploded.
Windows shattered for blocks, flames burst high into the air and nails
wrapped around the explosive shot out like bullets.  Horses fell in a
writhing mass, dying soldiers bled into the tatters of their ornate
uniforms and a woman passer-by, her face shredded, screamed, 'Help me!
Help me!'
"Less than two hours later, on a bandstand in Regent's Park, the band
of the Royal Green Jackets was giving a concert.  As it played a
medley from the musical 'Oliver!' a bomb hidden beneath the stage
exploded --  and the entire bandstand erupted.  'Everything seemed to
come up from the bottom of the bandstand and flew right into the air
- --  the bodies, the instruments, everything,' said Ronald Benjamin, a
member of the audience.  'A leg came within 5 feet of me.'
"In one bloody day, the Irish Republican Army once again brought its
war against the English to England.  Even by IRA standards, last
week's carnage was extraordinary: the blast at Hyde Park killed 4
cavalrymen and injured 22 guards and civilians; in Regent's Park, 6
bandsmen died and 24 musicians and 4 civilians were injured...
"The terrorists planned their attack carefully.  They parked a blue
Morris sedan on Carriage Road, about 600 yards along the cavalry's
daily route.  Hidden inside was up to 10 pounds of gelignite explosive
wrapped with hundreds of 4- and 6-inch nails.  As the Blues and Royals
passed, an IRA member, probably hidden in the trees of Hyde Park,
punched a remote-controlled detonator...
"The bomb [in Regent's Park] was planted under the floorboards on the
stage.  It was similar to the earlier bomb, but apparently worked on a
timing device instead of remote control..."