A group calling itself the IRA has claimed it sent explosive devices sent to armed forces recruitment centres in Britain last week and warned of further attacks.
An emergency meeting of the UK government Cobra committee was held on Thursday after a string of crude but potentially explosive devices were mailed to seven Army offices in the south-east of England.
Scotland Yard said "The claim was received on Saturday, February 15th by a Northern Irish media outlet using a recognised codeword. The claim was allegedly made on behalf of the 'IRA'".
The Irish News said it had received the following statement "The IRA claims responsibility for the explosive devices that were sent to British armed forces recruitment centres in England. Attacks will continue when and where the IRA see fit".
Four devices were discovered at Army careers offices in Oxford, Brighton, Canterbury and the Queensmere shopping centre in Slough last Thursday.
This followed packets sent to Aldershot on Wednesday and Reading and Chatham on Tuesday.
One of the packages had an Irish postmark and the devices were said by the government to have "the hallmarks of Northern Ireland-related terrorism".
The IRA disbanded after declaring an end to its armed campaign in 2005, but a group calling itself the New IRA formed in 2012 and was linked to letter bombs sent last autumn.
