David Copeland, suspected bomber, appears in court

MSNBC May 6 -- A man suspected of setting off three different bombs in London made his first court appearance. Twenty-two year old David Copeland was arrested over the weekend and will be held in jail until his second court appearance next week. The suspect has been seen in video shot near the scene of one of the recent bombings.

London, May 7, 1999 * Iyar 21, 5759

Community being guarded at 'saturation level'

Security alert stays despite bomb arrest

BY BERNARD JOSEPHS AND SUZANNE BAUM

POLICE AND the Community Security Trust warned this week that the threat of neo-Nazi attacks against Jewish and other ethnic minority groups remained high, despite the arrest of a suspect for the nail-bombings in Brixton, Brick Lane and Soho.

Last week's unprecedented guard on potential targets, including Jewish neighbourhoods throughout the country, would continue "for some time," according to a police source. "People must remain vigilant," he added.

The need for the Jewish community to keep on its guard was underlined by a series of telephone threats to Jewish schools, businesses and institutions.

At the weekend, parts of Stamford Hill were cordoned off after a caller warned that "a bomb is about to go off."

Golders Green was also the scene of an alert as bomb squad officers examined a suspect package that proved to be harmless. There were also hoax calls to Jewish schools in the London area.

While maintaining their "high-visibility" patrols in areas considered likely targets for far-right terrorists, police were also employing mobile closed-circuit television surveillance. "We have had instructions to keep precautions at the current level," the source told the JC.

A CST spokesman said the trust was co-operating with the police, stressing that the Jewish community was being guarded at "saturation level," particularly at weekends. "There will be no relaxation of our efforts. The threat remains."

Last weekend's bombing at a gay pub in the West End, which left three people dead and many injured, brought renewed demands for the banning of violent, extremist groups.

Police said that the man charged had no links with organised far-right factions.

Members of the Jewish Gay and Lesbian community plan to gather in Soho on Sunday for a service in memory of the pub attack victims.

Two senior Jewish doctors were in the front line as casualties were rushed in for treatment after the blast. Professor Irving Taylor, head of surgery at University College Hospital, told the JC that the injuries were "the most horrific I have seen. Along with my team, I operated on three of the injured, one who has since died. They all had limb, chest, abdominal and head injuries."

Dr Howard Baderman, the chief consultant at UCH's accident and emergency unit, said the injuries were worse than those he had encountered in the aftermath of the 1987 King's Cross fire.

Our opinion

  IT is noteworthy that the Jewish Chronicle, alone of the London press, does not name the suspect.