The Road to Balcombe Street: The IRA Reign of Terror in London

***** The Road to Balcombe Street: The IRA Reign of Terror in London. By Steven P. Moysey; published by The Haworth Press, www.haworthpress.com (Web); 376 pages; $35.

The title of The Road to Balcombe Street refers to the Irish Republican Army’s (IRA) 14-month campaign of terror against Londoners in 1974 and 1975, culminating in a six-day hostage standoff after the city’s Metropolitan Police (the Met) cornered four IRA members along that central London street.

No group was immune to terrorist attacks during “the IRA reign of terror” in London: Among the victims were children at school, tourists at the Tower of London, medical personnel, Christmas shoppers, pub-goers, off-duty soldiers, and the police bomb experts investigating the attacks. Weapons included explosives, both planted and thrown through windows, as well as vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices, and shootings.

In the end, it was outstanding police work by the Met that resulted in the capture of the IRA members, bringing their campaign to an end. Specifically, it was good intelligence gathering, surveillance, forensics, and investigative ability, as well as the fact that police knew how to capitalize on suspects’ mistakes.

In reading this book, one cannot help but draw the inevitable comparisons between that period and how authorities and the public are responding to present-day challenges with the same issues. Common issues include legislative efforts to deal with terrorism, the role and ability of police in dealing with terrorist groups, public tolerance and intolerance of violence, public involvement in the capture of terrorists, and the role and responsibility of the media in reporting terrorist activities.

While not a comprehensive overview of “The Troubles” as the British refer to the decades-long conflict, there is enough information to give readers a solid understanding of the situation leading up to the terror campaign. Further, a detailed prologue brings the reader up to date on the peace process and the current political situation. The book is enhanced by period photographs and drawings, as well as government documents, Web sites, and electronic resources. 

This excellent book is well-researched and detailed. It would be of interest to anyone wishing to learn more about terrorism in a historical context or to learn how the British and Irish dealt with a trying time in their intertwined histories.

Reviewer: Glen Kitteringham, CPP, oversees security in several commercial high-rise properties in Calgary and Edmonton, Alberta. He has worked in the security industry since 1990 and holds a master’s degree in security and crime risk management from the University of Leicester, England. He is vice chair of ASIS International’s Commercial Real Estate Council and an assistant regional vice-president for Canada.