Rebecca Harris, Member of Parliament for Castle Point, last week attended a service to mark the 20th anniversary of the deadly IRA bombing of Canary Wharf in 1996. Mrs Harris was deputising for the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland in her role as Parliamentary Private Secretary to Theresa Villiers.

Two people were killed when the IRA detonated a powerful truck bomb in the financial district, with the blast causing an estimated £150 million worth of damage. The service, held on Tuesday, was a multi faith ceremony in recognition of the many different peoples who were targeted by the attack.

During the event Mrs Harris met with survivors of the 1996 bombing as well as survivors of the 7/7 attacks and of the terrorist attacks in Paris in November.

Speaking after the event Mrs Harris said:

“We must never forget the atrocities that have been committed on our shores. While we are beginning to heal the wounds of the Troubles, terrorism sadly remains a clear and present threat in 21st Century Britain. We must all be vigilant to the dangers that face us and above all we must stand up to fear.

The memorial service was incredibly moving and it brought to mind the IRA’s attempted attack on Canvey in January 1979.”

A bomb was exploded by the IRA at the then Texaco Plant on Canvey but thankfully the fuel in the tank in question failed to ignite and no one was hurt.