Shankill road bombing by IRA cowards 1993

The Shankill Road was crowded with Saturday shoppers when two men entered Frizzell’s Fishmongers carrying a box. Shortly afterwards, an explosion destroyed the building and the properties adjacent to it. Belfast councillor Joe Coggle described it as,   

Just a sectarian attack on women and children. There is no doubt about that.  

The emergency services were quickly on the scene and with the help of local people searched through the rubble for survivors. 

Speaking at the scene RUC Chief Constable Sir Hugh Annesley said,

It is a repulsive dastardly no warning bomb in which the victims are primarily women and children.

There was no warning issued by the IRA prior to the explosion. In a statement, the IRA said they had been watching the building and were sure a meeting of loyalist leaders was under way. The building used to house the headquarters of the UDA and is believed it was being used as an advice centre by independent councillors.  

The UFF issued a statement saying that the bomb was clearly not aimed at their leadership but at men, women and children. The statement added that John Hume, Gerry Adams and the nationalist electorate would pay price for what happened today.