INDEX	August 3, 1987
Vi Smith's letter bomb
London Borough of Waltham Forest L.G.Knox, Chief Executive Town Hall, Forest Road, Walthamstow, London E17 4JF 01-5275544

A.Burgoine, Head of Policy Analysisand Secretariat

To: ALL MEMBERSOF THE COUNCIL

your ref: - our ref: ED/IDG/em ask for: extn: 4219 date: 3rd August, 1987

Dear Member, SECURITY You may be aware that on Friday morning last. Councillor Mrs. V. Smith,received through the post a package which, upon investigation by the Police,was found to contain an incendiary device, crude in design but potentiallydangerous. In the circumstances, therefore, I should like to remind allMembers of the need to be careful when dealing with post, etc., the senderof which is not known to the recipient, and particularly with parcels/"Jiffybags" which correspond to the following description:- 1. Lopsided or of uneven balance. 2. Appearing exceptionally heavy for its size. 3. 'Springy' at 1987, bottom, or sides (DO NOT BEND EXCESSIVELY). 4. Protruding wires or strings (even the best prepared devices cancome adrift in transit). 5. Presence of abnormal pinholes or perforation. 6. Greasy marks (such as might be caused by sweating of explosives). 7. Smell of almonds or marzipan. 8. Noise of a piece of loose metal, when shaken LIGHTLY. 9. Sent from an unexpected, foreign, or other address. 10. Illiterately misspelt name or address. 11. Stiffened with metal or card. 12. Over 2 oz. 13. Over ¼ inch thick. If there is any doubt whatsoever as to the contents of the package, thelocal Police should be informed without delay. Packages which have been delivered to the Town Hall for distribution toa Member - and which are subsequently delivered by the normal courierservice - will have been put through the Council's bomb detecting equipmentand will be marked "CLEARED BY POST ROOM". Finally, in the current situation the local Police have undertaken torequest the Post Office to withhold the delivery of mail to any Memberwhilst she/he is on holiday. Should you wish to take advantage of thisarrangement and thus obviate the need for friends or neighbours to checkyour post while you are away, please contact my assistant, Ms. Shena Cuming,on Extn. 4721, who will inform the Police accordingly. Perhaps you wouldalso be good enough to let Ms. Cuming know of any information, howevertrivial or improbable it may seem, which may come to your notice and have apossible bearing on this matter. Yours sincerely,