| MI6 attack | |
|---|---|
| Location | Vauxhall, Lambeth, London |
| Coordinates | 51°29′14″N 0°07′27″W / 51.4873°N 0.1243°W |
| Date | 20 September 2000 21:45 (BST) |
| Target | SIS Building |
Attack type | Anti-tank rocket |
| Weapons | Russian-built RPG-22 |
| Deaths | 0 |
| Injured | 0 |
| Perpetrators | Real IRA |
On Wednesday 20 September 2000, the Real Irish Republican Army (RIRA) carried out an attack on MI6's SIS Building headquarters in Vauxhall, Lambeth, London. A Russian-built RPG-22 anti-tank rocket, fired 300 metres (330 yards) away from MI6 headquarters, struck the building on the south side of the eighth floor, causing superficial damage. No fatalities or injuries were recorded.[1]
Although London had been the target of terrorist attacks before 2000, it had not been subjected to a rocket launcher attack; this was the first time a RPG-22 rocket launcher was seen and used in Great Britain. It was initially thought the Real IRA acquired the launchers from the Provisional IRA's arsenal, but later confirmed it was brought from Yugoslavia.[2] The "audacious" attack caused minimal damage due to the building's bullet-proof and bomb-proof structure, failing to penetrate the inner cladding.[3]
At the time of the attack, the constituency of South Antrim was preparing for a by-election to be held the following day; it was won by Democratic Unionist William McCrea, who defeated Ulster Unionist David Burnside.
- ^ "Attack on MI6 Snarls Central London : Missile Hits the Home Of British Intelligence". The New York Times. 22 September 2000. Retrieved 18 September 2020.
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