THE first bomb to be discovered in Northern Ireland since the IRA cease-fire was found outside a furniture shop in Enniskillen, County Fermanagh yesterday, just hours before Sinn Fein was due to hold its second round of talks with the British Government.
Whoever left the device, which showed skill in its manufacture, told the security forces it was there, something that has not always happened.
It was safely disposed of by security forces in a controlled explosion causing little damage to the town centre store. The bomb consisted of about a kilogram of the powerful Czech-manufactured commercial explosive Semtex with five litres of petrol attached.
That makes it a blast incendiary, often used in the past by the IRA. Up to now only the IRA has had access to Semtex.
Stores have often been targeted for incendiary attack - earlier this year a series of shops across the province were bombed in one evening.
But the warning did not name any organisation and nor was any codeword given, the usual sign of authenticity that it came from a paramilitary organisation.