BBC News at Midnight. This is Bryan Martin.
Three soldiers from the Parachute Regiment have been killed in a bomb explosion in Northern Ireland.
The attack came hours after an off duty soldier and his wife were injured in a car bomb explosion in the garrison town of Colchester. The soldier in the Essex blast is understood to have lost his legs.
The Prime Minister gave her reaction to the terrorist attacks when she arrived for a European Community summit in Paris this evening: [end p1]
Thatcher Act
Absolutely terrible: both the one in Colchester and the one in Northern Ireland. They have suffered so much, once again&em;the cowardice of the terrorists and we should be very grateful to our security forces for all they do.