| has gloss | eng: The Downing Street mortar attack was carried out by the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) on 10 Downing Street, London, the British Prime Minister John Majors official residence. The 7 February 1991 attack, an assassination attempt on Major and his War Cabinet who were meeting to discuss the Gulf War, was originally planned to target Majors predecessor Margaret Thatcher. Two shells overshot Downing Street and failed to explode, and one shell exploded in the rear garden of 10 Downing Street. No members of the cabinet were injured, however four people received minor injuries, including two police officers. Major condemned the assassination attempt, stating "democracies cannot be intimidated by terrorism". |
