I've told this story so many times I've worn the corners off it. BT was giving a presentation to MSN WAN OPS about the new datacenter buildout in London for us. They kept going on and on about physical security, man traps, and that our fiber left the building on each side and didn't get close to each other for so many km away.

BT guy ends that part of the presentation with "the IRA will really have to get shit together to take you off the net"

This was during the troubles. Same planet, different world.