Derry bomb could have ‘killed’
A bomb found in Londonderry on Monday night could have “maimed or killed”, SDLP MLA Pat Ramsey told UTV.
The viable device was discovered in a car on the Buncrana Road area of Derry on Monday afternoon.
Mr Ramsey said: “There’s a sense of relief that police have been able to apprehend clearly a bomb that was ultimately targeting someone in the city and someone could have lost their life”.
Army technical officers removed the device but the road remains closed.
“While there is a sigh of relief on one hand it’s not taking away from the absolute disruption to older people last night who couldn’t get home from the afternoon to close to midnight… it’s not fair”, he added.
Three men aged 54, 49 and 46 have been arrested in connection with dissident terrorist activity, a police spokesperson said.
Area Commander Chief Inspector Jon Burrows said: “I am in no doubt had the device exploded it could have injured or maimed innocent members of the public and it is due to the efficient evacuations set in place in the surrounding areas that no-one came to any harm”.
DUP MP for Londonderry Gregory Campbell said: “This sort of device could have caused untold damage. There could have been a number of deaths and of course destruction to property as well. So this is very good policing work. Police are to be heavily congratulated.”
“The terrorist- as it has been said many times in the past- only need to be lucky once, where the police have to be vigilant all the time”, he added.
In a separate security alert, ammunition has been recovered in Newry, Co Down.
Army bomb experts also examined a suspicious object during the incident at Derrybeg Lane.
It is believed the object was found close to the local railway station by someone who works in the area.
Meanwhile, a suspicious object found in Lisburn has been taken away for further examination.
Officers received a report that a device had been thrown at a house in the School Lane area on Monday afternoon.
