Newry 600lb bomb was fully primed
Police have said that the bomb left in an abandoned van close to the border near Newry contained 600lbs of explosives and a detonator.
Chief Superintendent Alasdair Robinson said that if the bomb had exploded, it would have killed “anyone within 50 metres” of it.
He said: “The device contained two blue barrels with 125kg of homemade explosives in each one, and a detonator – all the equipment which meant this device was ready to go.”
A member of the public spotted the Citroen Berlingo van on Thursday afternoon on the Fathom Line and alerted the PSNI.
It had been left in a layby with its engine still running.
The E District Commander continued: “This was a very significant device – twice the size of the bomb which was left at Newry Courthouse two years ago. If this had exploded it would have caused devastation.
“The van and bomb have now been taken for further forensic examination.”
It’s not known how long the vehicle had been left there or how much traffic had passed by.
Police have received some criticism over this.
However, Chief Supt Robinson said that police closed the road within 12 minutes of being made aware the vehicle was suspicious.
“Many police services would struggle to get an international border road closed in this time frame,” he said.
“We do everything in our power to protect human life.”
He issued an appeal to anyone who noticed the Citroen Berlingo van in the area on Thursday or prior to this to contact them.
UUP MLA for Newry and Armagh Danny Kennedy said he was relieved the bomb had not caused harm to anyone in the community.
He described those responsible for leaving the device as “dangerous and dedicated terrorists.”
The Regional Development Minister said the perpetrators are “determined to cause serious harm, injury and death to members of the security forces regardless of the consequences to local communities.”
Mr Kennedy feared it would be “only a matter of time” before they would claim the lives of security force personnel.
Micky Brady, Sinn Féin MLA for the area, told UTV that lives were in danger from the moment the van was abandoned.
“What the intention was God only knows.”
He said he sometimes wondered if the perpetrators actually knew what their intentions were.
Mr Brady continued: “This is a huge device according to what we have been told and would have caused absolute mayhem.”
