BALLYKELLY ARMY BASE BOMBING: TWO MEN QUIZZED
Ballykelly Army base bombing: two men quizzed
TWO men were today being questioned by police in Northern Ireland about the bomb attempt at Ballykelly Army base.
They were detained a few hours apart, and in separate places, in Co Londonderry, the RUC said last night.
A small explosion shook the base in Co Londonderry at around 3am yesterday. No-one was injured and only a few windows were shattered.
But later an extensive search of the base uncovered three gas cylinders - each packed with five kilos of home-made explosives - a short distance inside the perimeter fencing and close to the dormitories.
The security forces said a Mark 19 timing power unit attached to a small amount of explosives had caused the blast.
However, it had not been wired to the main charge of explosives which was found nearby and later made safe by Army bomb disposal experts.
The attack was the first on an Army installation since the dissident republican campaign of 1997 and 1998 which ended with the bombing of Omagh, Co Tyrone, and the deaths of 29 people and injury of hundreds more.
There was no warning for the latest attack and no formal admission of responsibility.
TWO men were today being questioned by police in Northern Ireland about the bomb attempt at Ballykelly Army base.
They were detained a few hours apart, and in separate places, in Co Londonderry, the RUC said last night.
A small explosion shook the base in Co Londonderry at around 3am yesterday. No-one was injured and only a few windows were shattered.
But later an extensive search of the base uncovered three gas cylinders - each packed with five kilos of home-made explosives - a short distance inside the perimeter fencing and close to the dormitories.
The security forces said a Mark 19 timing power unit attached to a small amount of explosives had caused the blast.
However, it had not been wired to the main charge of explosives which was found nearby and later made safe by Army bomb disposal experts.
The attack was the first on an Army installation since the dissident republican campaign of 1997 and 1998 which ended with the bombing of Omagh, Co Tyrone, and the deaths of 29 people and injury of hundreds more.
There was no warning for the latest attack and no formal admission of responsibility.
Further Information
Publisher: BELFAST TELEGRAPH
Ref: BT/0733
Published Date: 26-Feb-00
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