REAL IRA ATTACK IS THWARTED BY FIND
Real IRA attack is thwarted by find
By Ciaran McGuigan
THE discovery of explosives in west Belfast has prevented a massive bomb attack by dissident republicans.
In one of a number of searches in the Hannah-stown area yesterday, police discovered 250kg of fertiliser and a quantity of nuts and bolts - components capable of an explosive bomb twice the size of that used in the Omagh bombing.
The find comes after warnings that dissident republicans were plotting 250kg of fertiliser seized Ireland designed at destroying the peace process. An RUC spokesman confirmed that the find was believed to be linked to dissident republicans.
Police were today carrying out follow up searches in the area around a disused dog track at Tullyrusk Road, where the find was made.
Earlier yesterday army technical officers carried out a controlled explosion on a suspect device at a disused scrap yard at Hannahstown Hill.
Around 20 kilos of what police believe was a home-made explosive was found. That find has also been linked to dissident republicans.
Army bomb experts were also called to carry out a number of controlled explosions on a pipe bomb type device found in the laneway of a
house in Dundrum Road, Co. Down, yesterday. Meanwhile, loyalists were today being blamed for a pipe bomb attack on a senior police officer in Antrim. The detective was due to give evidence in an weapons case at Antrim courthouse yesterday. An undetonated pipe bomb was discovered by a member of the public underneath the policeman's car. It is understood the detective had been threatened before.
He was the second police officer to be targeted by loyalist paramilitaries in the past month.
Three weeks ago, an incendiary device exploded in the doorway of a house in Ballyclare, belonging to a detective who had been instrumental in securing Johnnie Adair's original conviction. Yesterday's "murder bid" on the detective was condemned by South Antrim DUP MP William McCrea. "The fact that it was discovered in a public place is all the more despicable because not only could the officer have been killed or seriously injured, but the public was also put at risk.", he said.
By Ciaran McGuigan
THE discovery of explosives in west Belfast has prevented a massive bomb attack by dissident republicans.
In one of a number of searches in the Hannah-stown area yesterday, police discovered 250kg of fertiliser and a quantity of nuts and bolts - components capable of an explosive bomb twice the size of that used in the Omagh bombing.
The find comes after warnings that dissident republicans were plotting 250kg of fertiliser seized Ireland designed at destroying the peace process. An RUC spokesman confirmed that the find was believed to be linked to dissident republicans.
Police were today carrying out follow up searches in the area around a disused dog track at Tullyrusk Road, where the find was made.
Earlier yesterday army technical officers carried out a controlled explosion on a suspect device at a disused scrap yard at Hannahstown Hill.
Around 20 kilos of what police believe was a home-made explosive was found. That find has also been linked to dissident republicans.
Army bomb experts were also called to carry out a number of controlled explosions on a pipe bomb type device found in the laneway of a
house in Dundrum Road, Co. Down, yesterday. Meanwhile, loyalists were today being blamed for a pipe bomb attack on a senior police officer in Antrim. The detective was due to give evidence in an weapons case at Antrim courthouse yesterday. An undetonated pipe bomb was discovered by a member of the public underneath the policeman's car. It is understood the detective had been threatened before.
He was the second police officer to be targeted by loyalist paramilitaries in the past month.
Three weeks ago, an incendiary device exploded in the doorway of a house in Ballyclare, belonging to a detective who had been instrumental in securing Johnnie Adair's original conviction. Yesterday's "murder bid" on the detective was condemned by South Antrim DUP MP William McCrea. "The fact that it was discovered in a public place is all the more despicable because not only could the officer have been killed or seriously injured, but the public was also put at risk.", he said.
Further Information
Publisher: BELFAST TELEGRAPH
Ref: BT/0764
Published Date: 27-Oct-00
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