POLICE CHIEF WARNS OF ANOTHER OMAGH ATROCITY
Police chief warns of another Omagh atrocity
Omagh atrocity'
BY RYAN MCALEER
r.mcaleer@ulsterherald.com
CHIEF Constable Matt Baggott has warned that the "increasingly reckless behaviour" shown by dissident republicans in recent weeks could result in another atrocity on the scale of the Omagh bomb.
Speaking on Monday at the scene of the car bomb attack on Strand Road Police Station in Derry, Mr Baggott said, "These are the same people, or the same mindset that ultimately led to the Omagh tragedy all those years ago."
At least five people escaped with their lives when dissidents loaded a 2001b proxy bomb into a hijacked taxi and ordered the driver to take it to the local police station.
The bomb exploded 23 minutes into a 45 minute warning as police officers were still evacuating the area. Oglaigh na hEireann have admitted responsibility.
Mr Baggott said, "They are absolutely reckless, they have no concern as to the fact that they are attacking shop-owners, mothers who have joined the PSNI with young children, they are putting elderly people out of their homes and terrifying them in the early hours of the morning."
Since last week's car bomb, a soldier and a police woman have also been targeted by dissidents, and in the latest attack on Tuesday, a civilian employee of the PSNI in Cookstown has become the third target in seven days.
The man, who is a former police officer, narrowly escaped injury after a booby-trap bomb placed under his car partially exploded as he drove along the Sweep Road, close to the Glenavon Hotel at around 8am on Tuesday morning, prompting a major security alert.
Around 100 residents of Glenavon Gardens, a local creche and a number of businesses were among the properties evacuated.
Condemning the actions of the dissident republicans, Mid-Ulster MLA Patsy McGlone said they were inflicting "pain and anguish" on the Cookstown community.
He said, "A number of homes and premises in the Glenavon Gardens area, including a nursery, had to be evacuated this morning causing a large amount of worry and disruption to the local community.
"Campaigns of violence and intimidation had no justification in the past and have no justification now. We cannot allow another generation of victims to be created by those with no regard for the future of this country or its people.
The SDLP assembly member said, "The thoughts and prayers of the entire Cookstown community are with the victims of this outrage."
Omagh atrocity'
BY RYAN MCALEER
r.mcaleer@ulsterherald.com
CHIEF Constable Matt Baggott has warned that the "increasingly reckless behaviour" shown by dissident republicans in recent weeks could result in another atrocity on the scale of the Omagh bomb.
Speaking on Monday at the scene of the car bomb attack on Strand Road Police Station in Derry, Mr Baggott said, "These are the same people, or the same mindset that ultimately led to the Omagh tragedy all those years ago."
At least five people escaped with their lives when dissidents loaded a 2001b proxy bomb into a hijacked taxi and ordered the driver to take it to the local police station.
The bomb exploded 23 minutes into a 45 minute warning as police officers were still evacuating the area. Oglaigh na hEireann have admitted responsibility.
Mr Baggott said, "They are absolutely reckless, they have no concern as to the fact that they are attacking shop-owners, mothers who have joined the PSNI with young children, they are putting elderly people out of their homes and terrifying them in the early hours of the morning."
Since last week's car bomb, a soldier and a police woman have also been targeted by dissidents, and in the latest attack on Tuesday, a civilian employee of the PSNI in Cookstown has become the third target in seven days.
The man, who is a former police officer, narrowly escaped injury after a booby-trap bomb placed under his car partially exploded as he drove along the Sweep Road, close to the Glenavon Hotel at around 8am on Tuesday morning, prompting a major security alert.
Around 100 residents of Glenavon Gardens, a local creche and a number of businesses were among the properties evacuated.
Condemning the actions of the dissident republicans, Mid-Ulster MLA Patsy McGlone said they were inflicting "pain and anguish" on the Cookstown community.
He said, "A number of homes and premises in the Glenavon Gardens area, including a nursery, had to be evacuated this morning causing a large amount of worry and disruption to the local community.
"Campaigns of violence and intimidation had no justification in the past and have no justification now. We cannot allow another generation of victims to be created by those with no regard for the future of this country or its people.
The SDLP assembly member said, "The thoughts and prayers of the entire Cookstown community are with the victims of this outrage."
Further Information
Publisher: ULSTER HERALD
Ref: UH/2005
Published Date: 12-Aug-10
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