Continuity IRA blamed for ‘Brexit bomb plot’
Police have revealed they were investigating reports of a bomb on a lorry due to travel by ferry from Belfast Port to Scotland on Brexit Day, before a device was finally uncovered in Lurgan.
Around 400 vehicles had to be eliminated as the PSNI worked to try to find the bomb, amid concerns it could travel along motorways or through the harbour estate.
It was finally found in the Silverwood Industrial Estate in Lurgan, Co Armagh, days after the initial report was made.
PSNI Assistant Chief Constable George Clarke has said police believe the Continuity IRA were responsible for the bomb.
He declined to give details at this stage regarding the size or type of device found, only stating that it was viable and could have killed or injured members of the public.
Two telephone calls were made to a media outlet days apart, but police say the first gave only sparse information – claiming that there was a bomb on a lorry at Belfast docks, bound for Scotland.
Thorough checks were carried out by the PSNI, Belfast Harbour authorities, Police Scotland, and the ferry company and nothing was found.
It was only when the second call was made on Monday 3 February that enough information – including the name of the haulage company - was given to allow more focused investigations.
The bomb was finally located on Tuesday evening, on the trailer unit of a lorry owned by a haulage company that specialises in transporting frozen goods across the UK, Ireland and Europe.
ACC Clarke told a press conference that police believe the bombers intended the device to explode around the time the UK left the EU.
He branded those responsible “reckless and callous”.
“It’s worth remembering that the terrorists – if the device was planted, as we believe, on Friday or around that time – it’s between Friday and Monday before they give us the information that enable us to locate this,” he said.
“During that period of time, a viable bomb is in a commercial yard posing significant risk to anybody who comes within range of it.”
DUP First Minister Arlene Foster said the potential damage and loss of life did “not bear thinking about”.
She added: “The discovery of this bomb in Lurgan obviously highlighted once again that there are those in Northern Ireland who still attempt to drag us backwards into terrorism and violence.
“We understand there will have been good operational reasons that more details were not made public until now, but those that information is an even more chilling reminder of the threat posed by these terrorists.”
Ulster Unionist MLA and Justice spokesperson Doug Beattie has said those responsible must be treated as a threat to national security.
“This was no minor device,” he said.
“This was a very deliberate attempt to cause an explosion on a ferry and, given the inherent instability of these devices, it could easily have detonated in the lorry’s yard, on the M1, in the middle of Belfast, or on a ferry itself in the middle of the Irish Sea.”
Mr Beattie added: “We are dealing with people here who do not give a damn about the safety of anyone else.
“These are the type of fascists who bombed Omagh and who have taken their cue from those who organised the Bloody Friday, La Mon and Enniskillen bombings.
“It is clear that violent republicans do not care for the people of Northern Ireland, regardless of what community they come from.
“They are sadistic, career terrorists who need to be locked up for a very long time.”
Sinn Féin Policing spokesman Gerry Kelly said: “The fact is this could have ended up on a ferry.
“If it had exploded, you are talking about catastrophic loss of life and whoever planted this bomb needs to know that.”
Asked if he believed the attack was timed to coincide with Brexit, Mr Kelly said: “From the detail we have here, that’s a possibility - but whatever the reason, there is no logic around it except to cause death and destruction.
“And to what purpose? There is no purpose and they need to desist and go off the stage and move away from any such actions.”
The bomb found in Lurgan comes after a significant munitions haul was found during dredging work in the River Lagan, not far from the Belfast harbour estate.
An under-vehicle bomb, improvised grenades, and 28 pipe pombs were among the explosive devices found in a holdall on 30 January.
Police say they are not investigating a link with the ferry bomb plot.