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Londonderry bombing: Residents allowed home after security alerts | Londonderry bombing: Residents allowed home after security alerts |
(about 5 hours later) | |
Three security alerts in Londonderry - triggered when two vehicles were hijacked by masked men and a delivery van was abandoned - have ended. | Three security alerts in Londonderry - triggered when two vehicles were hijacked by masked men and a delivery van was abandoned - have ended. |
Police said residents have been allowed to return to their homes following the alerts, which were confirmed as hoaxes. | |
An alert in north Belfast on Monday night has also been confirmed as a hoax. | |
The disruption in Derry came 48 hours after a bomb exploded in the city. | |
The area around the courthouse in Bishop Street, where the bomb exploded in a car on Saturday, has reopened. | |
The PSNI have said Saturday's bomb attack may have been carried out by dissident republican group the New IRA. | |
Four out of five men held over the bombing have been released. | |
A 50-year-old man arrested on Monday remains in police custody. | |
Members of the DUP are to meet Northern Ireland's chief constable on Tuesday morning to discuss recent incidents in the city and the ongoing dissident republican threat. | |
Police said that while the alerts were hoaxes "we cannot underestimate the impact these incidents have had on our community". | |
"The occupants of the hijacked vehicles did not believe when they set out for work this morning that they would be threatened by masked men," said Supt Gordon McCalmont. | |
"The residents in Circular Road, Southway and Northland Road did not wake up today expecting to be asked to leave their homes for their own safety. | |
"Too many people were affected because of the deliberate and anti-community actions of a few." | |
On Monday, the Army was called to two security alerts in the city involving reported hijackings. | On Monday, the Army was called to two security alerts in the city involving reported hijackings. |
Army bomb disposal officers carried out a controlled explosion in Creggan's Circular Road after a vehicle was hijacked by three masked men at 11:30 GMT on Monday. | Army bomb disposal officers carried out a controlled explosion in Creggan's Circular Road after a vehicle was hijacked by three masked men at 11:30 GMT on Monday. |
The second alert on Southway, also in Creggan, followed reports of a vehicle being hijacked by four masked men at 13:45 GMT. | The second alert on Southway, also in Creggan, followed reports of a vehicle being hijacked by four masked men at 13:45 GMT. |
In a third incident, police responded to a report of an abandoned lorry on the Northland Road close to the Glenbank Road junction and St Mary's College. | |
In north Belfast, a controlled explosion was carried out on a suspicious object in the area of Springfield Road and Lanark Way. Residents returned to their home shortly after midnight. | |
St Mary's College in Derry will be open to staff and pupils on Tuesday morning. | |
The school principal Marie Lindsay told BBC Radio Foyle that additional support will be provided for students who may have been affected by the security alert. | |
A number of residents were moved from their homes. A nearby community centre was opened to people who were affected. | A number of residents were moved from their homes. A nearby community centre was opened to people who were affected. |
A spokesperson for Northern Ireland's Housing Executive said one of their vans was hijacked and that a contractor they work with has withdrawn services in the Bishop Street, Brandywell, Creggan, Rosemount and Rossville areas until further notice. | |
SDLP MLA Mark H Durkan said the area was largely populated by older people. | SDLP MLA Mark H Durkan said the area was largely populated by older people. |
"When you see frail pensioners in their late 80s and 90s being forced to leave their homes in their dressing gowns, it really is despicable. | "When you see frail pensioners in their late 80s and 90s being forced to leave their homes in their dressing gowns, it really is despicable. |
"There is a huge sense of anxiety right across the city, and a huge sense of anger right across the city and understandably so," he said. | "There is a huge sense of anxiety right across the city, and a huge sense of anger right across the city and understandably so," he said. |
What is the New IRA? | What is the New IRA? |
In a post on the PSNI Foyle Facebook page, police also confirmed that "there has been an attempted hijacking of a local bus service" in the Galliagh area of the city. | In a post on the PSNI Foyle Facebook page, police also confirmed that "there has been an attempted hijacking of a local bus service" in the Galliagh area of the city. |
Saturday's bomb exploded outside the city's courthouse on Bishop Street shortly after a pizza delivery vehicle was hijacked at gun point. | Saturday's bomb exploded outside the city's courthouse on Bishop Street shortly after a pizza delivery vehicle was hijacked at gun point. |
A CCTV clip posted on Twitter by police showed a group of seven young people walking past the vehicle shortly before the blast. | A CCTV clip posted on Twitter by police showed a group of seven young people walking past the vehicle shortly before the blast. |
Addressing MPs in the Commons on Monday afternoon, Prime Minister Theresa May said: "This house stands together with the people of Northern Ireland in ensuring that we never go back to the violence and terror of the past." | Addressing MPs in the Commons on Monday afternoon, Prime Minister Theresa May said: "This house stands together with the people of Northern Ireland in ensuring that we never go back to the violence and terror of the past." |
Northern Ireland Secretary Karen Bradley told MPs those behind the attack "will never succeed". | Northern Ireland Secretary Karen Bradley told MPs those behind the attack "will never succeed". |
"Londonderry is a city that has thrived since the signing of the Good Friday Agreement 20 years ago - everyone can see that - and one that will continue to grow and develop despite the actions of those who seek to sow discord and division," she said. | "Londonderry is a city that has thrived since the signing of the Good Friday Agreement 20 years ago - everyone can see that - and one that will continue to grow and develop despite the actions of those who seek to sow discord and division," she said. |
DUP leader Arlene Foster tweeted that the PSNI "needs our full support to remove those responsible from our streets". | DUP leader Arlene Foster tweeted that the PSNI "needs our full support to remove those responsible from our streets". |
Sinn Féin councillor Kevin Campbell said there can be "no justification for this type of reckless activity". | Sinn Féin councillor Kevin Campbell said there can be "no justification for this type of reckless activity". |
"Those responsible for this disruption have shown complete disregard for the people of Creggan, particularly elderly people who live in this area," he said. | "Those responsible for this disruption have shown complete disregard for the people of Creggan, particularly elderly people who live in this area," he said. |
Courthouse closed | Courthouse closed |
At the courthouse in Derry, scheduled jury trials have been put off until Wednesday. | At the courthouse in Derry, scheduled jury trials have been put off until Wednesday. |
Cases listed to be heard in the magistrates' courts were being held in Strabane, with some other hearings switching to Coleraine. | Cases listed to be heard in the magistrates' courts were being held in Strabane, with some other hearings switching to Coleraine. |
Driver 'threatened and intimidated' | Driver 'threatened and intimidated' |
PSNI Supt Gordon McCalmont told BBC Radio Foyle the police were trying to get the city back to normal and show the attack had "little or no long-term impact". | PSNI Supt Gordon McCalmont told BBC Radio Foyle the police were trying to get the city back to normal and show the attack had "little or no long-term impact". |
He said the PSNI was "lucky we are not talking about loss of life". | He said the PSNI was "lucky we are not talking about loss of life". |
Supt McCalmont also said the pizza delivery driver whose vehicle was hijacked and used in Saturday's bombing "had to go through the drama of having a firearm put to his head". | Supt McCalmont also said the pizza delivery driver whose vehicle was hijacked and used in Saturday's bombing "had to go through the drama of having a firearm put to his head". |
"He was threatened and intimidated. It would be fair to say he was asked not to raise the alarm." | "He was threatened and intimidated. It would be fair to say he was asked not to raise the alarm." |
He added: "These groupings obviously want us to respond. We will be very balanced. This threat has always been in this city. | He added: "These groupings obviously want us to respond. We will be very balanced. This threat has always been in this city. |
"My sense is that this is not because of Brexit." | "My sense is that this is not because of Brexit." |