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| Car bomb explodes at courthouse | Car bomb explodes at courthouse |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Police say it is a "miracle" no-one was killed or injured in a car bomb explosion at Newry courthouse. | Police say it is a "miracle" no-one was killed or injured in a car bomb explosion at Newry courthouse. |
| Officers were evacuating the area when the bomb went off in New Street at about 2200 GMT on Monday. The explosion damaged the gates of the courthouse. | |
| Dissident republicans opposed to the peace process are being blamed for the attack. | Dissident republicans opposed to the peace process are being blamed for the attack. |
| There is severe traffic disruption in Newry as the area remains cordoned off and a security operation continues. | There is severe traffic disruption in Newry as the area remains cordoned off and a security operation continues. |
| Police Chief Inspector Sam Cordnor said: "It is only by sheer miracle that nobody was killed or injured." | Police Chief Inspector Sam Cordnor said: "It is only by sheer miracle that nobody was killed or injured." |
| ANALYSIS Mark Simpson, BBC Ireland correspondent The Newry bomb attack is the most serious incident involving dissident republicans in Northern Ireland since the recent political breakthrough at Hillsborough Castle. | ANALYSIS Mark Simpson, BBC Ireland correspondent The Newry bomb attack is the most serious incident involving dissident republicans in Northern Ireland since the recent political breakthrough at Hillsborough Castle. |
| The dissidents are making it clear they want to wreck any political progress. | The dissidents are making it clear they want to wreck any political progress. |
| Politicians at Stormont will be disappointed and disgusted at the bomb attack - but they won't be surprised. | Politicians at Stormont will be disappointed and disgusted at the bomb attack - but they won't be surprised. |
| Gradually in recent weeks, the dissidents have been stepping up their activities. | Gradually in recent weeks, the dissidents have been stepping up their activities. |
| Since they tried to kill a Catholic police officer, Peader Heffron, in Co Antrim last month, they've targeted three police stations in Co Armagh and now they've exploded a bomb in Co Down. | Since they tried to kill a Catholic police officer, Peader Heffron, in Co Antrim last month, they've targeted three police stations in Co Armagh and now they've exploded a bomb in Co Down. |
| By striking in three different counties, they are trying to increase the range and intensity of their violence. | By striking in three different counties, they are trying to increase the range and intensity of their violence. |
| But they still have very little support and a limited amount of weaponry. Without that, they cannot mount a full-scale campaign. | But they still have very little support and a limited amount of weaponry. Without that, they cannot mount a full-scale campaign. |
| The attack comes days after a mortar bomb was abandoned near a police station in the village of Keady, about 20 miles away. | The attack comes days after a mortar bomb was abandoned near a police station in the village of Keady, about 20 miles away. |
| The bomb attack is thought to be the first time a large car bomb has exploded in Northern Ireland since the Real IRA bombing of Omagh in 1998. | The bomb attack is thought to be the first time a large car bomb has exploded in Northern Ireland since the Real IRA bombing of Omagh in 1998. |
| In the last few years a number of large car bombs been have planted but have either failed to detonate or only partially detonated. | In the last few years a number of large car bombs been have planted but have either failed to detonate or only partially detonated. |
| There have also been several attacks with smaller under-car bombs such as the one which almost killed a police officer in County Antrim in January. | There have also been several attacks with smaller under-car bombs such as the one which almost killed a police officer in County Antrim in January. |
| BBC NI Home Affairs correspondent Vincent Kearney said police had been bracing themselves for some kind of response to the Hillsborough Agreement, signed just over two weeks ago. | BBC NI Home Affairs correspondent Vincent Kearney said police had been bracing themselves for some kind of response to the Hillsborough Agreement, signed just over two weeks ago. |
| "The fact that it has taken them so long to respond tells us something about their capabilities," he said. | "The fact that it has taken them so long to respond tells us something about their capabilities," he said. |
| Northern Ireland Secretary Shaun Woodward said: "This is an appalling attack by a very small group of people who refuse to accept that peace is working in Northern Ireland." | Northern Ireland Secretary Shaun Woodward said: "This is an appalling attack by a very small group of people who refuse to accept that peace is working in Northern Ireland." |
| Sinn Fein MP for Newry and Armagh Conor Murphy said: "The fact that we're in the process of devolving policing and justice powers and there's an attack on a courthouse will not be lost on people. | Sinn Fein MP for Newry and Armagh Conor Murphy said: "The fact that we're in the process of devolving policing and justice powers and there's an attack on a courthouse will not be lost on people. |
| NI Secretary Shaun Woodward: "This is an appalling attack" | NI Secretary Shaun Woodward: "This is an appalling attack" |
| "These people are trying to drag us backwards and ensure we have the British army back on the streets." | "These people are trying to drag us backwards and ensure we have the British army back on the streets." |
| DUP MLA William Irwin said the bomb was "a cowardly action by those who want to drag Northern Ireland back to the past". | DUP MLA William Irwin said the bomb was "a cowardly action by those who want to drag Northern Ireland back to the past". |
| SDLP MLA Dominic Bradley said: "People are saying that they got enough of this sort of thing during the Provo campaign, it was wrong and senseless then and it is wrong now." | SDLP MLA Dominic Bradley said: "People are saying that they got enough of this sort of thing during the Provo campaign, it was wrong and senseless then and it is wrong now." |
| Ulster Unionist assembly member Danny Kennedy said the bomb was "proof of a deteriorating security situation in Northern Ireland". | Ulster Unionist assembly member Danny Kennedy said the bomb was "proof of a deteriorating security situation in Northern Ireland". |
| "It represents a clear attack on security services and government institutions. It shows a very worrying level of capability that these dissidents now have." | "It represents a clear attack on security services and government institutions. It shows a very worrying level of capability that these dissidents now have." |
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