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| Car bomb explodes at courthouse | Car bomb explodes at courthouse |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| A car bomb has exploded near a courthouse in Newry, County Down. | A car bomb has exploded near a courthouse in Newry, County Down. |
| A police spokeswoman said there were no initial reports of any injuries following the explosion. | A police spokeswoman said there were no initial reports of any injuries following the explosion. |
| A car was abandoned close to the gates of the courthouse at about 2200 GMT on Monday. Police were evacuating the area when the bomb went off. | A car was abandoned close to the gates of the courthouse at about 2200 GMT on Monday. Police were evacuating the area when the bomb went off. |
| People in the city reported hearing a loud bang and smoke could be seen in the area around the building at New Street, near the city centre. | People in the city reported hearing a loud bang and smoke could be seen in the area around the building at New Street, near the city centre. |
| Motorists have been advised to avoid the area. | Motorists have been advised to avoid the area. |
| Police have appealed for anyone who saw a suspicious vehicle in the area to contact them. | Police have appealed for anyone who saw a suspicious vehicle in the area to contact them. |
| As far as I could make out, there was only a five-minute warning and police were in the process of evacuating people when the bomb went off Dominic BradleySDLP assembly member | |
| BBC Ireland Correspondent Mark Simpson said it appeared to have been a car bomb which "seems to have been planted by dissident republicans". | BBC Ireland Correspondent Mark Simpson said it appeared to have been a car bomb which "seems to have been planted by dissident republicans". |
| "What the IRA used to do quite frequently was target the courthouse - that is what dissident republicans are now doing," he added. | "What the IRA used to do quite frequently was target the courthouse - that is what dissident republicans are now doing," he added. |
| Warning | Warning |
| SDLP Newry and Armagh assembly member Dominic Bradley condemned those who were responsible for the bomb. | SDLP Newry and Armagh assembly member Dominic Bradley condemned those who were responsible for the bomb. |
| "This was a substantial blast which sounded loud where I live - the best part of two miles away," he said. | "This was a substantial blast which sounded loud where I live - the best part of two miles away," he said. |
| "I was on the scene shortly afterwards and I can say that local people were absolutely disgusted. | "I was on the scene shortly afterwards and I can say that local people were absolutely disgusted. |
| "As far as I could make out, there was only a five-minute warning and police were in the process of evacuating people from New Street/Canal Street when the bomb went off. | "As far as I could make out, there was only a five-minute warning and police were in the process of evacuating people from New Street/Canal Street when the bomb went off. |
| "We could easily have been looking at serious casualties or worse this evening and it is no credit at all to the bombers that as far as is known there were no injuries. | "We could easily have been looking at serious casualties or worse this evening and it is no credit at all to the bombers that as far as is known there were no injuries. |
| "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. | "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. |
| "They are very angry and they want the people responsible taken out of circulation and brought to justice." | "They are very angry and they want the people responsible taken out of circulation and brought to justice." |
| DUP Newry and Armagh assembly member William Irwin said the bomb was "a cowardly action by those who want to drag Northern Ireland back to the past". | DUP Newry and Armagh assembly member William Irwin said the bomb was "a cowardly action by those who want to drag Northern Ireland back to the past". |
| He said it "must be condemned across the community by all those who believe in democracy and oppose terrorism". | He said it "must be condemned across the community by all those who believe in democracy and oppose terrorism". |
| "The swift actions of police in ensuring that the area was evacuated must be praised and once again serve of a reminder of the threat which our police officers face daily," he said. | "The swift actions of police in ensuring that the area was evacuated must be praised and once again serve of a reminder of the threat which our police officers face daily," he said. |
| It comes days after a mortar bomb was abandoned near a police station in the village of Keady, about 20 miles away. | It comes days after a mortar bomb was abandoned near a police station in the village of Keady, about 20 miles away. |
| No organisation claimed responsibility, but dissident republicans are suspected to be behind it. | No organisation claimed responsibility, but dissident republicans are suspected to be behind it. |
| Last October, Newry courthouse was the scene of a major security alert after an Army bomb disposal team was sent to examine a suspicious vehicle abandoned nearby. | Last October, Newry courthouse was the scene of a major security alert after an Army bomb disposal team was sent to examine a suspicious vehicle abandoned nearby. |
| It was later declared to be an elaborate hoax. | It was later declared to be an elaborate hoax. |
| Are you in the area? If you have any information you wish to share with the BBC you can do so using the form below: | Are you in the area? If you have any information you wish to share with the BBC you can do so using the form below: |
| The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & Conditions | The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & Conditions |