This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/northern_ireland/8629000.stm
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Version 1 | Version 2 |
---|---|
'Criminal gang' claim Derry bombs | |
(about 4 hours later) | |
The police have said a criminal gang has claimed responsibility for two overnight explosions in Londonderry. | |
It is understood Republican Action Against Drugs (Raad) threw a pipe bomb at a house in Spruce meadows in Culmore. | |
A family of seven escaped injury after the pipe bomb exploded outside their home at about 0130 BST on Monday. | |
The police became aware of another device in the city only after Raad claimed responsibility for it. | |
Police said the group claimed a device, which partially exploded, was thrown at a Westland Street house. | |
The pipe bomb in Spruce Meadows caused extensive damage to a car and damage to the front of the house. | |
Inspector Jon Burrows said they were investigating a link to drugs, and that people who engaged in such violence were the "enemies of everyone". | |
"Everyone needs to unite together to give us the information to put them behind bars," he continued. | |
"If anyone had of been close to that pipe bomb when it exploded they could have been very seriously injured, or indeed killed." | |
Republican Action Against Drugs have targeted at least 15 men in the city in recent months. | |
Evacuated | |
Two adults and five children were in the Spruce Meadows house at the time of the attack but no-one was injured. | |
Army technical officers examined the scene and removed the remains the device for further examination. | Army technical officers examined the scene and removed the remains the device for further examination. |
A number of nearby houses were evacuated for a short time. | A number of nearby houses were evacuated for a short time. |
Darren Curry lives in the area and said families had been left shocked. | Darren Curry lives in the area and said families had been left shocked. |
"You probably wouldn't expect that to happen here, it's a very quiet area. We've only moved in recently and we've found no trouble at all," he said. | "You probably wouldn't expect that to happen here, it's a very quiet area. We've only moved in recently and we've found no trouble at all," he said. |
"It's just an awful shock that people could come in and actually do that and cause disruption and not have any fear for anybody that lived here." | "It's just an awful shock that people could come in and actually do that and cause disruption and not have any fear for anybody that lived here." |
Police have appealed for people to exercise caution and not to touch any unusual or suspicious items. |