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| Dissident republicans blamed for planting bomb on bus in Derry | Dissident republicans blamed for planting bomb on bus in Derry |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Dissident republicans have been blamed for planting a bomb on a bus in Northern Ireland. | Dissident republicans have been blamed for planting a bomb on a bus in Northern Ireland. |
| Police said a masked man ordered the viable explosive device to be transported to the main police station in Derry on Wednesday night. | |
| The city's police chief, Supt Stephen Cargin, said the device was capable of causing death or serious injury. "This was a reckless attack on the community," he said. | |
| The alert began at about 6.15pm, when the masked man boarded the bus in the Ballymagroarty area. The bomb, which was concealed inside a holdall and had a two-hour timer, was placed directly behind the driver's seat. Up to 10 passengers on board at the time were ordered off. | The alert began at about 6.15pm, when the masked man boarded the bus in the Ballymagroarty area. The bomb, which was concealed inside a holdall and had a two-hour timer, was placed directly behind the driver's seat. Up to 10 passengers on board at the time were ordered off. |
| Cargin said: "To be prepared to put a bomb on a public bus, to put the lives of the driver and the passengers at risk and in the knowledge that it had to be driven through a built-up area is totally mindless." | |
| The would-be bomber was dressed in a black jacket and used a black scarf and hood to hide his identity. Cargin said he claimed to have been from the IRA. "We believe this was one of the dissident groups," he said. | |
| The driver was able to abandon the bus in a place of safety in the Northlands area and raise the alarm. She has been left extremely distressed by the ordeal. Cargin said she should be praised for her bravery. | The driver was able to abandon the bus in a place of safety in the Northlands area and raise the alarm. She has been left extremely distressed by the ordeal. Cargin said she should be praised for her bravery. |
| In the past, dissident extremists opposed to the peace process have forced taxi drivers to transport bombs, but it is understood that this is the first time a public transport worker has been targeted. | |
| Ciaran Rogan, from Translink, which operates the network, said services would not be affected. | Ciaran Rogan, from Translink, which operates the network, said services would not be affected. |
| Stormont's transport minister, Danny Kennedy, condemned those responsible. "I want to praise the bravery of the bus driver who had to deal with this frightening situation," the Ulster Unionist member said. "Attacks on public transport impact the entire community who depend on buses and trains to get to work, school, hospital and go about their daily business. The driver showed immense courage under very difficult circumstances." | |
| About 70 families from 40 houses were evacuated while army bomb disposal teams worked to make the device safe. The alert ended at about 3.30am on Thursday and residents were allowed to return home. | |
| Cargin said: "So many people had to be evacuated and were seriously inconvenienced for over nine hours. You have to question what these people were trying to achieve." | Cargin said: "So many people had to be evacuated and were seriously inconvenienced for over nine hours. You have to question what these people were trying to achieve." |
| Strand Road police station has been the target of a number of attempted bombings, including thwarted mortar attacks in March and October. | Strand Road police station has been the target of a number of attempted bombings, including thwarted mortar attacks in March and October. |
| The SDLP councillor John Boyle described the latest incident as disgraceful, saying: "This latest incident in Derry was a source of real distress for the bus driver, passengers and people whose homes were evacuated on what was one of the coldest and blustery nights of the winter. Placing devices on public transport is disgraceful and entirely unacceptable." | |
| A spokesman for the Police Service of Northern Ireland said the bomb had been removed for further tests, and he appealed for any witnesses to come forward. | |
| He said: "Police would appeal to anyone who witnessed this incident or anyone with any information about the incident to contact detectives." | He said: "Police would appeal to anyone who witnessed this incident or anyone with any information about the incident to contact detectives." |
| Security alerts involving improvised explosive devices have become almost a weekly occurence in Derry during the past few months as dissident republicans step up their armed actions in the city. | Security alerts involving improvised explosive devices have become almost a weekly occurence in Derry during the past few months as dissident republicans step up their armed actions in the city. |
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