Catholic Police officer dead after booby-trap bomb explodes under car in Omagh - 2 men arrested

Omagh car bomb 'killed peacemaker'

Constable Ronan Kerr, the young Catholic officer killed by an under-car bomb outside his Omagh home, had chosen to be a "peacemaker and a peacekeeper", Chief Constable Matt Baggott has said.



The 25-year-old new recruit, who had recently completed his training, died when the booby-trap device exploded in the Highfield Close area of the Co Tyrone town, off the Gortin Road, on Saturday afternoon.

Speaking at a press conference in Belfast on Sunday morning, Matt Baggott called Constable Kerr a "peacekeeper" who joined the forces to protect the people of the community he grew up in.

"He chose to be a peacemaker and a peacekeeper, and he chose to do that absolutely impartially," Mr Baggott said.

"Ronan left an indelible mark on many people in his too short life. He had been a police officer for mere months but he had been a member of the community here for 25 years. He grew up here, he went to school here. He made the decision to join the police service here to protect and serve the people here."

Mr Baggott said he has visited and spoken to Constable Kerr's grieving family.

"A mother has lost a son in whom she had enormous pride," he continued. "They expressed to me their deepest pride in him. I can't imagine what they're going through but I saw their grief first hand."


A mother has lost her brave son, made all the more horrific that it is Mothers' Day today.PSNI Chief Constable Matt Baggott
"Even in the midst of such unimaginable pain she spoke to me of her pride, her enormous pride in Ronan and in the path he had chosen for himself. Her pride in him is shared by us all."

Residents in the Highfield area reported hearing a loud blast as the bomb went off shortly before 4pm on Saturday.

Police said it may be "quite some time" before families can return to their homes, while a "comprehensive" investigation is carried out.

The Gortin Road has now been reopened in both directions and pedestrians can walk on the pavement opposite the murder scene.

It has not yet emerged which dissident grouping are responsible, but the Chief Constable described them as a "potent and dangerous minority who need to be expelled from our community".

Justice Minister David Ford called for unity against terror groups in Northern Ireland.

"The entire community is united in their revulsion and condemnation," he said. "Terrorists stand against the people of Northern Ireland. They offer us nothing. We must come together now to ensure that Northern Ireland has the shared future it so richly deserves."

Acting Chairman of the NI Policing Board Brian Rea said: "Those behind this awful act must be brought to justice. I would appeal to anyone with any shred of evidence, no matter how small, to bring that forward."

After the Real IRA bombed Omagh in 1998, there was a lull and it seemed possible the dissidents would not rise again from the ashes of the Troubles' most horrific day.Sharon O'Neill in her blog: Dissident threat
Parish priest of Beragh Arthur McAnearney, who knows the family well, told UTV: "Ronan was a really friendly lad, very open, hard working and lively boy."

"He saw no evil in anyone and treated everyone so well. His mother is quite distraught but very dignified, the rest of the family will be very distraught and asking why."

The bombing has been condemned by leaders across Northern Ireland's political spectrum.

First Minister Peter Robinson spoke to Constable Kerr's mother at their family home in Omagh on Sunday.

"You could see her brightening up when she spoke of her son, of the kind of character who came into a room and threw his arms around whoever was there, who could sit down and talk to anyone," Mr Robinson said.

"I see little value in talking to the sort of people who carried this activity out, because I think they are so warped and so evil that they're not on the same wavelength as anyone else in this province."

Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams said the republican community is "seething with anger", adding that young Catholics should not be deterred from joining the PSNI.

The people I have been in touch with - from Tyrone, where this happened, and from here in the heartlands of west Belfast - are seething with anger.Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams
"They just see this as a futile action, and some of those are the very, very hard boiled republicans and they just feel outrage."

SDLP leader Margaret Ritchie says she has passed on her "deepest sympathies" to the grieving family, adding: "Yesterday's tragedy was terrible, a brutal act of murder."

The PSNI wish to speak to anyone with information, or anyone who spoke to Ronan either on Friday or Saturday, especially if he was in his car, a black Ford Mondeo, registration number PNZ 1114.

"There are people living in this community who have information which is absolutely vital to this investigation", a police spokesman said.

"We understand there will be some people who might be scared and maybe do not want to talk to police. You can give information anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

"But our preference is for you to talk to us directly, whether you live in the Highfield area or whether you have information about Ronan's movements last Friday and Saturday. "

Constable Kerr's death brings to four the number of security force members to be killed in Northern Ireland since 2009.

Omagh bombing: Ronan Kerr’s death a Mother’s Day tragedy
Sunday was meant to be a very special Mother’s Day for Ronan Kerr's mother Nuala: a chance to enjoy that rare feeling of having a full house again with her four children around her.



By John Bingham 7:30AM BST 04 Apr 2011
She could never have imagined that instead she would be standing in front of the cameras last night, flanked by her surviving children after the murder of her son, Ronan.

But rather than speak of her own grief, the recently widowed nurse used the moment to issue a powerful message of defiance against terrorism.

Her day was meant to be very different. Her eldest son, Cathair, an IT security specialist for a bank in Australia, was flying back to be with her.

Ronan, 25, who passed out as a police constable three months ago, would be coming from just down the road from his new home in Omagh.

However, on the first Mothering Sunday since he moved out, this would be no less important.

For Cathair, the visit home also promised the chance to be with his sister Dairine, the baby of the family, as she prepared to celebrate her 18th birthday in a few weeks.

But as he touched down in the United Arab Emirates, midway through his 24-hour journey from Sydney, and flicked on his mobile phone he was greeted with the most terrible news imaginable.

Among updates from friends and family on Facebook, he read a message revealing that his younger brother, Ronan, had been murdered. The devastating news had already been posted on the internet by the time the police knocked on the front door of the family home near the village of Sixmilecross, 10 minutes’ drive from Omagh.

As news of a bomb explosion circulated through the town, the name of the young Roman Catholic policeman was common knowledge by the time his family had been able to get official conformation of their worst fears.

By the time Cathair had reached his home, the first of a steady stream of mourners and well-wishers had already arrived for the start of his wake.

Turning to less traditional means to pay his own respects, he posted a message on Twitter.

“Ronan Kerr – Rest in Peace my beloved brother,” he wrote.
“The best brother anyone could wish for. I hope dad is there to meet you at heaven’s gates.”

To Mrs Kerr, her youngest son had been simply, her “rock”, according to friends. During her husband’s long battle with a brain tumour, which finally claimed his life in October 2008, she had given up her work as a nurse in the local hospital to care for him. Ronan, who worked in a series of hard manual jobs, remained at home supporting her.

With his mother back at work, he was himself struggling to find long-term employment and began to be attracted by the drive to recruit more Catholic officers into the Police Service of Northern Ireland — the replacement for the once Protestant-dominated RUC.

“He worked in fencing and other manual work for seven or eight years, very heavy work and he certainly wasn’t afraid of work,” remembers Father Arthur McAnerney, the parish priest in the nearby village of Beragh.

“But then he got this idea to do something with himself and with his life.

“Ronan was physically very strong, very sociable, and he liked people.

In his job as a policeman he would have been very open. He saw the good in everybody – and I think his reason for joining the police was to help people, that was his motivation.”

But even in the new Northern Ireland, with former republican terrorists occupying the highest offices of state, it was a brave move for a Catholic.

Despite her grief, Mrs Kerr urged Catholics not to be intimidated by Ronan’s murder and said his death should not be in vain. “We all need to stand up and be counted and to strive for equality,” she said.
“We don’t want to go back into the dark days again of fear and terror. We were so proud of Ronan and all that he stood for. Don’t let his death be in vain.”

Flanked by her three surviving children, she said that the newly-qualified officer loved the work that would cost him his life. “He was a wonderful son and brother, always had a smile and a helping hand for everyone,” she said.

“He had all the attributes of a great police officer — fair, empathetic, intelligent, humorous, a great communicator and loyal to all who knew him. And he just loved his work.

“I would like to appeal to the wider public for any information, no matter how small, about this callous crime. Someone knows something. ”

@CathairK

I just want to thank every1 for their kind heartfelt msgs of support. We are heartbroken,but feeling strong with your help. God bless u all.
about 10 hours ago via Twitter for iPhone
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@ksnavarra

Investigators in #Omagh police killing say killer may have used #Libya semtex
6 minutes ago via TweetDeck

Omagh bomb 'may have used Libyan Semtex'

Police are investigating whether the bomb that killed a police officer in Northern Ireland was made using explosives supplied to the IRA by Col Gaddafi's regime in Libya.

Forensic PSNI officers work at the scene after Catholic police officer Ronan Kerr, 25, was killed by a booby-trap car bomb Photo: PA
By Mark Hughes, Christopher Hope and Duncan Gardham 10:38PM BST 03 Apr 2011
Pc Ronan Kerr died following the explosion in Omagh on Saturday afternoon. Detectives are trying to establish whether the car bomb was made using Semtex – a plastic explosive that the IRA sourced from Libya in large quantities in the 1980s.
The potential link prompted urgent questions from Conservative MPs about the role of Libya’s foreign minister, Moussa Koussa, in arming the IRA.
Yesterday it emerged that Mr Koussa – who fled to Britain from Libya last week – has been named in US court documents as one of the men who oversaw the regime’s supply of Semtex to the IRA.
David Cameron was already facing pressure to ensure that Mr Koussa co-operates with the authorities investigating the Lockerbie bombing and the murder of Pc Yvonne Fletcher.
The Prime Minister is now facing calls to ensure that Mr Koussa is investigated for his role in the supply of an explosive that was used in some of Britain’s worst terrorist atrocities.

Patrick Mercer, a Conservative MP, ex-soldier and former chairman of the Commons’ counter-terrorism sub-committee, told The Daily Telegraph: “Moussa Koussa was up to his elbows in dealing with the IRA and we must not forget this once we have gained as much intelligence from him as we possibly can. He has the blood of British soldiers and policemen on his hands.”
Robert Halfon, a Tory MP whose father and grandfather were both born in Tripoli, added: “If this is true then we must take every step to indict Mr Koussa in the international war crimes courts or in the British courts for allegedly supplying the IRA with weapons which appear to have killed a policeman on Saturday.”
Michael Gallagher, whose son Aidan was one of 29 people who died in the Omagh bombing of 1998, agreed. “I think it is important that the Government talk to him about Ireland and the export of arms and explosives during that time,’’ he said.
However, William Hague, the Foreign Secretary, insisted that it was “right” to allow Mr Koussa to come to Britain.
Last night there was mounting speculation that the group responsible for the murder of Pc Kerr was Oglaigh na hEireann, a Real IRA splinter faction that has claimed responsibility for at least five similar car bomb attacks in the past 18 months.
A police source said Semtex was used in those cases and added: “We don’t know yet whether it definitely was Semtex on Saturday, but if it was then it can only have come from Libya. The source of this stuff has only ever really been Libya.”
Last night Pc Kerr’s grieving mother, Nuala, issued a powerful message of defiance against the terrorists.
Urging Catholics not to be deterred from joining the police, she said: “We all need to stand up and be counted and to strive for equality. We don’t want to go back into the dark days again of fear and terror. We were so proud of Ronan and all that he stood for. Don’t let his death be in vain.”
Pc Kerr was killed shortly before 4pm on Saturday. He was preparing to travel to work when he stepped into his black Ford Mondeo. Most car bombs rely on a mercury trigger to detonate them, meaning that they do not go off until the car is moving.
But sources said that the bomb which killed Pc Kerr detonated when it fell from the underside of the car when he sat down.
Peter Robinson, Northern Ireland’s First Minister, condemned the bombers yesterday. He said: “I couldn’t help but get the feeling that after this there was someone, either here, or across the border who was pleased with their day’s work.
“They think they have done something that furthers their cause, but if they had spoken to the people that I have spoken to, they would know that this community is solidly standing against them.”
Gerry Adams, the Sinn Fein president, joined in the condemnation, describing the bombing as an ''attack on the community, and attack on the peace process’’.
Matt Baggott, Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland, said that those responsible had managed to “kill a peacemaker”.
Mr Baggott said: “My emotions are a deep sense of pride in Ronan, and the fact that he chose this career, knowing what the dangers were, that he chose to be a peacemaker and a peacekeeper.”
Semtex, favoured by dissidents because of its durability, was used in IRA bombs in London in 1993 and 1996 as well as in the Warrington bombing, also in 1993.
Despite the passing of time and the public decommissioning of weapons by the IRA, large amounts of Semtex are said to still be in existence in Ireland.
The Real IRA is believed to have stolen large quantities of the explosive after the signing of the Good Friday peace agreement.
Explosions experts said that if stored properly Semtex could last up to 40 years.
There were warnings last night that the murder could have security repercussions for mainland Britain.
The risk of an attack by dissident Irish terrorists on mainland Britain was increased last September from “moderate” to “substantial”, meaning an attack is a strong possibility.
Owen Paterson, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, said: “We do not underestimate the threat they pose. We will be vigilant.’’
In an arrest unconnected with the car bombing a 41-year-old man was taken into custody on suspicion of being involved in terrorist activity.

Ronan Kerr murder 'brutal and grotesque'


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Detective Superintendent Raymond Murray said the bomb which killed Constable Kerr was the size of a lunch boxContinue reading the main story
OMAGH CAR BOMB

The police officer killed by a bomb in Omagh on Saturday was "brutally and grotesquely murdered" a detective leading the investigation has said.

Detective Superintendent Raymond Murray said the bomb which killed Constable Ronan Kerr was probably up to a pound in weight.

It was inside a plastic box which had been attached under his car.

Chief Superintendent Murray said it had been probably detonated by a tilt switch, which is set off by movement.

He said police believed it was planted some time between Thursday evening and when it exploded on Saturday afternoon.

Constable Kerr, 25, was killed outside his home in the Highfield estate.

Chief Supt Murray said components of the bomb had been recovered.

It also contained a timing mechanism which may have been for the safety of the bombers while they moved the device.

He would not be drawn on which group he thought was responsible, however he said there had been a number of dissident republican threats in the Omagh area recently.

Useless war
Mr Kerr is the second police officer to have been murdered since the Royal Ulster Constabulary became the PSNI in 2001.

Continue reading the main story
Analysis

Vincent Kearney
BBC NI home affairs correspondent
Ronan Kerr symbolised the new era of policing in Northern Ireland.

He was one of nearly 2,160 Catholics in the ranks of the PSNI.

That fact made him a prime target for those who placed a bomb under his car.

Dissident republicans want to drive a wedge between the police and the nationalist community in their efforts to destabilise the political process.

At the height of the Troubles, the RUC had more than 13,000 officers - and more than 90% of them were Protestant.

Ten years after it was replaced by the PSNI, almost a third of officers now come from the Catholic community.

Despite widespread condemnation of Ronan Kerr's murder, the police fear dissident republicans may have already identified their next target, and will continue their efforts to kill more officers.

He joined the police in May 2010 and had been working in the community since December.

Earlier, NI Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness said Constable Kerr's killers were waging "a useless war against peace".

He was speaking after meeting PSNI chief Matt Baggott with First Minister Peter Robinson and Justice Minister David Ford on Monday.

Mr Robinson told the press conference that the County Tyrone attack had "strengthened institutions, united our community and brought politicians closer together".

Dissident republicans oppose the police service and have targeted officers in both gun and bomb attacks.

Constable Kerr played Gaelic football for his local club and his murder has been condemned by the Gaelic Athletic Association.

Tyrone Gaelic footballers held a minute's silence before a match against Kildare at the weekend.

His mother, Nuala, has since urged Catholics not to be deterred from joining the PSNI.

Mr McGuinness said dissident republicans engaged in violence were "enemies of the peace, enemies of the people of Ireland".


Constable Ronan Kerr was killed by a bomb under his car
He added that many young nationalists and republicans had joined the police and said he was "as proud of them as Nuala Kerr was of Ronan".

He said he was completely united with Mr Robinson in his support for the police.

"We are not going away. We represent the people. I represent the people of County Tyrone. I represent the people of Ireland," Mr McGuinness said.

"We are the people who will prevail."

Police have set up a dedicated phone line for anyone with information on the murder to contact them.

The number is 028 82 256659.



1. March 2009, Massereene Barracks, County Antrim: Sappers Patrick Azimkar and Mark Quinsey are killed as they collected pizzas outside their barracks. The Real IRA said it carried out the attack

2. February 2010, Braehead Road, near the Irish border: The naked and bound body of 31-year-old Kieran Doherty is found close to Londonderry. The Real IRA accepted responsibility

3. April 2011, Omagh, County Tyrone: Pc Ronan Kerr is killed after a bomb explodes under his car outside his home. Dissident republicans have been blamed

Source: BBC News reports (court cases and incidents south of the border not included)

Murder of Constable Ronan Kerr further police appeal 04/04/11

04 Apr 2011

The officer leading the investigation into the murder of Ronan Kerr has given details of the bomb which killed the 25 year old Constable last Saturday.

Detective Superintendent Raymond Murray said he was making some details available in the hope that it would encourage the local community to come forward with information about those who planted the device.

The bomb was an Under Vehicle Improvised Explosive Device (UVIED) which was packed into a grey plastic box and fitted with a timer. The timer was used to allow the person who planted it enough time to make good their escape before the device was activated. Similar devices have been used in previous attacks.

The device is estimated to have contained up to 500g of high explosives and was most likely triggered by a tilt switch. It was detonated as Constable Kerr got into his car just before 4pm on Saturday afternoon to go to work.

D/Supt Murray said: “This is part of our initial assessment at the scene and from some of the parts of the device which we have recovered. A detailed forensic examination is already underway which we hope will provide us with a fuller assessment of the device.”

Detectives believe the device was planted some time between teatime on Thursday and Saturday afternoon. They have a specific appeal to residents in the Highfield development where Ronan Kerr lived.

D/Supt Murray said: “The key to success in this investigation lies in the detail. And it lies in the Highfield development where Ronan lived. We need to establish the timeframe during which the bomb could have been planted at Highfield Close. To do this accurately, we need to establish everything that happened in the Highfield development since teatime on Thursday.

“Police need to chart all movements in and out of the development and identify those who made them. That includes residents going in and out, on foot, on a bike, in a car, van or lorry. It also includes delivery drivers, workmen, postmen and staff from utilities companies.

“We need a complete picture of every single movement into, out of and around the Highfield development between teatime on Thursday and Saturday at 4pm. We are working to create a minute-by-minute picture of activity in Highfield. Somewhere in that picture is the bomber. We need the community’s help to identify the killer and their accomplices.

“We have been heartened by the messages of condemnation and sympathy which have been expressed right across the community and around the world. They will further strengthen our resolve to apprehend those responsible but the most important assistance the community can provide today is information. We need information to make significant progress.”

Police have set up a special phone line for residents to make contact with detectives. It is 8225 6659. Alternatively, callers can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

D/Supt Murray said he wanted to add his voice to the universal expressions of condemnation and sympathy made over the past few days. He said he had been struck by the words of Ronan’s mother, Nuala, who he visited and who spoke of the need for people to stand up and be counted.

D/Supt Murray said: “I think those are all words that we all have to listen to very, very carefully. I want to give people an opportunity to stand up and be counted. The question that we have to ask ourselves as police and community together is can we find these people and catch them and can we stop them from doing this again. We can if we work together and people provide us with information.”

5 April 2011 Last updated at 08:32
Ronan Kerr murder: Peter Robinson to attend funeral

Ronan Kerr's remains were taken to his mother's house in Beragh on Monday night
Continue reading the main story
OMAGH CAR BOMB

Murder 'won't destabilise peace'
Dissidents 'fighting useless war'
NI policeman's mother urges help
Adams rejects bomb perpetrators
First Minister Peter Robinson has said he will attend the funeral of murdered PSNI officer Ronan Kerr on Wednesday.

The service will take place after midday Mass in the County Tyrone village of Beragh on Wednesday.

Constable Kerr, 25, died when a bomb exploded under his car in Omagh on Saturday.

Mr Robinson said on Twitter that he wished to attend "and convey my respect for a brave young policeman".

The DUP leader also said that 100 detectives across four teams were working on the murder.

Requiem Mass for Constable Kerr will take place at midday at the Church of the Immaculate Conception with burial afterwards in Drumduff cemetery.

RTE has reported that the Irish prime minister Enda Kenny is also expected to attend the service.

A book of condolence for the dead police officer has been opened in Omagh.

The Irish Congress of Trade Unions has organised a lunchtime rally in Belfast on Wednesday to allow people to express their abhorrence at his murder.

Dark days

On Monday, the leader of the Catholic Church in Ireland, Cardinal Archbishop Sean Brady, said the murder was an attack on all of society.

"I call on young Catholics to actively support the PSNI and join it. We need a police force that represents all of us.

"I also appeal to the parents of children that are being recruited by these groups to get their children to resist," he said.

"They have not lived through the dark days of the Troubles, tell them the awfulness of what we lived through."

Mr Kerr is the second police officer to have been murdered since the Royal Ulster Constabulary became the PSNI in 2001.

He joined the police in May 2010 and had been working in the community since December.

Mr Kerr is survived by his mother, Nuala, two brothers, Cathair and Aaron and a sister, Dairine.

Crimestoppers offers £50k reward for information on the murder of Police Officer, Ronan Kerr

Crime-fighting charity Crimestoppers is offering a £50,000 reward today for crucial information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for the murder of police officer, Ronan Kerr. [5 April 2011]

The 25-year-old was killed when an explosive device detonated under his car in Omagh, County Tyrone.

The device exploded under the vehicle in Highfield Close, just before 4pm on Saturday 2 April.

"A despicable crime"

Dave Cording, Deputy Chief Executive at Crimestoppers, said: “Crimestoppers takes all murders and manslaughters extremely seriously. In this incident a Police Officer who was willing to stand up and serve his community has had his life tragically cut short. This is a despicable crime, and for that reason a reward of up to £50,000 is being offered to anyone who can supply us with information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for this crime.

“I hope the offenders will be swiftly brought to justice and would urge anyone with information to contact the charity, Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or through our online form. No personal details are taken and communication routes are not traced or recorded – no one will know who you are.”

Anonymity guarantee

Crimestoppers is not part of the police. It is an independent charity.

Every call is treated with absolute anonymity. The information given is passed onto the police in such a way that it does not identify the caller.

Rewards are also paid without compromising a caller's anonymity

The incident is being investigated by the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI).

Reward conditions

The reward of up to £50,000 is available to anyone providing information to Crimestoppers, which leads to the arrest and conviction of the persons responsible for this crime.

Rewards can only be claimed by calling Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. Rewards cannot be claimed if giving information via the online form.

Ronan Kerr's funeral to be show of unity
Murdered Northern Ireland policeman's family will be joined by politicians and sporting figures from both sides of border

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Henry McDonald, Ireland correspondent
guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 6 April 2011 09.46 BST
Article history


A woman writes in a book of condolence for Ronan Kerr, the Northern Ireland policeman killed in a car bomb. Photograph: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images
Leading figures from Irish politics, the police and sport, from both sides of the border, will join together to mourn the Catholic police officer murdered in Omagh at the weekend.

Ireland's prime minister, Enda Kenny, and Northern Ireland's first minister, Peter Robinson, will attend a requiem mass for Constable Ronan Kerr in his home village of Beragh at midday.

In a symbolic move, the country's largest sporting organisation, the Gaelic Athletic Association, and officers from the Police Service of Northern Ireland are both expected to be involved in a guard of honour flanking the coffin.

The 25-year-old will be buried at the Church of St Patrick in Drumduff, Co Tyrone. He died when a bomb exploded under his car outside his home in the Highfield area of Omagh on Saturday afternoon.

Dissident republicans are believed to have carried out the attack, although no group has claimed responsibility.

The British government will be represented at the service by the Northern Ireland secretary, Owen Paterson. It will also be attended by Northern Ireland's deputy first minister, Martin McGuinness, the Irish opposition leader, Michael Martin, the Ulster Unionist party leader, Tom Elliott, and several church leaders.

The Irish Congress of Trade Unions has organised a lunchtime rally in Belfast at the same time as the funeral on Wednesday to allow people to express their condemnation at the killing.

Books of condolence have been opened across Northern Ireland and the PSNI said on its Facebook page that it had been "overwhelmed by messages of sympathy and support".

The Crimestoppers charity offered a £50,000 reward on Tuesday for information leading to those responsible for the murder.

itv_news

Police investigating the murder of constable Ronan Kerr have arrested a man

Northern Ireland cop murder: Police arrest man in Scotland
Apr 6 2011


Detectives investigating the murder of policeman Ronan Kerr in Northern Ireland have arrested a man in Scotland.
The development comes only a few hours after the funeral was held.
PC Kerr was killed when a booby trap device exploded under his Ford Mondeo at his Omagh home, near Beragh, as he got in to go to work on Saturday.
A spokeswoman for Strathclyde Police said: "Strathclyde Police can confirm that a 26-year-old male was arrested at approximately 1.10pm on Main Street, Renton, Dunbartonshire.
"This arrest was made by Strathclyde Police officers in relation to an ongoing investigation led by the Police Service of Northern Ireland."
Meanhile a Royal Navy bomb disposal team is currently dealing with a connected incident in Milton in West Dunbartonshire.

The A82 between the A814 Milton and Dunglass roundabouts has been closed due to an ongoing police incident, according to Traffic Scotland.
The news came as it emerged the biggest arms find in recent years was uncovered in East Tyrone.

The arms, including Kalashnikov rifles, rocket launcher components and possibly Semtex explosive, were discovered last night in Coalisland, east Tyrone.
Earlier today olice officers and senior nationalist sporting officials shouldered the coffin of murdered Catholic constable Kerr at his funeral in an unprecedented show of unity.
President of the Gaelic Athletic Association Christy Cooney and Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) members carried the remains to the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Beragh, Co Tyrone.

His killing, blamed on dissident republicans opposed to the peace process, has sparked unanimous cross-community condemnation.

The funeral procession was accompanied by unifying images that would have been unimaginable during the Troubles.
First Minister Peter Robinson is the first Democratic Unionist Party leader to attend a Catholic Mass while the presence of Sinn Fein Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness at the funeral of a police officer also represents a striking break with the past.

The small Tyrone village ground to a halt as local schoolchildren and members of the officer's boyhood gaelic football club flanked the cortege led by his mother Nuala, who days ago appealed that his loss not be in vain.
Dave Cording, deputy chief executive at Crimestoppers, said: "A police officer who was willing to stand up and serve his community has had his life tragically cut short.
"This was a despicable crime. For that reason, a reward of up to s50,000 is being offered to anyone who can supply us with information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible."
Robinson condemned the killing when he addressed business leaders in Belfast.
He said: "This was an utterly futile act designed to divide and destroy."
Thousands of people are expected to gather in Belfast at a trade union-organised peace rally to protest at the killing.

Police Question N Ireland Bombing Suspect

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5:55am UK, Thursday April 07, 2011
Police in Northern Ireland have been questioning a man arrested over the car bomb killing of policeman Ronan Kerr.



A car bomb killed Pc Kerr as he set off for a shift on Saturday
The 26-year-old was detained in Scotland on Wednesday after the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) discovered a sizeable arms cache in County Tyrone.
Pc Kerr, 25, was leaving his home in Northern Ireland last Saturday to start a shift when he was killed by a bomb hidden underneath his car.
It is believed he was targeted by dissident republican terrorists - who oppose the country's peace process - because he was a Catholic officer.
The suspect was believed to be working in Renton, Dunbartonshire when he was arrested. He was taken to the high security prison in Govan, Glasgow before being transferred to Northern Ireland.

Rifles and rocket launcher components were found by police in County Tyrone
Strathclyde Police Assistant Chief Constable George Hamilton, said: "The man was arrested under the Terrorism Act and was initially in the custody of Strathclyde Police.
"He was handed over to the custody of PSNI ... and is now back in Northern Ireland, where PSNI will continue their investigation."
In Northern Ireland, police described the arms find as "one of the most significant in years".
The haul - which was in stolen vehicles - included four rifles, ammunition, timer power units, detonators, incendiary bombs, components for rocket launchers and other explosive devices, and a quantity of explosives, possibly Semtex.

The suspect was transferred to Northern Ireland after his arrest in Dunbartonshire
PSNI Chief Constable Drew Harris said: "This investigation into Ronan's murder will continue in the coming days and weeks with the same determination and professionalism which resulted in last night's discovery."
The weapons find came as Pc Kerr was laid to arrest in the village of Beragh close to his mother's home. The funeral was attended by politicians from across the sectarian divide.
:: A £50,000 reward has been offered by the Crimestoppers charity for information about Mr Kerr's murder.

Walk for peace honours tragic Pc
Thursday, 7 April 2011

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A walk for peace will be held in Omagh on Sunday marking the death of Constable Ronan Kerr

A walk for peace will be held in Omagh on Sunday to mark the death of Constable Ronan Kerr.
Pc Kerr died when a bomb exploded under his car in the Co Tyrone town on Saturday.

A spokesman for the organisers of the event said they are asking people to join them on a walk for peace to send out a clear message.

"We want to tell those who would drag us back to the past that we do not want this violence. We do not want it in our community. We do not want it in our town. We do not want it in our country," he said.

"We do not know what you want to achieve but these dreadful acts will achieve nothing and just bring pain and misery to our people."

The march will assemble at Omagh leisure centre at 3pm and walk to the town centre at 4pm where it will disperse after some messages to the crowd at Omagh bus station car park.

No banners, symbols or flags are allowed but those attending are encouraged to wear white ribbons symbolising the desire for peace.

The spokesman added: "By just coming along to this march we can all do our bit to send that message to the people that did this and are involved in these terrible crimes. We can show that people are united in sending this simple message: Stop this. Stop it now."

He added: "People in Omagh abhor the violence in our town and the recent murder of Ronan Kerr. Ronan was a member of our community. He was one of our policemen. We grieve for him and for his family who have shown such dignity and courage," he said.

"Throughout the Troubles Omagh saw a lot of violence. Omagh people suffered hugely for over 30 years, but for the last 13 years we had hoped it was over."



Read more: http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/northern-ireland/walk-for-peace-honours-tragic-pc-15139443.html#ixzz1Ir43eQbY

Second arrest in Kerr murder case
By Rob Hastings
Friday, 8 April 2011SHARE PRINTEMAILTEXT SIZE NORMALLARGEEXTRA LARGE
A second man has been arrested in connection with the murder of Constable Ronan Kerr.

Police confirmed that a 40-year-old was stopped while driving towards Belfast on the A5 in County Tyrone and apprehended by members of the serious crime branch. As enquiries into the deadly car bomb explosion on Saturday continued, a 26-year-old male was also re-arrested as part of the investigation.

It was revealed yesterday that spectators of a half-marathon race had been standing only metres from the booby-trapped car, which was destroyed two hours later when Constable Kerr climbed in to begin his drive to work.

Detective Superintendent Raymond Murray, who is leading the investigation, said: "We already know it [the bombing] was murderous. Now we have evidence that it was potentially indiscriminate."

Omagh peace rally for Ronan Kerr



Up to 5,000 people have taken part in a walk for peace in Omagh to mark the death of Constable Ronan Kerr.
The 25 year-old died when a bomb exploded under his car in the town last weekend.

Thousands of people gathered to take part in the rally through Omagh town centre on Sunday afternoon as a mark of respect to Constable Kerr and to call for peace.

His murder has sparked widespread condemnation across Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

Organisers of the event said they want to send a message to those who want to take Northern Ireland back to the violence of the past.

Dissident republicans have been blamed for planting the bomb that killed Constable Kerr.

The rally took place as police revealed on Sunday afternoon that they had been given an extra five days to question a man arrested in connection with the murder.

The 33 year-old was detained in the Omagh area on Friday.

It is believed that dissidents were also responsible for leaving a 500lb bomb in a van near Newry on Friday.

Detectives said the bomb, which was found in an underpass on the Belfast to Dublin Road, may have been destined for a town centre.

Hundreds of motorists drove past the device unaware of the danger after traffic cones and warning signs were removed.

© UTV News