VAN BOMB DESTINED FOR NI TOWN CENTRE

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1:02pm UK, Saturday April 09, 2011
Van Bomb 'Destined For NI Town Centre'


A van bomb containing a wheelie bin packed with 500lbs of explosives could have been destined for a town centre in Northern Ireland.

NI Bomb Found Near Newry

The attempted bombing has been condemned

The vehicle was found abandoned near the Irish border near Newry.

A number of controlled explosions were carried out on the van after which officers confirmed a viable device had been found.

Northern Ireland Policing Board member Jonathan Bell condemned the attempted bombing.

The Democratic Unionist Party representative said: "Will Northern Ireland stop going forward because of the bullying of a minority of terrorists? No."

The incident comes as detectives continue to question three men over the murder of constable Ronan Kerr.

Ronan Kerr

Ronan Kerr was killed on April 2

A 33-year-old man was detained in the Omagh area on Friday over the booby trap bomb attack that killed the 25-year-old Catholic officer outside his home in the Co Tyrone town on April 2.

Police have also been given five more days to question a 26-year-old man arrested in Scotland on Wednesday and re-arrested on Thursday, plus a 40-year-old man arrested near Omagh on Thursday.

A sizeable stash of weapons and explosives, thought to be Semtex, has also been recovered during the investigation.

PC Kerr was leaving his home 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 weapons find came as PC Kerr was laid to rest 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.

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