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Car bomb attack on Londonderry court described as incredibly reckless

Saturday evening’s blast on Bishop Street has been condemned by politicians across the political divide in Northern Ireland.

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The scene of the explosion on Bishop Street in Londonderry

A car bomb attack on a Londonderry court house has been condemned by police as “unbelievably reckless”.

The attack came shortly after 8pm on Saturday when a vehicle exploded on Bishop Street.

Police and army bomb experts remain at the scene.

Local Democratic Unionist MLA Gary Middleton said police have now ruled out earlier fears of a secondary device.

He said the focus now was on completing the investigations and getting the city back to normal.

Police near the scene of a suspected car bomb on Bishop Street in Londonderry
Police near the scene of a suspected car bomb on Bishop Street in Londonderry (Steven McAuley/PA Wire)

No-one was injured in the attack which has been condemned by politicians across Northern Ireland’s divide.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland’s Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hamilton said hundreds of people, including hotel guests and children from a church youth club were evacuated from the area.

“At around 7.55pm last night officers on patrol in Bishop Street spotted a suspicious vehicle and were making checks when, around five minutes later, information was received that a device had been left at the courthouse,” he said.

The scene of the explosion
No-one was injured in the attack (PSNI)

“We moved immediately to begin evacuating people from nearby buildings including hundreds of hotel guests, 150 people from the Masonic Hall and a large number of children from a church youth club.

“The device detonated at 8.10pm.”

Mr Hamilton said police believe the vehicle used in the attack had been hijacked from a delivery driver in the Quarry Street a short time before the explosion.

He condemned the attack as “unbelievably reckless”.

“Thankfully the attackers failed to kill or injure any members the local community out socialising and enjoying the best of what the city has to offer,” he said.

“The people responsible for this attack have shown no regard for the community or local businesses. They care little about the damage to the area and the disruption they have caused.”

A number of church services in the area have been cancelled due to the ongoing security operation.

No-one has yet claimed responsibility for the attack.

Dissident Republican group Saraodh has said it believes it was carried out by “revolutionary republicans”.

The Mayor of Derry John Boyle has challenged those responsible to explain themselves.

Londonderry explosion
John Boyle condemned the attack (Steven McAuley/PA Wire)

“I would actually like to ask the people responsible for this what it actually was that they thought they were going to achieve. It achieves nothing, it didn’t achieve anything in the past, it didn’t achieve anything right now,” the SDLP mayor said.

“This is the past and it has to stay in the past. We don’t want to see any more of it.”

Colin Neill, chief executive of Hospitality Ulster, said a number of businesses affected by the attack have opened as normal this morning.

“We are a resilient bunch in the hospitality sector and this incident last night will not deter us from opening today and getting on with the job,” he said.

“We have been in touch with many of the businesses impacted by the situation in Bishop Street and the surrounding area and they have bounced back straightaway, opening for business with normal trading hours and welcoming visitors and tourists back to the city.”

“Derry-Londonderry is a great city and is an integral part of our tourism and hospitality offer at home and internationally and we must support it in every way we can.”

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