Car bomb explodes outside PSNI station

Deputy Chief Constable Bobby Singleton said: “Shortly after 10.50pm last night, Saturday 25th April, a delivery driver’s car was hijacked in the Twinbrook area of west Belfast and a gas cylinder device was placed in the boot of the vehicle. The man was ordered to drive it to Dunmurry police station.

“The vehicle was abandoned outside the front of the station and police personnel immediately activated the station’s Attack Alarm. Police officers immediately and courageously ran into danger, placing themselves in harm’s way, and evacuated nearby homes to protect the community.

“A number of residents, including two babies, were being taken to safety by officers when the device exploded, engulfing the vehicle in flames and sending debris in all directions.

“What this type of device may have lacked in terms of its sophistication and scale, it more than made up for in its reckless unpredictability. Thanks to the swift actions of police, no one has been injured, which is nothing short of miraculous.

“Our thoughts today are with all those affected by this cowardly attack, the delivery driver for whom this will have been an extremely traumatic experience, residents who are still unable to return to their homes, our courageous officers and of course their families, who will be grateful their loved ones are safe, but will undoubtedly have been left shaken by the ordeal.

“I want to reassure our community that the Police Service of Northern Ireland will not be deterred or distracted by last night’s senseless and reckless attack. We’ve made great progress as a society and we won’t allow those who are intent on dragging us backward to succeed. Instead we’ll continue to work with our communities to protect them from harm.

“We have commenced an attempted murder investigation which will be led by our Terrorism Investigation Unit.”

Policing Board Chair Brendan Mullan said: This explosive device was sent to kill officers and cause maximum harm in an attack which was in the heart of a residential area. Those responsible had callous disregard for people living close to the station and who so easily could have been caught up in this explosion.

“It is a miracle no one was seriously injured and we thank the officers, ATO and emergency services who initially responded, and have been working to ensure everyone’s safety since.This is the second incident at a police station in recent weeks which is depressing. The people have spoken when they overwhelmingly endorsed the Good Friday Agreement.

“Such acts of violence have no place in a society committed to peace. We stand united in condemnation of those responsible for this terror, and in voicing support for the work of the officers and staff of the PSNI.”

Liam Kelly, Chair Police Federation for Northern Ireland, says the car bomb attack on Dunmurry police station was a fruitless and reckless act by desperate no-hopers.

Mr Kelly said: “This was callous and massively irresponsible. It has caused great upset and generated widespread and justifiable revulsion.

“If you want the definition of madness, then this is no finer example of that. This doesn’t move the needle towards any particular goal. All it does is show that there are still people who want to murder my colleagues and deliver pain and suffering in our communities.

“These faceless cowards are a throwback to the dark ages of the ‘Troubles’. They have no place in the society we are all striving to build – a society free from thuggery and terrorism.

“As a comprehensive police investigation continues, I say to the cowards who hijacked this vehicle and detonated it in a residential area outside a police station to leave the stage. This attack was a fruitless and reckless act by desperate no-hopers. They are morally bankrupt and should be consigned to history.

“I would directly appeal to the public to assist the PSNI in identifying the offenders so they can quickly and rightly be placed before the courts.”