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| Version 7 | Version 8 |
|---|---|
| Londonderry alert: Three men arrested after Eglinton bomb | Londonderry alert: Three men arrested after Eglinton bomb |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Three men have been arrested by police in the Republic of Ireland, in a follow-up operation after a bomb was left under a PSNI officer's car at Eglinton near Londonderry. | Three men have been arrested by police in the Republic of Ireland, in a follow-up operation after a bomb was left under a PSNI officer's car at Eglinton near Londonderry. |
| At around 04:00 BST on Thursday morning three men were arrested near Ballybofey in County Donegal. | |
| The car is now being examined and searches are being carried out in the area where the car was stopped. | The car is now being examined and searches are being carried out in the area where the car was stopped. |
| The device was discovered at Glenrandel early on Thursday. | The device was discovered at Glenrandel early on Thursday. |
| Police said on Thursday afternoon that the road had now reopened to traffic. | |
| They said the attack was a "clear attempt to murder police officers". | |
| District Commander Mark McEwan said the wife of the officer concerned was also a member of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI): | |
| "This could have been a tragedy," he added. | |
| "The target of focus of the investigation is dissident republicans. | |
| "This officer serves the community day and daily. He keeps people safe. Someone has crept in and planted a bomb underneath his car. | "This officer serves the community day and daily. He keeps people safe. Someone has crept in and planted a bomb underneath his car. |
| "I have spoken with the officers and they are calm and dealing with it in a professional way." | "I have spoken with the officers and they are calm and dealing with it in a professional way." |
| Fifteen houses at Glenrandel in Eglinton were evacuated and army technical officers attended the scene. | |
| 'Shock' | 'Shock' |
| The alert began at about 02:45 BST. Jennie Bell lives in Glenrandel and her elderly grandparents had to leave their home. | |
| She said it was a "big shock wakening up to this news". | She said it was a "big shock wakening up to this news". |
| "My granny is recovering from cancer and my granddad has Parkinson's disease," she said. | "My granny is recovering from cancer and my granddad has Parkinson's disease," she said. |
| "There are a number of elderly residents in the area. It is all going on outside our front door. | "There are a number of elderly residents in the area. It is all going on outside our front door. |
| "We have been advised to stay inside. We have never had anything like this in Eglinton before." | "We have been advised to stay inside. We have never had anything like this in Eglinton before." |
| The leaders of the four main churches in Derry have described the attack as "despicable, evil and reckless". | The leaders of the four main churches in Derry have described the attack as "despicable, evil and reckless". |
| In a joint statement, Bishop Donal McKeown, Bishop Ken Good, Dr Robert Buick and the Rev Peter Murray said they were appalled and there could be no justification for attempted murder. | In a joint statement, Bishop Donal McKeown, Bishop Ken Good, Dr Robert Buick and the Rev Peter Murray said they were appalled and there could be no justification for attempted murder. |
| Foyle MP Mark Durkan condemned those behind the attack. | Foyle MP Mark Durkan condemned those behind the attack. |
| "These people are capable of using a viable device, but they don't actually have a viable political strategy, no coherent message and it is not what the community want," he said. | "These people are capable of using a viable device, but they don't actually have a viable political strategy, no coherent message and it is not what the community want," he said. |
| "Let's be very clear about the support and sympathy and solidarity that we are offering to the police officer concerned." | "Let's be very clear about the support and sympathy and solidarity that we are offering to the police officer concerned." |
| 'Futile' | 'Futile' |
| DUP MLA Gary Middleton blamed dissident republicans for the bomb. | |
| "I condemn those who carried out this terrorism act and hope that they will be brought to justice," he said. | "I condemn those who carried out this terrorism act and hope that they will be brought to justice," he said. |
| "This is a tight-knit, settled community and people here are left completely shocked and disgusted by this act." | "This is a tight-knit, settled community and people here are left completely shocked and disgusted by this act." |
| Sinn Féin Councillor Paul Fleming described the attack as "wrong and futile". | Sinn Féin Councillor Paul Fleming described the attack as "wrong and futile". |
| "We are looking to the future and we will not be held back by those who want to drag us back to the past," he said. | "We are looking to the future and we will not be held back by those who want to drag us back to the past," he said. |
| "It's time these people caught up with the mood and wishes of the Irish people and abandon their activities." | "It's time these people caught up with the mood and wishes of the Irish people and abandon their activities." |