Massive bomb ‘could have caused another Omagh’
Police tonight warned of a dangerous new threat from dissident republican terrorists in Northern Ireland after intercepting a bomb which could have caused carnage on the scale of the Omagh atrocity.
A primed device weighing at least 200lbs was seized when security forces swooped on a car outside Armagh city.
Police chiefs believe the Real IRA, which bombed Omagh, killing 29 people, was preparing to strike again.
Assistant Chief Constable Stephen White said: ‘‘But for good police work we would have been talking about deaths and another atrocity in one of our town centres.’’
Asked if it could have wreaked mayhem on the same scale as the August 1998 car bomb attack on Omagh, he said: ‘‘I suspect it could have been.’’
The major security success came just 24 hours after officers seized weapons in Lurgan, Co Armagh which were being linked to dissident republicans.
Police have also warned Catholic workmen in Derry to be alert amid growing fears that loyalist paramilitaries were preparing to launch a new murder campaign in the city.
Army bomb disposal experts tonight carried out a controlled explosion on the Vauxhall Astra car at the centre of the new alert.
Police and soldiers are believed to have been acting on intelligence when they stopped the vehicle near Killylea, not far from the Irish border.
Its boot was packed with several hundred pounds of home made explosives, a firing pack and detonator.
Body armour was also in the car which was destined for Armagh city, security sources said.
The driver, believed to be from Cookstown, Co Tyrone, was tonight being questioned by detectives.
Mr White confirmed the bomb bore all the hallmarks of splinter republicans.
‘‘In that area we have had a number of Real IRA attacks, Real IRA activity,’’ he added.
‘‘My analysis of it is that there’s a significant, high threat from dissident republicans.’’
He pointed to the arrests at the Kilwilkie estate in Lurgan yesterday where a number of weapons, a bomb detonator and ammunition were found as further evidence of the growing threat.
Millions of pounds worth of smuggled cigarettes seized in Northern Ireland earlier this month were being used to fund the terrorists’ bid to wreck the peace process, police believe.
Paying tribute to recent successes, Mr White added: ‘‘But for them and their bravery and their professionalism I think we would be facing more than one atrocity.
‘‘As we look forward to the Christmas period and the hopes in the Province for normality there are those who believe through force and violence they can change things to their ends.
‘‘We have to meet that threat and therefore our tactics are dictated by the threat.’’
Meanwhile some 40 building contractors in Derry have been contacted by police amid fears loyalist terrorists are planning to target Catholic workmen working in Protestant areas.
SDLP Assembly woman Annie Courtney hit out at those behind the campaign after she met with police chiefs.
She added: ‘‘The police assured me they were taking the threat extremely seriously and that extra patrols would be made available.’’
