Victims campaigner finds bomb in hedge
Thursday, 18 September 2008
A photograph of the device uncovered in Jonesboro, taken by William Frazer. SG3873
A 100lb bomb has been defused at Jonesboro in South Armagh after a two-day security operation.
The bomb was packed into a beer keg and was discovered by William Frazer, director of local victims' group FAIR, who alerted police.
It had been concealed in a hedgerow and both Finnegans Road and Molly Road were sealed off as the Army Technical Officer made safe the device.
It is thought the bomb had been left while an attempt was made to lure police officers into the area.
Mr Frazer said he had slowed down to avoid children riding their bicycles along the road and spotted a metal object in the hedge on Saturday.
He explained: "I recognised it as a beer keg and stopped to investigate. I immediately suspected that it was a bomb packed into the keg with the mixture clear to see and the wires and detonator obvious.
“I headed straight to the nearest police station to raise the alarm and saw a police patrol en route. Having warned them of my find, they took my advice and avoided the potential death trap".
Victims group FAIR and members of the community have commended Mr Frazer for his "courageous and fast thinking action which undoubtedly saved lives".
Said a spokesperson: "Had he not been in the area, responding to local information on ongoing smuggling and criminality, who knows what could have happened. The scene of the bomb trap is close to a children's play area and we can only imagine with dread what might have happened if the children had found the bomb instead".
Speaking after police had sealed off the area, Mr Frazer added: "This shows the ongoing nature of republican terrorism and the real threat that continues. The men responsible for this murder bid are not strangers to South Armagh or to the republican movement.
“It is clear that senior members of Sinn Fein/IRA knew of this bomb before I found it. While I was at the scene a number of individuals in a car, who I know to be republicans, stopped to hurl abuse at me. Unlike previous attempts to intimidate me, they did not stop beside me, but pulled in some 200 or 300 yards away and shouted back.
“They clearly knew of the existence of the bomb. If I could see this device as I drove past, I cannot believe local republicans did not also see it.
“Sinn Fein/IRA knew of the attack and clearly did not inform the police. Rather, they left the bomb and risked local lives. If I had acted in the same way as they did, would we now be faced with dead children on the roads of South Armagh?
“The bomb was similar to previous PIRA devices I have seen during the Troubles. I believe that this was intended for a police patrol and would have been claimed under the name of dissidents. However, the message it sends out benefits republicans and criminals of all kinds".
Sinn Féin MP for Newry and Armagh Conor Murphy has condemned those responsible, saying they had no support from the community.
“It is disgraceful and I think the people involved in this, and I presume that this is some dissident republican group, have no support in that community and they certainly have no strategy to achieve any political objectives," he said.
DUP MLA William Irwin said the police were the intended targets.
“Indeed, it would seem there was an attempt to lure police into the area. This has been a tactic used in other dissident attacks and once again demonstrates the determination of some in Northern Ireland to take human life in pursuit of their goal to destabilise the Province.
“I call on the community to assist the PSNI with their investigations as it is vital these criminals get the message that they are not wanted in society".
The SDLP's Dominic Bradley said those who left the bomb showed "absolutely no consideration for the residents of the local area".
“It was an act of complete irresponsibility and one which all right-thinking people will condemn outright without reservation.
“The use of violence for political ends was never justified and only resulted in death, destruction and injury for all communities - even those who engaged in violence in the past now recognise that fact. There are obviously some people who have not yet woken up to that fact and who persist in subjecting the community to the same horrible possibilities.
“I would call on anyone who has any knowledge which would help the police apprehend those still intent on violence to give that information to the police without delay".
Army bomb disposals experts made the Jonesboro device safe and police took it away for forensic examination.
PSNI Area Commander Chief Inspector Sam Cordner condemned those behind the bomb attempt.
“Those responsible for planting this device and whose misguided attempts to inflict death, injury and destruction for whatever reason have nothing to offer anyone in our community," he said.
