Bomb blast at City of Culture offices

KeithAFC

A bomb has exploded at the City of Culture offices in Londonderry, an hour after it was discovered by police.

It is understood police were alerted to the possibility that a device had been planted in the area at around 9.45pm. The bomb exploded shortly before 11pm.

Officers sent to patrol the area spotted a package lying against the front door of the City of Culture office. They cleared the area before the device detonated.

Army bomb experts attended the scene of the explosion at Shipquay Street on Wednesday night, as the area remained sealed off.

It is not yet known what kind of damage has been caused to the premises in the blast, but there have been no reports of any injuries.

It is the second time the premises has been bombed. In January, dissident republicans left a device, which detonated causing minor damage to the exterior.

At the scene, UTV's North West correspondent Mark McFadden said: "Police sources say they suspect dissident republicans, who have been fairly active in the North West area throughout this year, are behind the attack."

Former SDLP Mayor of Derry Colum Eastwood says he has no doubts dissident republicans were responsible for the blast.

They've been attacking this city and the people of this city for a long time, but they need to be told very clearly to get off our backs.Colum Eastwood
Foyle MP Mark Durkan said those responsible for the device "have shown complete and utter contempt for the city".

"Derry is a city with many challenges and with many difficulties. But the City of Culture is one of the opportunities we have.

"This callous and dangerous act flies in the face of the efforts made by so many people to improve life here. Thankfully no-one has been injured but those graces are no thanks to those who are behind this attack.

"They are out to destroy and they don't care if they injure or kill when they are at it."

UUP leader Tom Elliott said: "It is shameful that we continue to have people who are determined to bring death and destruction to Northern Ireland. Surely its time that these paramilitaries realised they don't have support for their actions.

"While many are attempting to ensure that this province is a progressive society and working hard to develop sustainable communities, these terrorists want to destroy that good work.

"I say shame on them for their actions," said Mr Elliott.

Alliance Policing Board member Trevor Lunn has also expressed his outrage at the explosion.

"I am disgusted and appalled at the actions of a small group of people who wish to see violence like this return to our streets.

"This bomb could have injured or killed but those behind it do not care about the consequences of their actions.

"Derry being awarded the City of Culture is an opportunity to attract more tourists as well as investment. The people behind this bomb attack obviously do not want Derry or its economy to use this opportunity to move forward," added Mr Lunn.

The City of Culture offices are located in Guildhall Square, which remains sealed off, yards away from the Guildhall itself and close to the city's walls.

"It's a place that would be visited throughout the day by almost every tourist group that would come to see the city," said Mark McFadden.

"This is an office which is a showcase for the city."

http://www.u.tv/News/Bomb-blast-at-City-of-Culture-offices/117c24e5-c413-41bd-adc5-b512498ea89d

And I was told they are completely irrelevant and just like I said before this happened, they would strike again. No one got hurt but they seem determined.

edanto

This is the kind of thing that we need Republican leaders to condemn.

There is also a responsbility to root out this criminality by passing information to the PSNI and Gardai.

getz

edanto wrote: »

This is the kind of thing that we need Republican leaders to condemn.

There is also a responsbility to root out this criminality by passing information to the PSNI and Gardai.

many republicans would seem to be quite happy to see the peace process collapse

Wolfe Tone

Another pipe bomb?

"many republicans would seem to be quite happy to see the peace process collapse"

The vast majority wouldn't.

RDM_83 again

Any links to the damage yet, I'd still consider them an irrelevance*, saw the damage done to the Ulster Bank (on the Culmore road) in an attack that sounded extremely serious from reading media and the boards thread on it and nothing like the damage one would have expected from an IRA carbomb (no windows shattered in nearby houses, minor damage to bank, few if any marks damage to road).

* in the same way that I consider the criminals who use pipebombs in places like Coolock an irrelevance.

Sunnyisland

getz wrote: »

many republicans would seem to be quite happy to see the peace process collapse

Son Of A Vidic

Wolfe Tone wrote: »

Another pipe bomb?

"many republicans would seem to be quite happy to see the peace process collapse"

The vast majority wouldn't.

Personally I would replace the above word 'many' with the word 'few' tbh. The peace process is the only game in town? I do laugh when I see the ages of some of these 'dissidents', guys in their twenties. You see someone who is 26-27 and you then realise they were 9-10 when the 1994 Ceasefire started. It's a case of cop on lads, the really fighting was done long before ye arrived on the scene.

round tower huntsman

[QUOTE=Corvus Maximus;74935540. You see someone who is 26-27 and you then realise they were 9-10 when the 1994 Ceasefire started. It's a case of cop on lads, the really fighting was done long before ye arrived on the scene.[/QUOTE]


load of gobbledegook. one look at the ages of lads been arrested for insurgent activities will show they range in ages from late teens to 60's and 70's. lads only starting out to lads that have been around since before the provos were formed.

so what if they were kids for the 94 cease fire!!! not kids now and they've picked up where some have left off, which always the way.