DISSIDENT REPUBLICANS were last night blamed for a booby trap car bomb attack in east Belfast that left a woman with minor injuries but is believed to have been targeted at her partner, a PSNI dog handler.
The attack caused political and security force alarm as it happened in the heart of First Minister Peter Robinson’s predominantly unionist east Belfast constituency and less than half a mile from PSNI headquarters at Knock.
The attack happened in a constituency where many police officers live and would have involved considerable surveillance, targeting and planning.
The bomb exploded as the 38-year-old woman was driving her car out of the driveway of a house in the residential mixed-religion Kingsdale Park at about 7.30am yesterday.
The bomb was secreted under the passenger side of the car which points to a high level of local knowledge by the bombers as the woman is understood to fairly frequently drive her police officer partner to work.
She was brought to hospital suffering from shock, a minor injury to her arm and ringing in her ears. She was later discharged.
Local PSNI commander Chief Supt Brian Maguire said the bombers were intending to kill or cause serious injury. He indicated that the woman, who has no connection with the police, was lucky to survive but had her partner been with her the likelihood was he would have been killed.
“The army have confirmed that this device was designed to cause death or serious injury. In fact had the person possibly been sitting in the passenger side of the car we probably would be talking about a fatality here,” said Mr Maguire.
MI5, which has the lead role in the undercover battle against the dissidents, and the security services on both sides of the Border will be concerned that dissidents would have the capability and capacity to mount such an attack in such a unionist area.
They were able to carry out the attack at a time when police, as Mr Maguire confirmed, were on alert against such attacks. Officers had been warned to check under their cars and to be aware of the general increased threat.
DUP First Minister Mr Robinson and Sinn Féin Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness have been at loggerheads over the issue of the devolution of policing and justice powers. But while they did not hold a joint press conference they were at one in roundly condemning the attack.
Mr Robinson flew home from London when he learned of the incident. He described the attack as an “evil act” carried out by people who had “nothing to offer and must face the full rigours of the law”.
“Undoubtedly those responsible are determined that Northern Ireland should be plunged back into the dark days of the past. They will not succeed,” he added.
Mr McGuinness offered his best wishes to the injured woman and said he was thankful the “potentially tragic outcome did not come to pass”.
He added: “This attack has no support within the community and serves no cause. The vast majority of people want a future together in peace. The people of Ireland overwhelming support the peace process. They want the political institutions and progress to continue. It is for us as political leaders to ensure that their wishes are fulfilled. Attempts such as this to derail the peace process must not be allowed to succeed.”
At the scene of the attack Ulster Unionist leader Sir Reg Empey said the bombers were intent on driving Northern Ireland back to the “dark days” of the Troubles.
The Alliance lord mayor of Belfast, Naomi Long, said it was only “by the grace of God that no one was killed”. Those responsible had nothing to offer “but misery and pain”.
