Footage has been released of the moment a car bomb exploded outside a police station in Northern Ireland, after senior figures jointly condemned the “reckless” attack.
The footage, released by the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), shows a person walking along a path before a large flash of light erupts ahead.
The suspected dissident republican attack has been condemned by Northern Ireland’s political leaders and chief constable, who voiced their condemnation at a joint press conference on Monday.
First Minister Michelle O’Neill said it was a day for “strong condemnation, not political nonsense”, in the aftermath of the attack believed to be the work of the New IRA.
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Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly said the security situation in Northern Ireland needed to be “very high on the agenda” at Westminster.
UK prime minister Keir Starmer condemned the attack on Sunday, while Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn told the House of Commons on Monday that those responsible were a “small number of people who represent no one but themselves”.
Police chief constable Jon Boutcher said it was an “attack on all of us” and called those responsible “mindless thugs”.
A male delivery driver was hijacked in the Twinbrook area of west Belfast on Saturday, a device placed inside the vehicle, and he was ordered to drive to Dunmurry police station.
The car exploded outside the station as people were being evacuated. The incident is being treated by police as attempted murder.
It comes just weeks after an attempted car bomb attack on Lurgan police station.
Speaking at a joint press conference at Parliament Buildings in Belfast, O’Neill, alongside Little-Pengelly and Boutcher, said they were sending a clear message of condemnation.
“We are absolutely united in condemnation of what has happened, nobody wants to see this on our streets, nobody wants to see the fear that that community experienced on Saturday evening,” she said.
“I don’t think this is a day for political nonsense.
“I think this is a day for strong condemnation.
“This is a day for us to be united in saying these groups have no place in our society, and it’s a day for us all to say collectively that anybody with any information whatsoever should come forward to the PSNI, because these people need to be dealt with before the courts.”
Little-Pengelly added: “I think it’s really important that we do stand very strongly together, that we send very clear messages.
“There is a responsibility across all of the political parties, particularly at a leadership level, to be sending a very clear message, a condemnation of this terrorist attack on Saturday night, but indeed, a very clear condemnation right across the piece.
“Terrorism is always wrong. It is always without justification, should that have been 10, 20, 40, 50 years ago or on Saturday night.
“Let’s send that clear message, let’s send that clear leadership, particularly to our young people coming up, that this is absolutely not for the future.
“It is not our present. It is not wanted, and we need to stand together against that.”
Boutcher said an attack on the police service was an “attack on all of us”.
He also appealed for information to help his officers catch those responsible, adding “before these people actually harm or kill somebody”.
“It’s everybody’s responsibility to call out these reckless attacks, and that’s why we stand here today, shoulder to shoulder, in doing that,” he said.
“There is no place for these mindless thugs, these idiots who think it’s acceptable to carry out such stupid attacks.
“I can promise you, we will use all of our resources to identify them and bring them before the courts.
“I want everybody to remember this, an attack on the PSNI is an attack on everyone, on all of us.
“Again, I will appeal with anybody with any information about the people responsible to please, please, please contact us before these people actually harm or kill somebody.
“Please contact us if you know something, even if you think you might know who’s responsible.
“Please, please, please reach out to the PSNI before they actually do kill somebody.”
“It’s important that we keep emphasising that we do need that additional support when it comes to counterterrorism, when it comes to that additional resource that does need to be recognised,” Little-Pengelly said.
“It doesn’t matter if it is politically inconvenient. It is a reality and we would ask the Prime Minister and the Government to take an objective view to this, to give the resources and support that is required.”
O’Neill said her party had “prioritised policing” in their draft budget because they “want to have a good policing service here that’s reflective of the community it serves”.
Boutcher said the Government should be taking a “taking a whole systems approach” in its Troubles Legacy legislation, with the force’s lack of resource feeding “into the narrative of these dissident republicans.”
He said: “We need support in dealing with legacy, with all the civil cases that we’ve got, so we can deal with them quickly and fairly and properly.
“Because when we can’t do that, we don’t have the resources, it looks as though the PSNI is being obstructive and I can promise you with my history with legacy, we are not.
“We are trying to resolve cases, but we don’t have the actual resources to do it and I keep trying to have this conversation with Westminster.”
Meanwhile the Police Federation, which represents rank and file police officers, challenged both Stormont and Westminster to translate words of support into financial support for the PSNI.
Federation chairman Liam Kelly said the PSNI is about 700 officers short of the 7,000 target outlined by the chief constable, and some 2,200 below the figure required for a population of more than 1.9 million.
“This is unsustainable and requires urgent attention by both national Government and Stormont,” he said.
“Two things need to happen. Firstly, we have to have a significant increase in the PSNI budget over a three-year budget period.
“Secondly, we must see a change of heart at Westminster on legacy. The PSNI is left to pick up the tab for legacy cases running into many millions of pounds when the Government should be bearing the cost.
“Our officers are stretched to breaking and it’s a dire situation that can’t continue.
“I am calling on the Government to live up to its responsibilities when it comes to policing and legacy in Northern Ireland. Passing the parcel between London and Belfast has to stop.”
During the Westminster debate, Sorcha Eastwood MP asked whether the PSNI would be “adequately resourced” to deal with terrorism.
In response, Benn said its funding is determined by Stormont, but added: “We’ve given a record settlement to the Executive in the spending review last summer and we have implemented the first increase in the additional security funding in over a decade. It will be £113 million over three years.”
UUP MP Robin Swann accused Benn of focusing on Barnett consequentials, adding: “Why does he and this Government believe if it’s terrorists in Northern Ireland attacking Northern Ireland people, it’s only a Northern Ireland problem?”
Benn responded: “I would simply say to (Mr Swann) that the lives of everyone in Northern Ireland, be they police officer or ordinary citizen, are beyond price.” – PA
