SENIOR SINN Féin politician Mitchell McLaughlin yesterday described those responsible for a petrol bomb attack on his Bogside home in Derry as “cowardly scum”.
Two petrol bombs were thrown at Mr McLaughlin’s home in Blucher Street in the early hours of yesterday morning. One exploded causing scorch damage to the front wall. A third device was found partially exploded beside Mr McLaughlin’s car which was parked in a car park across the street from his home.
It’s the third attack on Mr McLaughlin’s home in recent weeks and it follows last month’s death threat issued by a dissident republican group against Northern Ireland’s Deputy First Minister, Martin McGuinness.
Mr McLaughlin, who is an Assembly member for the constituency of South Antrim, accused those responsible for the attack of attempted murder.
“My wife and son were asleep upstairs and I was working on some constituency matters when the attack occurred. A neighbour alerted me to what had happened.
“I hope they are ashamed of themselves but they probably are not. This was attempted murder and cowardly scum is the only expression I have in relation to those responsible. I would like to meet them face to face and let them explain to me why they are carrying such acts out against their own community. They should consider the potential consequences of their actions.
“I have represented this community for over two decades and I will not be intimidated from my work. There was some sort of substance used which made the petrol stick to the front of my home”, he said.
Meanwhile, Mr McGuinness, in condemning the attack, said he did not know “specifically” who carried it out.
“I believe these people come from the Bogside area, they live in the community and they are the people who have been writing slogans on walls in support of so-called dissident republican organisations”, he said.